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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a ban on social media use for children under the age of 15, joining a growing number of countries introducing restrictions to protect young users online.
Under the new cabinet resolution, social media platforms will be required to identify and disable accounts belonging to users below the age limit or risk regulatory action, including possible blocking.
The resolution sets 15 years as the minimum age for creating, operating or using personal social media accounts in the UAE.
Children below that age will also be prohibited from accessing interactive features such as posting, commenting, sharing content, joining public groups and participating in open channels.
“The resolution sets the minimum age for social media use at 15 years,” the official WAM news agency said.
“Children below this age are prohibited from creating, using, or operating personal accounts on social media platforms.”
The country’s media and telecommunications regulators have been empowered to take enforcement measures against platforms that fail to comply. These measures may include warnings, partial or full restrictions on access, or administrative penalties.
Social media companies will have a 12-month transition period to implement the requirements.
The UAE’s move follows similar actions by countries including Australia, Britain and Canada, as governments increasingly introduce age restrictions on social media as concerns over children’s online safety and exposure to harmful content rise.
