The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a nationwide ban on social media use for children under the age of 15, becoming the latest country to tighten regulations aimed at protecting minors online.
Under a new cabinet resolution issued on Thursday, social media platforms operating in the UAE will be required to identify and disable accounts belonging to users below the age threshold or risk facing penalties, including partial or full suspension of their services.
According to the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM), the regulation establishes 15 as the minimum age for creating, using or managing personal social media accounts.
Children below that age will not only be prohibited from operating accounts but will also be restricted from accessing key interactive features, including posting content, commenting, sharing materials, joining public groups and participating in large-scale online discussions.
Authorities have granted social media companies a 12-month transition period to comply with the new requirements before enforcement measures take effect.
The move places the UAE among a growing number of countries introducing stricter controls on children’s access to social media platforms. Australia implemented a landmark ban on social media use by under-16s in December, while Britain recently unveiled similar restrictions aimed at strengthening online safety for young users.
The UAE’s media and telecommunications regulators have been empowered to enforce compliance, with sanctions ranging from formal warnings to administrative penalties and the blocking of non-compliant platforms.
Officials say the policy is designed to create a safer digital environment for children and reduce their exposure to online risks associated with unrestricted social media use.
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