Cabinet Resolution Regarding Regulating Children's Access to Social Media Platform

Executive Brief

The resolution sets 15 years as the minimum age for personal social media accounts and requires platforms to prevent children under 15 from creating, using, or operating such accounts, as well as from accessing the full features of social media services including social interaction, posting, commenting, sharing, and participation in public or open interactive spaces. For those aged 15 to under 16, access would be allowed subject to enhanced protections, including restrictions on certain high-risk features, stronger content safeguards, parental tools, and tighter controls on interactions.

A key component of the resolution is the requirement for platforms to implement effective and reliable age-verification mechanisms. These mechanisms must be accurate, proportionate, privacy-conscious, and limited to the minimum data necessary. The resolution allows for different approved methods, including digital identity verification, official ID-based checks, biometric or AI-supported age estimation, and licensed age-verification providers. Self-declaration of age alone would not be sufficient.

The main compliance obligations fall on platforms. These include implementing the required age checks, preventing underage accounts, applying the relevant protections for younger users, addressing circumvention, protecting children's data and privacy, and reporting on compliance. The resolution also sets responsibilities for caregivers, including not enabling children to bypass the rules and supervising any permitted activity falling under the exception.

Finally, the resolution clarifies the oversight and enforcement framework, including the roles of the relevant authorities and the Child Digital Safety Council, and makes clear that the competent authorities may take enforcement measures in cases of non-compliance, including administrative penalties, partial blocking, or full blocking. It also provides a 12-month transition period for platforms to align their systems and operations before full implementation.

Category 1: Strategic Rationale and National Vision

1. Why is the UAE introducing new measures to regulate children's access to social media?

The UAE is introducing an age-appropriate access framework that regulates children's access to social media in a safer, more balanced, and developmentally aligned way. The aim is to create an environment where children can benefit from technology without being exposed too early to its risks. The framework sets a minimum age of 15 for personal accounts, applies enhanced safeguards for those aged 15 to under 16, and allows structured participation in non-harmful content under specific conditions. Ultimately, this is about protecting childhood, supporting families, and ensuring that technology serves children's wellbeing and development in a balanced way.

2. Why is the UAE introducing this resolution now?

Children today are growing up in an increasingly digital environment that offers both opportunity and evolving risks. As platforms and technologies become more embedded in daily life, there is a need for a proactive national framework that can guide policy, monitor risks, and coordinate efforts across relevant entities. At the same time, it is important to respond to growing concerns around children's development and wellbeing, while ensuring that their growth continues to be shaped by balanced exposure not only to technology, but also to real-world social, learning, and cultural experiences.

This resolution reflects the UAE's commitment to acting early to protect children while ensuring they continue to benefit from technology in a safe, balanced, and responsible way, without losing connection to the developmental foundations and embodied cultural experiences that remain essential during childhood.

3. What message does this resolution send about the UAE's broader vision for children, families, and the digital future?

This resolution reflects the UAE's commitment to ensuring that children grow up in a digital environment that is safe, balanced, and aligned with national values. It demonstrates a forward-looking approach that not only addresses current challenges but also shapes a healthier and more age-appropriate digital future. It reinforces the importance of strong families, coordinated national action, and responsible digital engagement in supporting children's development and confidence.

Category 2: Impact on families and children

4. How does this support families and parents, and what practical changes should they expect in the coming months?

This resolution supports families by placing practical guidance, awareness, and accessible tools at the center of the national response. Parents can expect clearer direction on safe digital use, stronger support on issues such as parental controls and screen-time balance, and increased awareness of online risks. The approach is designed to support parents rather than burden them, with platforms taking primary responsibility for enforcing safeguards while families are better equipped to guide their children confidently.

5. What support will be available to help children and families transition toward healthier digital habits, especially for those already used to social media?

The resolution recognizes that many children are already accustomed to social media as part of their daily routine, and that change needs to be supported, not imposed abruptly. This is why the approach focuses on gradual transition, practical guidance, and helping families identify positive alternatives, rather than simply restricting access.

Families will be supported through awareness materials, guidance, and tools that encourage healthier digital habits alongside alternative activities, such as sports, creative pursuits, learning opportunities, and safe, age-appropriate digital content. The aim is to help children manage boredom, build new routines, and engage more meaningfully with their surroundings during this transition.

This is part of a broader effort to support children's wellbeing by balancing digital engagement with real-world social, cultural, and developmental experiences, while ensuring that platforms take responsibility for enforcing safeguards and families are supported throughout the process.

6. What role will schools play in helping children build safer digital habits?

Schools are key partners in this effort. The resolution supports the integration of digital safety into educational and awareness activities, alongside training programs that help children understand safe and responsible online behavior. It also ensures that teachers and caregivers are equipped with the tools and guidance needed to reinforce positive digital habits.

7. One of the biggest concerns in UAE households is gaming addiction, late-night scrolling, and excessive screen time. How does this resolution address that?

The resolution directly addresses behaviours such as excessive screen time, late-night use, and compulsive engagement with high-risk features. For users aged 15 to under 16, platforms are required to implement age-appropriate safeguards, including limits on access times, tools to manage usage, restrictions on interactions with unknown users, and tighter controls on high-risk features such as unrestricted messaging, live streaming, and intensive algorithmic recommendations.

Category 3: Safe Enablement vs. Restriction

8. Can this be viewed as restricting access to technology and digital innovation for children?

This is not about limiting access to technology. This is about making access safer and more age-appropriate. The resolution is designed to ensure that children can benefit from technology in ways that support their development and wellbeing, without being exposed too early to the risks associated with unrestricted social media use.

This is about creating a balanced digital environment where children can benefit from technology while also having the space to build their cultural identity, values, and real-world social connections, without being exposed too early to its risks.

Category 4: Platforms, Compliance & Accountability

9. Which platforms are included under this resolution?

In the current phase, the resolution applies to the following social media platforms: X, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.

10. How will this affect social media platforms and what will they need to do to comply?

Platforms will be required to implement reliable age-verification mechanisms, prevent children under 15 from maintaining personal accounts, and apply enhanced safeguards for those aged 15 to under 16. They will also need to prevent circumvention, provide parental tools, conduct periodic child-safety risk assessments, and comply with reporting requirements. Further guidelines will support platforms in aligning with the resolution.

11. Will platforms be fined if they fail to protect children?

The resolution makes clear that enforcement sits with the competent authorities, and it links violations to the broader child digital safety legal framework rather than creating a separate standalone penalty schedule inside this decision itself. Relevant authorities will take necessary measures upon proven violation or negligence, including administrative penalties and even partial or full blocking in serious cases, under the existing resolution-law and its administrative sanctions framework.

12. What if children simply move to another app, gaming chat, or use a parent's account?

While no system can eliminate all workarounds, the resolution significantly raises the level of protection. Platforms are required to implement effective age-verification measures, detect and disable non-compliant accounts, and take reasonable steps to reduce circumvention. At the same time, caregivers play an important role in ensuring that safeguards are not bypassed, reinforcing a shared responsibility approach. This also needs to be supported by helping families identify healthier alternatives, so that children are better able to deal with the boredom or frustration that can sometimes come with changing digital habits.

Category 5: Privacy, Data & Age Verification

13. How does this resolution protect children's privacy and data without leading to intrusive monitoring?

Privacy protection is embedded within the resolution. Age-verification systems are required to collect only the minimum necessary data, ensure secure processing, and avoid retaining sensitive data beyond what is strictly required. The approach is designed to provide effective protection without introducing intrusive monitoring.

14. How will age verification work in practice?

The resolution allows for multiple approved age-verification methods, provided they are effective, reliable, proportionate, and privacy-respecting. These may include government digital identity, ID verification, biometric matching, or AI-based estimation. What is explicitly not acceptable is simple self-declaration without proper assurance.

15. What happens to children who already have accounts today? Will they lose access forever?

For children under 15, personal social media accounts covered by the resolution will no longer be permissible and must be disabled by platforms. For those aged 15 to under 16, access remains allowed but subject to enhanced safeguards, with a 12-month transition period to enable implementation.

Category 6: Governance, Enforcement & Measurable Outcomes

16. How is this different from existing cybercrime and child protection laws?

This resolution is different because it is preventive and regulatory, not only punitive. Existing cybercrime and child protection laws are essential, but they mainly address harm after it occurs or prohibit clearly unlawful conduct. This resolution goes further upstream by setting age-based access rules, verification requirements, platform obligations, parental responsibilities, and safety-by-design measures before harm occurs.

17. When will this actually start, and when should parents and platforms expect the first visible changes?

The resolution will come into force following publication in the Official Gazette, with a transition period of up to 12 months for platforms to align their systems and controls. This allows for phased implementation, with visible changes expected to roll out progressively during this period.

Category 7: Age Limit

18. Why was the cut-off set at 15 years old?

There is no single universally agreed 'perfect age' for social media access, because young people's maturity, vulnerability, and online experiences differ, The resolution takes a practical approach by strengthening protection during earlier teenage years while avoiding unnecessary disruption for older users. It also aligns with existing UAE regulatory thresholds, ensuring consistency across the broader framework.

Category 8: International & Positioning Questions

19. How does this compare to other countries' approaches? Is the UAE going further?

The UAE is aligned with global momentum on child digital safety, where multiple countries are introducing stronger safeguards for minors online. What distinguishes the UAE approach is its balanced and structured model, combining age thresholds, platform accountability, parental enablement, and privacy-conscious verification. Rather than a single restriction, it introduces a comprehensive system-level framework that is both protective and practical to implement.

20. Is the UAE planning to coordinate this internationally?

The UAE sees strong value in international collaboration on this issue. Children's digital environments are inherently cross-border, and effective solutions benefit from coordination between countries. The UAE is open to engaging with like-minded partners to share learnings, align approaches where appropriate, and contribute to shaping global best practices on child digital safety.

Category 9: Economic & Platform Impact

21. Will this impact innovation or discourage platforms from operating in the UAE?

The resolution is designed to provide clarity, not constraint. By setting clear and predictable expectations, it enables platforms to operate confidently while aligning with child safety standards. The UAE remains a strong environment for innovation, and this framework ensures that innovation evolves in a way that is responsible and sustainable.

22. What costs or operational burden will this place on platforms?

There will be an initial implementation effort, particularly around age assurance and safety features. However, many leading platforms are already moving in this direction globally. The 12-month transition period allows for phased, practical implementation, and further guidance will support platforms in aligning efficiently.

Category 10: Enforcement & Practicality

23. How will the government ensure consistent enforcement across global platforms?

Enforcement will be anchored in the UAE's existing regulatory and legal framework, supported by competent authorities and coordinated oversight. The focus is on clear compliance expectations, monitoring, and proportionate enforcement measures where necessary. The aim is not only enforcement but also sustained compliance through engagement and guidance.

24. What happens if parents disagree with the policy or choose not to comply?

The resolution is designed to support families rather than penalize them. The primary enforcement focus is on platforms. At the same time, parents are encouraged to play a supportive role in guiding children's digital behavior. The approach is based on shared responsibility, awareness, and support, rather than punitive action toward families.

Category 11: Children's Perspective

25. How does this consider children's voices and perspectives?

The broader approach includes engagement with stakeholders across the ecosystem, including educators, families, child-focused experts, and those who work closely with children's needs and experiences. The intention is to ensure that policies reflect not only protection needs but also children's developmental, social, and learning needs.

Going forward, children's perspectives will continue to be taken into account, with future policy development informed by engagement approaches that are appropriate to their age, wellbeing, and best interests.