The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become the latest nation to implement strict age restrictions on social media use, announcing a ban on personal accounts for children under 15 years old. This significant policy shift positions the UAE alongside countries like Australia and Britain, which have recently tightened regulations to protect young people online.
New Regulations and Enforcement
Under a recent cabinet resolution, social media companies operating within the UAE are required to comply with the new age restriction within 12 months. Failure to adhere to these rules could result in severe penalties, including partial or complete blocking of their platforms by UAE authorities.
The ban specifically prohibits children below 15 from creating, using, or operating personal social media accounts. Furthermore, these restrictions extend to accessing full platform features, including:
- Social interaction
- Publishing content
- Commenting and sharing
- Joining public groups or open channels
- Participating in any large-scale interactive spaces
Platforms will be responsible for actively monitoring user accounts and disabling those found to belong to underage individuals. The country's media and telecommunications regulators are empowered to take all necessary enforcement actions against non-compliant services.
Global Movement for Child Online Safety
While the UAE did not provide an extensive justification with its announcement, the move mirrors arguments from other governments worldwide. Concerns largely revolve around cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, online predators, privacy risks, and the broader negative impact of digital platforms on children's mental health and wellbeing.
Australia's Pioneering Ban: Australia led the way with its Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, effective December 10, 2025, which mandates a minimum age of 16 for accounts on major social media platforms. This law does not allow parental consent as an exemption, and non-compliant technology companies face fines up to A$50 million. Educational and child-focused services like YouTube Kids and Google Classroom are generally exempt.
Britain's Expanded Plans: The United Kingdom has also unveiled plans to ban social media access for under-16s, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasizing the need to make children safer and happier online. Britain's proposed measures extend beyond social media to include restrictions on gaming platforms, livestreaming, and features like infinite scrolling, while exempting messaging services and educational apps.
The UAE's decision underscores a growing international consensus among governments to establish stronger safeguards for children in the digital realm, prioritizing their safety and developmental wellbeing over unrestricted online access.