The UAE has approved a major new rule that will change how young people access social media, officially setting 15 as the minimum age for personal social media accounts.
The decision, approved by the UAE Cabinet, means children under the age of 15 will no longer be permitted to create or use their own social media accounts. The move makes the UAE the first Arab country to introduce a legal minimum age for social media use.
The announcement comes amid growing global concern about the impact of social media on children’s well-being, with governments worldwide exploring stricter regulations to protect young users online.
What The New Rules Mean For Families
While many social media platforms already have minimum age requirements, the UAE’s new resolution creates a nationally mandated age threshold backed by legislation.
The move is designed to strengthen online safety for children and forms part of the UAE’s wider efforts to create a safer digital environment for young people. Earlier this year, the country introduced its Child Digital Safety Law, which established new protections for children online and increased responsibilities for digital platforms.
For parents, the change is likely to reignite conversations around screen time, digital wellbeing and when children should be introduced to social media platforms. It also places greater emphasis on age verification measures and platform accountability.
The UAE joins a growing number of countries introducing tougher rules around children’s access to social media. However, by setting the minimum age at 15, it has become the first nation in the Arab world to implement a legal age threshold for social media use.
Further details on how the new requirements will be implemented and enforced are expected to be announced in due course.
