United Arab Emirates became the first Arab nation to establish a minimum age limit for social media usage by adopting new rules, which bar kids below the age of 15 from establishing and using any form of social media account.
The UAE also restricts users who are younger than the set minimum age from accessing all the services offered by the social media sites. This comes as part of the growing trend witnessed across the world, where various nations are increasingly putting strict laws to regulate the usage of digital platforms by children.
The latest framework is expected to ensure better protection for kids from the negative impacts associated with using social media sites.
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Part of a wider global trend
The UAE's decision comes as governments across the world consider stricter safeguards for young internet users.
Countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom and Malaysia have either implemented or proposed similar measures targeting underage social media use. Australia became the first country to prohibit children under 16 from maintaining social media accounts, while imposing penalties on platforms that fail to enforce age restrictions.
In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently announced plans to introduce restrictions on children under 16 using major social media platforms, including TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube.
"Every parent can see it with their own eyes. Social media is making children unhappy," Starmer said while outlining the proposed measures.
The British government has indicated that the restrictions would apply to major platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and X, while services such as WhatsApp, Signal and YouTube Kids would remain exempt.
Growing focus on child safety online
This recent policy decision by UAE indicates growing international concern regarding the effects of social media usage on younger generations. Numerous policymakers and healthcare professionals have warned about the potential dangers of screen addiction, abusive content and mental health problems related to social media usage among children and teens.
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Proponents of age restriction policies believe that increased measures should be taken in order to ensure a safe online environment for minors, as social networks continue to face issues related to age verification and content moderation.
The UAE government has yet to explain enforcement measures for the policy and potential consequences of violations, however, the regulation is definitely an important development in the country's digital regulations.
FAQs
Q1. What is the new UAE social media rule?
The regulation bans social media account creation for children under the age of 15 and restricts some functionalities of the platforms.
Q2. Why did the UAE implement the age restriction?
The government claims the policy is designed to prevent exposure of minors to online threats such as bullying and inappropriate content.
