Thekabarnews.com—The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become the first Arab country to ban children under the age of 15 from creating or using personal social media accounts. This is one of the region’s toughest digital safety regulations to protect minors online.

Under the new law, children younger than 15 years of age cannot under any circumstances access personal social media platforms. Moreover, authorities have also made the restriction mandatory for all users under the minimum age by excluding parental consent as an exception.

For teens 15 and 16, the regulation creates a separate system. They may still be on social media. However, platforms must add safeguards such as age-appropriate content suggestions, reduced platform features, screen-time control features, and enhanced parental control options.

The UAE government has mandated all social media companies operating in the country—or serving users within its jurisdiction—to implement reliable age verification systems by December 31, 2026. If platforms fail to comply, non-compliance with the new rules could lead to regulatory action under the country’s digital governance regime.

The policy is one that officials said is part of broader efforts to bolster online child protection. This initiative comes as young people are spending more and more time on digital platforms.

The government wants to limit children’s exposure to dangerous content, cyberbullying, online exploitation, and too much screen time. At the same time, they aim to promote positive digital habits.

The regulation shifts the responsibility for age verification from self-reported information during account registration to tech companies. As a result, platforms are now required to reliably verify users’ ages. They will need to implement more sophisticated identity verification technologies to comply with the new legal framework.

The new rules will also affect the UAE’s large expatriate population, which includes around 3.5 million Indian residents, many of whom have school-aged children. Once the new rules are enacted, families living in the countryside will also have to comply with them.

The UAE is joining an increasing number of countries that are tightening restrictions on children’s use of social media. Governments across the world have increasingly looked at age restrictions, stronger parental controls, and mandatory age verification. This is because concerns grow over the impact of digital platforms on children’s mental health, privacy, and online safety.

Now tech companies need to balance stronger child protections with user privacy, accessibility, and seamless digital experiences. Industry analysts say the legislation is likely to influence similar policy discussions across the Middle East and elsewhere. Consequently, many are considering tougher regulation of online platforms.

The UAE has emerged as a leader in digital child safety policy. It boasts one of the most comprehensive social media age restrictions globally.

As implementation deadlines approach, regulators, tech companies, parents, and educators will be closely watching. New rules will change kids’ online experiences and set new standards for responsible social media governance.