UAE bans social media for under-15s, following global trend

The United Arab Emirates has joined a growing list of countries restricting social media access for minors, announcing a ban on platforms for those under 15. The government, through the official WAM agency, stated that children younger than 15 will not be permitted to create, use, or manage personal accounts on social media platforms. This move follows similar restrictions implemented in countries like Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia. While a definitive start date for the ban has not been specified, a one-year transitional period will allow platforms to comply with new requirements, including the implementation of effective and reliable age verification techniques. Parental consent will not be considered a valid exemption. Adolescents aged 15 to 16 will be allowed to use these platforms but will be subject to enhanced protective measures on their accounts. The UAE authorities reserve the right to partially or fully block platforms that fail to adhere to the new regulations. The UAE's decision is driven by concerns over youth mental health, cyberbullying, lack of physical activity, online predators, and addictive behaviors. The country is the first in the Arab world to enact such a measure. Other nations, such as the UK and Canada, have announced similar intentions, and France is currently discussing related legislation. Critics argue that such bans are difficult to enforce and may push young people into less supervised online spaces.

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fixes the minimum age for the use of social networks at 15 years.