No social media before 15: UAE becomes first Arab nation to unveil tough new rules for children

The UAE Cabinet issued the resolution on Thursday, establishing a new regulatory framework governing children's access to social media platforms.

According to the resolution, social media companies will be granted a transitional period of up to 12 months to progressively implement the new standards in coordination with relevant authorities, ensuring both technical and regulatory readiness, Gulf News reported.

Under the new rules, children under the age of 15 will be prohibited from creating or using personal accounts on social media platforms and will not be allowed to access their full features.

For children aged between 15 and 16, platforms must provide regulated and safe access, including age-appropriate content classification, restricted interactions, controlled screen time, and parental control mechanisms.

The resolution also states that parental consent will not serve as a valid exemption to the age restrictions and safeguards outlined in the regulation.

Announcing the decision on X, the UAE government said: "Cabinet issues a decision regarding the regulation of children's access to social media platforms and setting the minimum age for their use at (15) years."

According to media reports, social media firms will have one year to fully comply with the new requirements.

The move comes amid a broader global debate over children's online safety. In May, the UN human rights office warned that restricting children's access to social media alone is not a substitute for making digital platforms safer.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said many of the risks children face online stem from deliberate design and business choices made by technology companies.

'Addictive Features'

"Online harms to kids' safety, privacy and wellbeing result from design choices and business practices that undermine safety, including addictive design features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, and persistent notifications," Türk said.

The UN's guidelines, titled Getting Children's Safety Online Right, were released as age-based social media restrictions continue to gain momentum globally.

Australia banned children under 16 from social media platforms in December 2025, while Indonesia and Malaysia have introduced similar measures. More than a dozen other countries are reportedly considering comparable restrictions.

Türk cautioned, however, that age-based bans can often be circumvented and may push children toward less regulated and potentially riskier online spaces.

"Simply limiting access to platforms that remain unsafe cannot stand as the endpoint," he said.