International
-Prakash KL
The United Arab Emirates has approved a minimum age of 15 for social media use, making it the first Arab country to introduce a nationwide ban on personal social media accounts for younger children. The decision places the UAE within a growing group of governments seeking tougher rules for technology platforms amid concerns over children’s safety, mental health and exposure to harmful online content.
The resolution bars children under 15 from creating or using personal social media accounts. It also limits their access to the full range of features offered by social media platforms. The measure is aimed at reducing unsupervised digital activity by children who may be more vulnerable to cyberbullying, addictive design, inappropriate content and online exploitation.
The United Arab Emirates has approved a minimum age of 15 for social media use, banning personal accounts for children under this age to address safety and mental health concerns, making it the first Arab country with such a nationwide rule.
UAE social media ban reflects a wider policy shift
The UAE move comes as countries reassess whether existing online safety rules are strong enough for minors. For years, most major platforms have set their own minimum age policies, often at 13, partly linked to older data privacy standards. Governments are now moving beyond platform self-regulation and considering legally enforceable age limits.
The policy debate has gained urgency as parents, schools and health professionals raise concerns about constant screen time and social media’s impact on sleep, attention, self-esteem and behaviour. While research findings vary by age group and usage pattern, there is broad concern that younger children may struggle to manage algorithmic feeds, social comparison and contact from strangers.
For the UAE, the age threshold of 15 signals a more restrictive approach than the common platform minimum used internationally. It also reflects the country’s wider efforts to regulate digital services, online speech, cyber safety and technology use through formal legal frameworks rather than voluntary industry standards alone.
What changes for children and platforms
The most immediate impact will be on children below 15 who want to create or maintain personal accounts on social media platforms. The restriction is expected to require stronger age checks and compliance systems, though the practical details of enforcement will determine how far the rule changes day-to-day online behaviour.
Age verification remains one of the hardest parts of such laws. Platforms can ask users to declare their date of birth, but that method is easy to bypass. Stronger systems may involve identity checks, parental consent tools, device-level controls or third-party verification. Each approach raises separate questions about privacy, data security and access.
Parents are likely to play a central role in implementation. Even strict laws depend on household-level decisions, especially where children use shared devices or family accounts. Schools may also be expected to support awareness campaigns explaining the legal threshold and the risks linked to unsupervised social media use.
The UAE order does not simply address account creation. By restricting access to full platform features, it appears designed to reduce interactive risks, including direct messaging, public posting, comments, personalised recommendations and other tools that can amplify exposure to strangers or harmful content.
How other countries are approaching children’s online safety
Several countries around the world have now joined the UAE in implementing social media restrictions for children, creating a growing global movement to protect minors from online risks. Australia stands out as the pioneer in this effort, becoming the world’s first country to ban social media for children under 16 when it enforced the restriction in December 2025. This ban blocks access to major platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, and has inspired other nations to follow similar paths.
Asia has seen significant action on this issue. Indonesia recently started blocking access to “high-risk” platforms for children under 16 in June 2026, targeting services like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat. Malaysia officially enforced its under-16 ban in June 2026, mandating that online platforms conduct age verification or face hefty fines of up to approximately $2.5 million. China has maintained some of the world’s strictest regulations, enforcing comprehensive controls on minors’ social media usage through a “minor mode” that includes device-level limitations, screen time restrictions, and operating hours for users under 18. Vietnam has also implemented bans similar to Australia’s approach for children under 16.
Europe is rapidly joining this movement with several countries either passing legislation or planning restrictions. France passed a bill in January 2026 that will ban under-15s from social media starting September 2026, requiring age verification and parental consent mechanisms. Turkey has passed restrictions for children under 15. Greece announced in April 2026 that it will ban under-15s from social media beginning January 1, 2027, with widespread support from adults for the measure. Denmark is considering an under-15 ban where parents can grant access to children aged 13 and older. Spain is planning an under-16 ban with age verification requirements. Norway is proposing to raise the age limit from 13 to 15. Poland and Slovenia are currently crafting legislation for under-15 restrictions. The United Kingdom is considering a ban similar to Australia’s model.
Other European countries have existing consent-based requirements rather than outright bans. Germany requires parental consent for children aged 13 to 16, while Italy mandates parental consent for children under 14.
Beyond Europe and Asia, Denmark, Spain, Norway, Poland, and Slovenia are all working on under-15 restrictions, showing that this trend is truly global. The United Kingdom is actively considering joining the group of countries with outright bans. This wave of restrictions demonstrates a widespread international recognition of the dangers social media poses to children, with countries moving from voluntary guidelines to mandatory enforcement with significant penalties for platforms that fail to comply.
