Social media platforms operating in the UAE must deploy identity verification and AI-powered technologies to the highest standards to protect children online, a senior official announced on Wednesday.
Eng. Majid Sultan Al-Masmar, Director General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), said the measures form part of a Cabinet resolution regulating children’s access to social media platforms. Platforms will be required to prevent the creation of underage accounts, monitor existing ones, and disable them where necessary.
Al-Masmar confirmed that competent authorities will have full enforcement powers, ranging from partial to complete platform blocking, in addition to administrative penalties for non-compliance. Platforms have been granted a 12-month window to implement the required measures within an institutional integration framework.
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The UAE Cabinet Resolution that will fundamentally change how children access social media in the country sets 15 as the strict minimum age for creating or using a social media account, introduces mandatory AI-powered identity verification, and places binding obligations on every platform operating in or directed at the UAE.
Officials announced the details on Wednesday at a media briefing organised by the Child Digital Safety Council and chaired by Sana Suhail, Minister of Family and Chairperson of the Council.
What the law says
Under the new resolution, no child under the age of 15 may create, use, or manage a personal social media account, nor may they access the full features of any platform.
This applies to all social media platforms operating within the UAE. The ban is absolute; parental consent does not constitute an exemption. Even if a parent approves their child’s use of a platform, the law overrides that consent entirely.
For children aged 15 to 16, access is permitted but comes with a set of mandatory enhanced protections tailored to their age group.
Platforms must classify and restrict content, disable high-risk features including the ability to interact with unknown users enforce screen time controls, and provide fully functional parental oversight tools. Only users aged 16 and above are permitted unrestricted access to a platform’s full features.
What about child content creators?
A young 9 years old child a content creator who had asked whether the new law meant he would have to stop making content altogether. An official’s answer offered an important clarification for families in similar situations.
“We absolutely want him to continue but in the way we believe is most appropriate for his age” Abdul Rahman Al Marzouqi, Director of the Policies and Programs Department at the UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) “The resolution does not say he is forbidden from creating content. It does not say he cannot share his ideas and creativity with the world.”
What the law does say is that a child under 15 cannot own or operate a personal social media account. However, a parent or guardian may film the child, produce the content, and publish it through the parent’s own account. As long as the content being shared is positive and beneficial, there is no restriction on the child’s creative participation. The key distinction is that the account must be controlled and managed by the adult, not the child.
“They can film him and publish it; there is no issue, as long as the content he presents is useful and positive,” Al Marzouqi said “But not through his own account. The child needs the help and support of their parents when it comes to content.”
This means that families with talented young children who have built followings online are not required to abandon that work. They simply need to ensure the account is in the parent’s name and under the parent’s full control.
No more lying about age
One of the most significant changes introduced by the resolution is the end of self-declaration as a means of age verification. The days of simply typing in a false date of birth to gain access to a platform are over.
“The era of relying on self-declaration or simply entering a date of birth is over,” said Al Masmar. Platforms must now verify a user’s age through approved, technically robust methods, including the UAE’s Digital ID system and AI-powered verification technologies.
The data collected during this process must be kept to the absolute minimum required and cannot be retained or used for any purpose beyond age verification. These mechanisms will be subject to regular audits and must maintain full transparency with users.
Al Marzouqi acknowledged that no system is one hundred per cent foolproof, but stressed that the combination of digital identity tools, AI, and community cooperation would make circumvention significantly harder. “We are moving from a system that was easy to bypass to one with multiple layers of technical complexity,” he said.
What happens to existing underage accounts?
A key question raised at the briefing was the fate of accounts already held by children under 15 including those with large followings built up over time. Officials confirmed that after the 12-month transition period, no account may be operated by a user under 15.
Platforms are expected to give users sufficient notice and a window to download their data and content before accounts are deactivated.
As for whether an underage account can simply be transferred or converted into an adult account, officials clarified that this depends on each platform’s own internal procedures.
However, the legal position is unambiguous the child’s access must end. Parental approval, regardless of how it is expressed, does not change this.
What platforms must do
The resolution places direct, enforceable obligations on social media platforms. They must not allow the creation of accounts for users below the minimum age, must actively monitor for and disable non-compliant accounts, and must prevent any attempt to circumvent the age controls.
Platforms that fail to meet these requirements will face graduated enforcement measures from competent authorities.
These measures begin with warnings and escalate through administrative penalties to partial blocking of the platform within the UAE, and ultimately to a complete ban. “Competent authorities hold full powers to take graduated enforcement measures upon proven violation or negligence, up to and including partial or complete blocking and administrative penalties,” Al-Masmar confirmed.
Platforms are not, however, being treated as adversaries. Officials emphasised that major global platforms were involved in the consultation process that led to the resolution and are considered partners in its implementation. “They are partners with us today, they were present even during the decision-making process,” Al Marzouqi said.
The 12-month transition period
To allow for a smooth and technically sound rollout, the resolution grants all platforms a 12-month transition period before full enforcement begins. During this time, the TDRA will work closely with platforms, engaging in deep technical discussions to translate the resolution’s objectives into practical systems. Support will be provided to ensure every platform can achieve the required compliance.
“We will work closely with all platforms during this phase and provide all necessary support to ensure the required compliance is achieved,” Al-Masmar said.
Why age 15?
The choice of 15 as the minimum age is grounded in child development science. Sana bint Mohamed Suhail , the UAE Minister of Family explained that this age marks the beginning of the critical adolescent transition period the bridge between childhood and adulthood during which a young person’s character, identity, and cultural values are formed.
“If this foundation is not built correctly due to constant, prolonged exposure to fragmented content we lose the core focus of building personality, identity, and culture,” she noted. “Culture is built through practice, not just exposure to content. If a child spends all their time consuming content, they cannot develop the skills needed for a healthy transition into adulthood.” She added, it is the right of every young person in the country, whether Emirati or resident, to grow into a productive and well-rounded individual.
The health case behind the decision
The resolution is also backed by a substantial body of medical evidence. Dr Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector at the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), described it as a “preventive health decision” aligned with guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“We do not only look at physical health, but also mental, behavioural, and social health. All of these contribute to a child’s quality of life, and neglecting one affects the others,” Dr Hussain said.
Studies cited at the briefing show that unsafe social media use in recent years has had a measurable negative impact on children’s mental health, cognitive development, and academic performance. Excessive screen time also reduces physical activity and disrupts sleep, with knock-on effects across every dimension of a child’s development.
Dr Hussain also pointed to a growing trend of children becoming preoccupied with fame and financial gain through social media, noting that this distorts their sense of ambition and identity at a formative age.
New content standards on the way
Alongside the age restrictions, the National Media Authority is developing two new frameworks to improve the quality of content available to children across all media not just social platforms.
The first is a Media Content Standards for Children guide, which will serve as a national reference for media institutions, digital platforms, families, and content creators, defining what content is appropriate for each age group.
The second is an Age Classification Policy covering all artistic works, including books, films, and music, to help families make informed choices about what their children consume.
Maitha Majid Al Suwaidi, representing the NMA, was clear about the challenge the UAE faces. “We do not have a problem with the abundance of content or ease of access. Our challenge is the quality of the content presented to the child.” She added that the Authority is not only focused on limiting harmful content, but on actively promoting content that develops children’s skills and reinforces positive values.
Children themselves will be involved in shaping these guidelines, with officials confirming that young people’s voices will be included throughout the process.
A shared responsibility
Officials were unanimous in stressing that the success of the resolution cannot rest on legislation alone. Sana Suhail outlined a framework of shared responsibility in which every part of society has a defined role.
Families remain the primary guardians of their children’s values and the first line of defence. Educational institutions are expected to build digital awareness and critical thinking skills. Government bodies will continue developing policy and regulatory frameworks. The media has a key role in spreading digital literacy and responsible messaging. And platforms bear direct responsibility for creating safer environments by design.
“Building a safe digital environment begins with legislation, but it is consolidated through awareness,” She said. “And awareness is not created by the resolution alone it is created by responsible media that presents accurate information in its proper context and helps society understand the goals and positive impact of national policies.”
The resolution, officials noted, is not about restricting technology or limiting children’s opportunities. It is about ensuring that when children engage with the digital world, they do so in a way that supports rather than undermines their growth.
