UAE sets minimum age of 15 for children's social media use
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ABU DHABI, June 18 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - The UAE Cabinet, chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has issued a resolution regulating children’s access to social media platforms, state news agency WAM reported.
The resolution sets the minimum age for social media use at 15 and prohibits children below that age from creating, using or operating personal accounts on social media platforms.
Children under 15 are also prohibited from accessing full platform features, including social interaction, publishing, commenting, sharing, joining public groups, open channels or large-scale interactive spaces.
The measure applies to social media platforms that allow users to create accounts or personal profiles, engage in social interaction, publish or share content, or use algorithmic systems to display, rank or recommend content. It applies to platforms whose services are available in the UAE or directed at users in the country.
Children aged between 15 and 16 may use social media platforms subject to enhanced protective measures applied to their accounts. These include age-appropriate content restrictions, disabling high-risk features such as interaction with unknown users, regulating usage time and providing parental control tools.
The resolution states that parental consent does not constitute an exemption from the prohibitions or restrictions set out in the measure.
Platforms will be required to implement reliable age verification mechanisms, including digital identity verification, AI-supported technologies such as biometric tools, or other mechanisms approved by the Child Digital Safety Council. Self-declaration of age will not be accepted as a valid verification method.
The resolution also requires platforms to suspend or disable accounts created by children under 15 in violation of the rules, prevent circumvention of their systems, and refrain from targeting children with personalised advertising based on tracking or behavioural profiling.
Platforms must also avoid exploiting or processing children’s personal data for commercial purposes based on monitoring or tracking their digital activity.
The National Media Authority and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority will oversee compliance within their respective jurisdictions. Measures for non-compliance may include warnings, partial or full blocking of platforms, or administrative penalties.
The Child Digital Safety Council will assess risks linked to children’s access to social media platforms and propose measures to address them in coordination with relevant federal and local authorities.
Social media platforms will have a transitional period of up to 12 months to comply with the resolution.
Source: WAM
