The Child Digital Safety Council held a media briefing yesterday to introduce the Cabinet decision on regulating children's access to social media platforms, explain its details and implementation mechanisms, in cooperation with relevant authorities. The briefing was attended by Her Excellency Sana bint Mohammed Suhail, Minister of Family and Chair of the Child Digital Safety Council.
The briefing, held at the Influencers Hub in Dubai, was attended by Engineer Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Director General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).
Also in attendance were Dr. Hussein Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector at the Ministry of Health and Prevention, and Mitha Majed Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of the Strategy and Media Policy Sector at the National Media Office, alongside representatives of local and international media and content creators.
Her Excellency Sana bint Mohammed Suhail affirmed that establishing an advanced national system for the digital protection of children is one of the strategic pillars of the United Arab Emirates' vision for human development and the preparation of future generations, stemming from the vision of wise leadership, which has made child protection and family empowerment a firmly rooted approach in the development journey.
She noted that the country continues to develop legislation and policies proactively to keep pace with rapid digital transformation, ensuring the sustainability of a safe digital environment that supports the balanced growth of children and enhances quality of life in alignment with the objectives of the Year of the Family, and consolidating a society better prepared for the future in line with the targets of the UAE Centennial 2071.
Her Excellency the Minister of Family explained that the decision represents a qualitative leap in the UAE's journey towards developing modern policies that keep pace with global changes, as the digital world has become an integral part of children's lives — a space for learning, creativity and skill acquisition — which necessitates building a regulatory framework that ensures these opportunities are utilised safely and in a balanced manner.
She pointed out that the philosophy of the decision is based on a proactive preventive approach that regulates access to platforms according to clear controls appropriate to different age groups, preserving children's right to learn and develop while simultaneously limiting the risks associated with inappropriate use.
Her Excellency added: