Children under 15 will not be allowed to use social media, once a resolution from the UAE Cabinet is ratified.
Anyone below 15 will be prohibited from creating, using or operating personal accounts on social media platforms, state news agency Wam reported on Thursday.
They are also prohibited from accessing the full features of such platforms, including social interaction, publishing, commenting, sharing and joining public groups, open channels or any large-scale interactive space.
The resolution gives social media companies up to 12 months to bring their operations into line with the new rules.
The Cabinet, led by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, said the resolution was intended to “establish an advanced model for child protection in the digital space, reinforcing the national digital safety framework in line with the rapid evolution of technology use, and striking a balance between enabling responsible use of modern technologies and ensuring the highest standards of child protection”.
The resolution applies to all social media platforms that enable users to create accounts or personal profiles, engage in social interaction, publish or share content, and those that rely on algorithmic systems to display, rank or recommend content, whether free or paid.
It affects all platforms with services available in the UAE or directed at users in the country, Wam reported.
Social media platforms are required to take all necessary technical and administrative measures to enforce the restrictions for anyone under the age of 15, the Cabinet resolution said. Children between 15 and 16 are permitted to use social media platforms on the condition that enhanced protective measures are applied to their accounts.
The measures listed in the resolution include “age-appropriate content classification and restriction, disabling high-risk features such as interaction with unknown users, regulation of usage time and duration, and the provision of parental control tools, ensuring a safe digital environment appropriate to their age”.
The mandate from the Cabinet indicates that the self-declaration of age shall not be accepted as a valid method of verification. Social media providers are required to ensure the processes used to verify user age “achieve a high level of accuracy … while adhering to the highest standards of child privacy and personal data protection”.
This includes minimising data collection, securing data processing and ensuring data is not retained for longer than strictly necessary. The age-verification processes will be subject to regular reviews and audits.
Platforms must also take steps to monitor personal accounts created by children under the age of 15 in breach of the resolution's provisions, and take immediate action to suspend or disable those accounts.
