UAE bans social media for children under 15

The UAE has banned children under the age of 15 from accessing social media platforms. The resolution was issued by the UAE Cabinet, chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The country joins a growing list of nations taking legislative action to limit children's access to social networks, including the UK, Australia, Canada, and Malaysia.

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Children below 15 are prohibited from creating or operating accounts on social media platforms and from accessing their core features, including publishing content, commenting, sharing, joining public groups, open channels, or any large-scale interactive spaces.

Children between 15 and 16 will be permitted to use social media under enhanced protective measures applied to their accounts. These include age-appropriate content filtering, disabled interaction with unknown users, regulated usage time, and mandatory parental control tools. Parents can adjust account settings within what the resolution allows, but parental consent does not serve as an exemption from the core restrictions.

The resolution covers all platforms that allow users to create accounts, engage socially, publish or share content, or that rely on algorithmic systems to recommend content, whether free or paid. It applies to any platform available within the UAE or directed at users in the country.

Platforms will be required to implement effective age verification, including digital identity checks and AI-supported biometric tools. Self-declaration of age will not be accepted as valid verification. Platforms that identify underage accounts created in violation of the resolution must suspend or disable them immediately.

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Beyond access restrictions, platforms are also prohibited from targeting children with personalized advertising based on behavioral tracking and from using children's personal data for commercial purposes that involve monitoring their activity. They are required to provide parental control tools and awareness materials, carry out regular child digital safety risk assessments, and submit periodic reports to the relevant authorities.

Social media companies have been given up to 12 months to bring their operations into compliance, in coordination with the relevant UAE authorities. The National Media Authority and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority will oversee enforcement, with powers to issue warnings, impose penalties, or partially or fully block non-compliant platforms.

The Child Digital Safety Council will assess ongoing risks and coordinate the continuous development of the UAE's digital safety framework for children.

Canada plans to ban social media for users under 16

Canada is moving toward a nationwide ban on social media access for children under the age of 16.

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