Can children bypass the UAE's social media ban with a VPN? Officials say no

Dubai: The UAE's new social media ban for children under 15 will make it much harder for kids to create underage accounts. Simply entering a false date of birth won't work, platforms are now required to use strict age-verification systems, including government IDs and AI models, to estimate a user's age.

Still, officials acknowledge children may try to get around it, whether through VPNs or fake IDs, and say they've already studied these loopholes to close the gaps before the ban takes effect.

Eng. Abdulrahman Al Marzouqi, Director of Policy and Programmes Department at the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), told Gulf News on Wednesday during a media briefing about the Cabinet Resolution regulating children's access to social media platforms that platforms are required to watch for warning signs of underage users.

"To avoid manipulation of the age verification, social media platforms have the obligation to monitor any signals that can see if a child is trying to bypass age verification, and that shows the user could be under 15," he said.

He added that VPN use does not exempt platforms from enforcement. "Even if a child is using a VPN, there are other mechanisms to ensure the age verification is enforced, regardless of the VPN being used."

Al Marzouqi acknowledged the system won't be flawless, but said authorities are targeting a high compliance rate. "In a nutshell, not everything will have a 100 per cent accuracy rate, we will aim for 98 per cent compliance and monitor. We have studied different ways the system can be manipulated."

The resolution requires all social media platforms operating in the UAE to implement accurate and reliable age-verification measures. "As per the resolution, social media platforms must use age-estimation technologies utilising artificial intelligence, alongside national ID verification through government systems. This will help avoid manipulation and bypassing of restrictions," Al Marzouqi said.

What happens to existing underage accounts

During the briefing, a panel of government officials discussed how the law will be rolled out, including its impact on accounts already held by children under 15. Following a 12-month transition period, no account may be operated by a user under the age of 15.

Child influencers: Who can run their accounts

For children under 15 who work as influencers or content creators, the future of their accounts will depend on who operates them.

"Social media is not the enemy, platforms are our partners in making this work. We want children to use social media to expand their knowledge and creativity, but that has to be monitored," Al Marzouqi said during the panel discussion.

"A child under 15 cannot own or operate a personal social media account. However, a parent or guardian may film the child, produce the content, and operate the account under a parent's name."

What about online gaming platforms

The UAE's social media ban for under-15s applies to TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and X (formerly Twitter).

Asked whether the ban would extend to online gaming platforms such as Roblox, officials clarified that the current focus remains on social media platforms. Gaming platforms are being addressed separately, though officials confirmed the matter is already under review.

New content classification frameworks

Alongside the age restrictions, the National Media Authority is developing two new frameworks aimed at improving the quality of content available to children across all media, not just social platforms.

Maitha Majid Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of the National Media Council, explained that media content targeting children in the UAE also falls under the council's remit to ensure safe content.

She added that the National Media Council will work alongside the Child Digital Safety Council to oversee safe content on social media.

"Our goal is to have a national reference for media institutions, digital platforms, families and content creators, defining what content is appropriate for each age group," she said.

The second framework, an Age Classification Policy, will cover artistic works, including books, films and music to help families make more informed choices about what their children consume.