Children in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will no longer be able to sign up for social media platforms under new rules that set 15 as the minimum age for access.
The decision, approved by the UAE’s Council of Ministers on Thursday, effectively blocks children below 15 from creating or operating social media accounts.
Teenagers aged 15 and 16 will still be allowed online access, but under tighter controls. Platforms will be required to introduce stronger filtering systems, limit exposure to unknown contacts, and provide parental oversight tools to monitor usage and manage screen time.
They will also be expected to implement stricter age verification measures, including digital identity checks, with UAE authorities stressing that self-declared information such as dates of birth will no longer be accepted as proof of age.
Beyond verification, platforms must ensure that banned or underage users cannot return by creating new accounts or bypassing restrictions. The rules also prohibit social media companies from collecting or using children’s data for targeted advertising.
Companies operating in the UAE will have up to 12 months to adjust their systems before enforcement begins.
According to UAE authorities, the framework aims to reduce exposure to harmful content, improve safety in online interactions, and address concerns about rising screen time among children.
The move places the UAE among a growing number of countries tightening rules on children’s access to social media, including Australia, which introduced similar restrictions last year. However, last month, the United Nations Human Rights Office cautioned that restricting access alone does not address the broader issue of making platforms safer for children.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the risks children face online, including addictive platform design and privacy violations, are the result of deliberate choices by technology companies.
"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," he said.
"Simply limiting access to platforms that remain unsafe cannot stand as the endpoint.”
The UN Human Rights Office later released a 10-point framework urging governments and technology companies to strengthen protections for children online. It calls for safety to be built into digital platforms from the start, rather than relying on parents and children to manage risks after exposure.
The framework also recommends child rights impact assessments, stricter privacy-preserving age verification, and greater inclusion of children’s perspectives in shaping online safety policies.
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