The United Arab Emirates has announced a near-total ban on social media use for children under 15becoming the first Arab nation to introduce such a restriction. Approved by the cabinet on Thursday, the new directive prohibits children under 15 from creating, using, or operating personal social media accounts.

What the ban means

Key requirements for social media platforms

The cabinet resolution mandates that all social media platforms operating in the UAE must:

• 
  

  Implement robust age verification using digital identity checks and AI-supported technologies

  
  


• 
  

  Disqualify self-declaration of age as valid verification

  
  


• 
  

  Monitor and disable accounts created by children under 15

  
  


• 
  

  Prevent circumvention of age-verification systems

  
  


• 
  

  Refrain from using children’s data for targeted advertising or behavioral profiling

  
  

Implementation timeline

Social media companies have been granted a 12-month transition window to comply with the new rules, with full implementation expected by early 2027. Authorities have warned of potential penalties or service blockages for platforms that violate the directive.

Age verification methods

Platforms will be required to use AI-supported technologiesincluding:

• 
  

  Biometric tools

  
  


• 
  

  Digital identity verification

  
  


• 
  

  Other mechanisms approved by the Child Digital Safety Council

  
  

Global context

The UAE joins a growing group of countries taking similar measures, including Australia, the UK, Canada, Indonesia, and Malaysiaas governments worldwide address concerns about online platforms’ impact on children. The resolution responds to mounting concerns over:

• 
  

  Exposure to inappropriate content

  
  


• 
  

  Unsafe interactions with strangers

  
  


• 
  

  Excessive usage patterns

  
  


• 
  

  Harvesting of personal data

  
  

Parental response

The decision has been widely welcomed by parents and schools in the UAE. Parents associated with the Screenwise UAE campaignwho have advocated delaying smartphone access until age 14 and social media entry until 16, are particularly supportive of the official ban.

The legislation applies not only to families but also to global platforms used by children in the UAE, even if those companies have no physical presence in the country.