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Federal Decree-Law No. 26/2025 on Child Digital Safety took effect on 1 January 2026 with a one-year compliance window for covered entities that ends in January 2027, the official UAE legislation portal states. The regulation applies to any digital platform or internet service provider operating in or targeting users in the UAE, regardless of physical presence in the country, a Baker McKenzie assessment found. Platforms must introduce robust age verification, enhanced parental controls and proactive moderation to prevent exposure to inappropriate material, cyberbullying or predatory behaviour. Covered services span social media, live-streaming, gaming, podcasts, streaming video and messaging applications, according to the law text.
The legislation empowers regulators to conduct compliance audits and impose corrective measures, with penalties for violations ranging from fines to service restrictions or outright suspension within the UAE, Gulf News reported on 15 January 2026. A complementary Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2026 sets the minimum age for creating or using personal social media accounts at 15 years, prohibiting children under that threshold from full platform features such as posting, commenting or joining public groups, the resolution document shows. Entities must also strengthen privacy protections and data handling practices specifically for users under 18, an Latham & Watkins client alert noted. The framework extends extraterritorial reach to ensure accountability for international operators.
United Nations data indicates that more than one-third of young people across 30 countries have experienced cyberbullying, while 80 percent of children in 25 countries report feeling at risk of online sexual exploitation or abuse. In the UAE context, a 2025 poll found that 86 percent of young children regularly engage in digital activities, rising to 97 percent for those aged five to 12, local media reports stated. The law addresses these risks by requiring platforms to classify services according to potential harm levels and apply tailored protective controls, the UAE government platform u.ae explained. Officials framed the measures as essential to safeguarding physical, psychological and moral well-being in an increasingly connected environment.
The CDS Law builds on existing data protection and cybercrime regulations while establishing dedicated governance mechanisms for ongoing monitoring and enforcement, according to a Bird & Bird briefing published in January 2026. Parents and guardians also face responsibilities under the legislation, including obligations to avoid exploiting children’s images online or exposing them to harmful content, the law text specifies. Non-compliant platforms risk operational disruptions in a market where the UAE maintains one of the region’s highest rates of internet penetration and social media usage. Regulators have signalled swift action against violations once the grace period concludes.
Implementation guidance continues to emerge through supplementary resolutions and regulatory clarifications, with the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority expected to play a central role in oversight, Kennedy’s Law analysis indicated. The statute reflects broader regional and global momentum toward tighter online child protections, as several countries have introduced comparable age restrictions and platform accountability rules in recent years, a Reuters-linked post observed. Digital platforms must now review their systems for UAE-specific compliance, including default privacy settings and tools that limit interactions for younger users, official documentation confirms.
