Under-15 Social Media Ban Hits UAE Platforms With Strict ID Rules
Children under 15 are officially barred from creating, using, or operating personal social media accounts across the UAE. Effective June 30, 2026, the policy shifts the burden of online child safety away from parents and onto technology companies, making the UAE the first Arab nation to introduce such restrictions.
The mandate is driven by Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2026 Regarding the Regulation of Children’s Access to Social Media Platforms, issued on June 17, 2026. This resolution implements Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2025 on Child Digital Safety, which originally took effect on January 1, 2026. Together, they establish an extraterritorial framework targeting digital platforms and internet service providers operating in or focusing on the UAE. Major tech firms like Meta, Google, TikTok, and Roblox now face strict compliance obligations.
For platform operators, the regulation outlaws traditional self-declaration methods for age checking. Companies must implement robust identity checks and verification tools to prevent underage users from registering accounts. Furthermore, the framework introduces a tiered regulatory model that distinguishes between users under 15 and teenagers aged 15 to under 16, requiring stronger privacy settings, targeted content filtering, and advanced parental controls.
Dr. Saliha Afridi, Counselor and Chairwoman at LightHouse Arabia, points out that this regulatory shift mirrors what mental health professionals have flagged for years. Decades of platform design centered on capturing attention, through infinite swipes, automated notifications, and autoplay videos, have taken a heavy toll on youth well-being. By taking legislative action, the UAE joins international peers like Australia, France, the UK, Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Turkey in rethinking how children interact with the digital economy.
Platforms operating in the region are working against a 12-month transitional window to overhaul their systems or face stiff penalties under the child digital safety framework. Beyond mere age gating, the broader policy pushes companies to redesign digital spaces so that child safety is built into the architecture rather than treated as an afterthought.
