The UAE Cabinet has issued a resolution banning social media usage for children under the age of 15.
The resolution allows social media platforms to progressively implement the new standards through a transitional period of up to 12 months. This will be done in coordination with the relevant authorities to ensure technical and regulatory readiness, the government announced.
As per the resolution, children under 15 are prohibited from creating or operating personal accounts on social media platforms and will not be permitted to access their full features.
Meanwhile, teenagers between the ages of 15 and 16 must be provided with regulated, safe access to platforms. This will be subject to age-appropriate content classification, restricted interaction, regulated usage times, and robust parental controls.
Platforms are required to implement accurate and reliable age-verification mechanisms and must take down non-compliant accounts immediately. The resolution explicitly states that parental consent does not constitute a valid exemption from these restrictions.
Furthermore, the new rules prohibit the use or processing of children's personal data for commercial purposes based on the tracking of their digital activities.
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