Child Online Safety

The United Arab Emirates has drawn a hard line on children’s access to social media. Under a new policy, users under 15 can no longer freely create accounts, post content, comment, or join public groups on major platforms. The move places the UAE at the center of a growing global debate over children’s safety online. It also comes as governments increasingly scrutinize the mental health, privacy, and digital wellbeing risks tied to social media use among minors. What the new restrictions cover The rules bar children under 15 from creating personal accounts, using active accounts, uploading posts, leaving comments, sharing content, or joining public groups. In practice, that sharply limits access to platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X. Officials say the policy is meant to reduce exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, online predators, and digital addiction. The measure treats child protection as a priority in an online environment that is often difficult to supervise. Older teens still have access, but under tighter controls Teenagers aged 15 to 16 are still allowed to use social media, but only if platforms provide age-appropriate content filters, limits on contact with unknown users, screen-time management tools, and parental supervision features. That approach keeps access open for older minors while adding a stronger layer of oversight. It shows that the government is not shutting the door completely, but is demanding a more controlled digital environment. Platforms must verify age more aggressively A central part of the policy is a stricter age-verification requirement for social media companies. Platforms must use digital identity verification, AI-based checks, and supporting age-authentication technologies. Self-declaration is no longer considered valid. Until now, users could simply enter a birth date on their own, but that method has been judged too easy to misuse to bypass age limits. Old accounts and children’s data are also under scrutiny The rules apply not only to new accounts but also to accounts already created by children under 15. Such accounts must be deactivated, blocked, and protected against recreation through system bypasses. In addition, platforms are forbidden from using children’s personal data for targeted advertising, behavioral profiling, or behavior-based personalization algorithms. That restriction strengthens child data protection at a time when global regulators are paying closer attention to how social media companies handle minors’ information. The UAE’s decision could influence how other countries approach social media regulation for children and teenagers. As concern grows, more governments are asking how much responsibility platforms should bear for the psychological impact of digital life on young users. The policy also arrives only days after the United Kingdom announced plans to restrict social media access for children under 16, underscoring a broader shift toward stricter age controls online. Source: id.mashable.com

UAE Tightens Social Media Rules for Under-15s, Platforms Face Strict Age Checks