The United Arab Emirates has become the first Arab nation to ban children under the age of 15 from creating personal social media accounts, even with parental approval.
The measure, approved by the UAE Cabinet on Thursday, is part of growing global efforts to protect children online amid concerns about harmful content, cyber risks, excessive screen time, and the misuse of personal data.
According to the state-run WAM news agency, the new regulation sets 15 as the minimum age for social media use. Children below that age are prohibited from creating, operating, or using personal accounts on social media platforms.
The restrictions also prevent users under 15 from accessing key platform features such as posting content, commenting, sharing, interacting with other users, joining public groups or channels, and participating in large-scale online communities.
The rules make clear that parental consent cannot be used to bypass the age limit, placing the responsibility on social media companies to verify users’ ages and enforce compliance.
With the policy, the UAE becomes the first Arab country to establish a minimum age of 15 for personal social media accounts. Unlike some countries that permit younger users to access platforms with parental permission, the UAE has adopted a stricter approach aimed at enhancing online safety for children and teenagers.
Teenagers aged 15 and 16 will still be allowed to use social media platforms, but under additional protections. These include age-appropriate content controls, limits on interactions with strangers, screen-time management tools, and parental monitoring features.
