The United Arab Emirates has banned children under 15 from personal social media accounts, making platforms rather than parents responsible for enforcement.
The UAE cabinet approved the rules on Thursday, setting 15 as the minimum age for account creation. The measure goes further than several international counterparts: Australia set its minimum at 16 in legislation passed in late 2024, while many countries still allow younger users with parental consent. The UAE rules explicitly strip away that parental exemption, a distinction that sets the policy apart within the Arab world and beyond.
Children below 15 cannot create, use, or access personal accounts. The ban also covers core platform features including commenting, sharing content, joining public groups, and participating in broad interactive spaces.
Teenagers aged 15 and 16 may keep accounts but face tighter controls. Platforms must apply content filters suited to their age, restrict contact with unknown users, provide screen time management tools, and activate parental supervision features.
The state news agency WAM, citing the cabinet resolution, confirmed that platforms carry the enforcement burden. That detail separates the UAE approach from frameworks in Europe and elsewhere where parental consent has long served as the primary gatekeeping mechanism.
Governments around the world have tightened restrictions on children’s social media access, driven by concerns over harmful content, exploitation, excessive use, and collection of personal data. The UAE measure places that pressure directly on platforms rather than asking families to manage it.
