The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a ban on social media use for children under the age of 15, becoming the latest country to introduce stricter digital safety regulations for minors.
According to a cabinet resolution cited by the official WAM news agency, social media platforms will be required to monitor and disable accounts belonging to users under 15 years old or face penalties, including potential blocking.
“The resolution sets the minimum age for social media use at 15 years,” WAM reported. “Children below this age are prohibited from creating, using, or operating personal accounts on social media platforms.”
The rules also restrict underage users from accessing key platform features such as posting content, commenting, sharing, joining public groups, or participating in large-scale interactive spaces.
The government has granted a 12-month transition period for platforms to implement the new requirements.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates said regulators overseeing media and telecommunications will have the power to enforce compliance through warnings, partial or full platform blocks, and administrative penalties where necessary.
The move aligns the UAE with a growing global trend of tightening digital protections for minors. Australia recently implemented a pioneering social media ban for users under 16, while countries including Britain, Canada, and others have also introduced or proposed similar restrictions.
Officials say the policy is aimed at strengthening child online safety and reducing exposure to harmful content and excessive social media engagement.
However, digital rights advocates globally have previously raised concerns that strict age bans may be difficult to enforce and could push younger users toward unregulated online spaces.
The UAE government says the regulation is part of broader efforts to ensure safer digital environments while balancing the rapid expansion of social media use among young people.
