The UAE has introduced new regulations intended to make social media safe for children. According to the new policy, children below the age of 15 years will be barred from setting up any personal social media account. In addition, the government has instructed social media websites to develop more effective identity verification methods as well as AI-based age checks. Consequently, UAE becomes the first Arab country to impose a minimum age requirement for using social media.
The new regulations are in line with the efforts made by the government to make the Internet more secure and decrease the chances of children's exposure to any harmful content and online frauds.
The revised model puts more accountability on the social media firms rather than only on the parents. The firms need to determine the users’ ages through acceptable means such as digital identity verification and AI technologies. Relying solely on the user's entry of his/her date of birth will no longer suffice.
In addition, companies need to be able to detect and delete any child’s account under the age of 15 years. The firms need to ensure that children do not circumvent the age determination process and do not access the platform once again. This is possible by the provision of fake data.
The guidelines do not necessarily stop young people between the ages of 15 to 16 from accessing social networking sites. This requires that the social media platform implement further security measures for this particular age group. Some of these include appropriate filtering of age-related content, interaction with unknown persons, limiting screen time, and increased parental control.
Also Read: UAE Introduces Social Media Age Limit, Blocking Access for Users Under 15
According to the government, the new policy is meant to keep children safe from any kind of exposure to harmful information, risky online behavior, too much screen time, and misuse of their personal data. Social media sites will not be able to use children’s personal data for advertisements and behavioral profiling.
The UAE's latest move reflects a wider global trend, with several countries introducing stricter rules to improve online safety for younger users. By making technology companies more accountable, the country hopes to create a safer digital environment while encouraging responsible use of social media.