The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has introduced a minimum age requirement of 15 for social media users, becoming the first Arab country to implement such a restriction as governments worldwide increase efforts to protect children online.
Under new regulations approved on Thursday, children under the age of 15 will not be allowed to create, operate or maintain personal accounts on social media platforms. The measures also prohibit users below that age from posting content, commenting, sharing material or participating in public online groups.
The new framework introduces additional safeguards for teenagers aged 15 and 16. Social media platforms will be required to provide age-appropriate protections, including content filters, parental supervision tools, limits on interactions with unknown users and features that help manage screen time.
A key element of the policy is the introduction of mandatory age verification. Companies operating social media platforms in the UAE must implement robust systems to verify users’ ages through digital identity checks and artificial intelligence-supported technologies. Simply entering a date of birth or self-declaring age will no longer be sufficient.
The regulations also require platforms to deactivate accounts belonging to children under 15, prevent attempts to bypass age-verification systems and stop the use of minors’ personal data for targeted advertising or behavioural profiling.
According to the UAE government, the measures are intended to address concerns over children’s exposure to harmful content, cyber risks, excessive screen time and the misuse of personal information. Officials said the policy aims to strike a balance between digital participation and online safety.
Social media companies have been given up to 12 months to fully comply with the new requirements.
The move places the UAE among a growing number of countries seeking tighter controls on children’s social media use. Governments in regions including Europe and Australia have also introduced or proposed stricter regulations amid increasing concerns about the impact of social media on young people’s mental health, wellbeing and online security.