By Soniya:
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a major step to enhance online child safety by setting 15 years as the minimum age for social media use. Under the new regulations, children below 15 will not be allowed to create or operate personal social media accounts, making the UAE the first Arab nation to introduce such a nationwide age restriction.
To enforce the rules, social media platforms must implement advanced age-verification systems, including AI-powered age estimation tools, digital identity checks, and stronger account authentication measures. Self-declared age information will no longer be considered sufficient for account registration.
Teenagers aged 15 to 16 will still be able to access social media but with additional safeguards such as age-appropriate content recommendations, enhanced privacy settings, parental supervision tools, communication restrictions with unknown users, and screen-time management features.
The initiative aims to address growing concerns over children’s exposure to harmful content, online safety risks, excessive screen time, and data privacy issues. By combining age limits with AI-driven verification and protective measures, the UAE seeks to create a safer digital environment for young users while promoting responsible social media usage.
