UAE Sets Minimum Age for Social Media Use at 15

The United Arab Emirates has set the minimum age for social media use at 15, becoming the first Arab country to impose such a restriction.

Under the new regulations, children under the age of 15 are prohibited from having accounts. They cannot create, use, manage, or engage with content on these platforms in any way, including posting, commenting, sharing, or joining groups.

For individuals who are 15 or 16 years old, access is permitted only with additional protective measures in place. These safeguards include controls on content, restrictions on interactions with strangers, tools to manage screen time, and features allowing parental monitoring.

Social media platforms must implement accurate age verification processes. The methods will rely on digital identity verification and artificial intelligence, as self-declaration alone is not accepted.

Platforms are required to comply within 12 months. During this period, they must deactivate accounts of underage users, take steps to prevent circumvention of the rules, and ensure that children's data is not used for targeted advertising purposes.

The overall goal of these regulations is to protect young users from exposure to inappropriate content, the risks of excessive use, unsafe online interactions, and the collection of their personal data without proper safeguards. The initiative is part of broader international movements to regulate social media for the safety of minors.