DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has introduced a minimum age of 15 for social media use, becoming the first Arab nation to impose such a restriction amid growing international concerns over the impact of digital platforms on children and teenagers.
Under a resolution approved on Thursday, children below the age of 15 will no longer be permitted to create, operate or use personal social media accounts. The ban will prevent underage users from posting content, sharing material, commenting or participating in public groups.
The new framework applies to all social media platforms operating in the UAE and requires companies to establish stringent age-verification systems.
Authorities stated that age checks must rely on digital identity verification and artificial intelligence-supported technologies, with self-declared ages no longer being considered sufficient.
Teenagers aged 15 and 16 will still be allowed access to social media, but platforms will be required to provide additional protections.
These include age-appropriate content filters, tools to manage screen time, restrictions on contact with unknown users and features enabling parental supervision.
The regulations also oblige companies to deactivate accounts belonging to children under 15 and to prevent users from bypassing age-verification mechanisms.
In addition, platforms will be barred from using children’s personal information for targeted advertising or behavioural profiling.
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According to the government, the measures are intended to address rising concerns over young people’s exposure to inappropriate material, unsafe online interactions, excessive use of social media and the collection of personal data.
Social media companies will be given up to 12 months to bring their operations into compliance with the new rules.
Officials said the framework is in line with broader international efforts aimed at improving online safety for children while maintaining access to digital technologies in a secure environment.
The move comes as a growing number of countries, including Australia and several European nations, are tightening regulations governing children’s use of social media in response to mounting concerns over mental health, privacy and online security.
