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The UAE Cabinet has approved Resolution No. 106 of 2026 regulating children’s access to social media platforms under the framework of Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2025 on Child Digital Safety which took effect on January 1 2026. Children who have not reached the age of 15 are prohibited from creating using or operating personal accounts on any social media platform available in or directed at users in the country according to the resolution. Such children cannot post content comment share join public groups or participate in large-scale interactive features the Cabinet resolution specifies. Platforms must prevent underage access and the rules apply regardless of parental consent which the document states does not constitute a valid exemption.
For children aged 15 but not yet 16 the resolution permits access subject to mandatory enhanced safeguards designed for that age group. Platforms are required to apply content classification systems that restrict harmful or age-inappropriate material limit interactions with unknown users and impose usage time controls including night-time restrictions. Parental control tools must be provided to allow caregivers to adjust settings without violating the core prohibitions a government media briefing on the rules outlined. These measures also curb high-risk features such as unrestricted live streaming and intensive algorithmic recommendations according to the resolution text.
Robust age verification mechanisms form a central pillar of the new framework with self-declaration of age explicitly ruled out as insufficient. The resolution calls for platforms to deploy methods including digital identity checks biometric matching AI-supported estimation or verification through licensed providers while adhering to data minimisation principles. A Child Digital Safety Council will approve compliant technologies and oversee implementation the UAE Media Office reported following the Cabinet decision. This approach aligns with the goal of protecting cognitive development during a sensitive transition period from childhood to adolescence.
Social media companies operating in the UAE have been granted a 12-month transitional period to achieve full compliance with the resolution which was issued in June 2026. The rules extend to all platforms whose services reach UAE users and require them to detect and suspend accounts belonging to children under 15 while applying the special tier of protections for those aged 15 to 16. Oversight falls to the National Media Authority and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority in coordination with the Child Digital Safety Council according to official statements. The framework also defines responsibilities for caregivers who may manage certain account settings for the 15-to-16 age bracket through platform-provided tools.
Minister of Family and Chairperson of the Child Digital Safety Council Sana bint Mohammed Suhail explained in a media briefing that the choice of 15 as the threshold stemmed from extensive research into child brain development and cognitive growth stages. She noted that this age represents a critical phase where rational reasoning and vulnerability to uncontrolled online influences require particular safeguarding a Gulf News report of the session detailed. The minister emphasised that protections continue beyond age 15 with the resolution mandating enhanced measures until 16 while full adult rules apply thereafter. This evidence-based approach distinguishes the UAE policy from arbitrary age cutoffs used elsewhere.
The UAE move positions the country as the first Arab nation to establish such a minimum age for social media use amid global efforts to address concerns over children’s mental health and online safety according to a Reuters dispatch from June 18 2026. Several countries in Europe and Australia have introduced tighter restrictions on youth access in recent years reflecting similar worries about unchecked platform exposure. The resolution integrates with wider federal legislation on digital child protection and requires platforms to prioritise privacy in verification processes while maintaining effective enforcement. Officials have indicated that further guidance on penalties and detailed compliance standards will follow in coming months.
Implementation will include mechanisms for platforms to classify and filter content appropriately for the permitted age groups while restricting data practices that could expose younger users to targeted advertising or risky interactions. The Child Digital Safety Council has been tasked with developing additional policies to support the resolution’s rollout across the digital ecosystem. Coordination among regulatory bodies aims to ensure consistent application and long-term effectiveness in fostering a safer online environment for children in the UAE.
