UAE bans social media use for children under 15

The United Arab Emirates has introduced new regulations prohibiting children under the age of 15 from using social media platforms, in a move aimed at strengthening online safety for minors.

According to Report, the decision was approved by the UAE Cabinet chaired by Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Under the new rules, children younger than 15 will not be allowed to create or use personal social media accounts or access key platform features, including posting content, commenting, joining public groups and engaging in other forms of broad online interaction.

Teenagers aged 15 to 16 will be permitted to use social media subject to enhanced safeguards. These include age-appropriate content restrictions, limitations on high-risk features such as communication with unknown users, screen-time controls and parental supervision tools.

The regulations also require social media companies to introduce robust age-verification systems, including digital identification, artificial intelligence technologies and biometric tools. Self-declared age information will no longer be considered sufficient verification.

In addition, platforms will be barred from using children's data for behavior-based targeted advertising and will be required to detect and remove accounts belonging to users under 15 that were created in violation of the new rules.

Social media companies have been given a transition period of up to 12 months to comply with the regulations.