The United Arab Emirates has become the first Arab nation to enforce regulations preventing children under the age of 15 from having personal social media accounts. This new policy bars young users from accessing fundamental social media functions such as posting, commenting, sharing, interacting with other users, and joining public groups and channels.
Social media companies operating within the UAE have been allocated a 12-month period to adhere to these new regulations. During this time, they must establish effective age-verification systems that extend beyond simply relying on self-reported ages provided by users. This initiative underscores the UAE’s commitment to bolstering child protection in the digital realm while promoting responsible technology use.
The rules stipulate that while teenagers aged 15 and 16 will still be permitted to use social media, their interactions will be subject to enhanced safety protocols. These measures include content restrictions appropriate for their age group, limitations on interactions with unknown users, parental control features, and time management tools to control usage.
This move by the UAE government is designed to ensure a safer digital environment for children. Social media platforms will be tasked with identifying and suspending accounts that violate these guidelines by being operated by children under the specified age limit. The goal is to create a more secure online experience for young users, with a focus on safety and responsibility.