How UAE social media ban for children under 15 will work: Everything you must know

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Cabinet has issued a landmark resolution setting a minimum age for social media use, banning children under 15 from creating or using personal accounts on any platform.

The rules come with strict obligations for platforms, parents, and caregivers and even parental permission cannot override them.

Here is a full breakdown of what the resolution means and how it will work.

What exactly is banned?

Q: Which platforms does this resolution cover?

The resolution applies broadly. It covers any platform that allows users to create accounts or personal profiles, interact socially, publish or share content, or uses algorithms to display, rank, or recommend content, whether the service is free or paid. If the platform is available in the UAE or targets UAE users, it falls under this resolution.

Q: What are children under 15 not allowed to do?

Children below 15 are prohibited from creating, using, or operating personal accounts on social media platforms. They are also barred from accessing the full features of these platforms. This includes social interaction, publishing posts, commenting, sharing content, joining public groups, open channels, or any large-scale interactive spaces.

What are the age rules?

Q: Is it a complete ban for all children?

Not entirely. The resolution sets 15 as the minimum age for social media use. Children below this age face a full prohibition. Those between 15 and 16 are allowed to use platforms, but only under enhanced protective measures.

The resolution also takes into account the gradual transition toward healthier and more balanced digital habits, in a manner that aligns with the different age groups of children and adolescents.

Q: What special rules apply to 15 and 16-year-olds?

The resolution states that children between the ages of 15 and 16 are permitted to use social media platforms, "subject to enhanced protective measures applied to their accounts."

In plain terms, this means platforms must apply age-appropriate content filters, disable high-risk features such as interaction with unknown users, regulate how much time they spend on the platform, and provide parental control tools. All of this is to create a safer online space for this age group.

How about parental consent, control?

Q: Can a parent give permission for their child under 15 to use social media?

No. This is one of the most important points in the resolution. The resolution explicitly states that "parental consent shall not constitute a valid exemption from the prohibitions or restrictions set out therein." In other words, even if a parent says yes, that permission cannot be used to get around the ban.

Q: What roles do parents and caregivers have?

Parents and caregivers play a key role, but within the rules, not around them. For children aged 15 to 16, the resolution permits the child's caregiver to configure the settings of their accounts through the parental control tools provided by platforms, as long as those changes do not go against the prescribed prohibitions and restrictions.

The resolution also places clear responsibilities on caregivers: they must not help a child use platform in violation of the rules, must not try to bypass age verification mechanisms, must actively supervise their child's permitted digital activity, and must promote the child's awareness of digital risks and safe online practices.

The resolution provides families with a clear framework and practical tools to help guide children toward more responsible, balanced, and mindful digital engagement.

How will age verification work?

Q: How will platforms check a user's age?

The resolution requires platforms to implement "effective and reliable age verification mechanisms," which can include digital identity verification, AI-supported technologies such as biometric tools, or any other mechanisms approved by the Child Digital Safety Council.

Q: Can kids simply say they are older than they are?

No. The resolution is clear: self-declaration of age shall not be accepted as a valid method of verification. Platforms must ensure that the mechanisms used achieve a high level of accuracy in determining user age.

At the same time, platforms must also handle this data responsibly. This should be done by minimising data collection, securing data processing, and ensuring data is not kept beyond the period strictly necessary. Verification systems must be regularly reviewed and audited, and users must be clearly informed about how they work.

What should platforms do?

Q: What are platforms required to do once the resolution is in place?

Platforms carry a significant set of obligations under this resolution. They must:

·       Monitor accounts created by children under 15 in violation of the resolution and take immediate action to suspend or disable such accounts.

·       Implement technical and administrative measures to prevent users from circumventing their systems.

·       Refrain from targeting children with personalised advertising based on tracking or behavioural profiling.

·       Not use or process children's personal data for commercial purposes based on monitoring their digital activities.

·       Provide parental control tools and awareness materials for children and their caregivers.

·       Conduct periodic child digital safety risk assessments.

·       Submit regular reports to the relevant authorities.

The resolution positions platforms as "strategic partners" in safeguarding children, not just service providers.

Q: How long do platforms have to comply?

Platforms have up to 12 months as a transitional period to gradually put the new standards in place, in coordination with the relevant authorities, to ensure both technical and regulatory readiness.

Who oversees all of this?

Q: Who is responsible for making sure platforms follow the rules?

Oversight and supervision of platforms' compliance are assigned to the National Media Authority and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, each within its respective jurisdiction. Both have the authority to take all necessary measures in the event of non-compliance. This can include warning platforms, partially or fully blocking them, or imposing applicable administrative penalties, following a graduated enforcement approach.

Q: What is the role of the Child Digital Safety Council?

The Child Digital Safety Council is tasked with assessing the risks and impacts associated with children's access to social media platforms and proposing measures to address and mitigate them in coordination with relevant federal and local authorities. It will also ensure the effective implementation of the resolution and continuously develop the child digital safety framework.

Q: How does this fit into the UAE's wider child protection efforts?

This resolution is the latest step in a long-running commitment. The UAE's child protection framework is anchored by Wadeema's Law, which safeguards children from neglect, abuse, and exploitation, including online.

Building on this, a federal decree-law on child digital safety was introduced as part of the UAE's declaration of 2026 as the "Year of the Family," establishing the Child Digital Safety Council to coordinate protection efforts across government and the private sector.

This year's Emirati Children's Day theme, "The Right to Digital Knowledge," also underlined the same vision and the new social media ban puts enforceable rules behind it.