Specialists have affirmed that the Cabinet decision regulating children's access to social media platforms — setting the minimum age of use at 15 — establishes a safer framework for using these platforms, strengthens the role of families and digital platforms in protecting young people from inappropriate content, and enhances digital safety, particularly as children's presence in digital spaces has been growing from an increasingly early age.
They explained that the decision reinforces the protection of children's privacy and helps prevent the use or processing of their personal data for marketing purposes based on tracking their digital activities.
In this regard, Shaikha Saeed Al Mansouri, Acting Director General of the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, affirmed that the Cabinet decision regulating children's access to social media platforms and setting the minimum age at 15 is an important strategic step that strengthens the child protection system in the digital environment. She said it confirms the United Arab Emirates' proactive approach to keeping pace with technological change in a manner that guarantees children's safety and their psychological and social wellbeing.
Al Mansouri said: "This decision is aligned with national efforts aimed at providing a safer digital environment for children, especially in light of the growing challenges associated with the early and unregulated use of social media platforms and the psychological, social, and behavioural consequences that may result."
She added that the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children attaches great importance to child care and protection in digital spaces, through an integrated system of awareness and preventive programmes and initiatives targeting children, parents, and those who work with children. These focus on raising awareness of digital risks, preventing cyberbullying, and embedding concepts of safe and responsible use of modern technologies.
She noted that over recent years the Foundation has implemented numerous awareness campaigns, programmes, guidance manuals, and specialist workshops that have provided families with practical recommendations to help them accompany their children on their digital journey, strengthen family dialogue, build trust, and empower children to benefit positively from technology while minimising its risks.
Al Mansouri stressed that protecting children in the digital age is a shared responsibility requiring the complementary roles of the family, school, and relevant institutions. She noted that regulatory decisions represent a supportive framework for these efforts and contribute to building a more aware and balanced digital culture that safeguards children's rights and enhances their opportunities to grow in a safe and healthy environment. She added that investing in children and empowering them is an investment in the future of society, and that building generations that are aware and capable of engaging safely and responsibly with the digital world is one of the fundamental pillars for achieving sustainable development and quality of life.
Adviser Faisal Mohammed Al Shammari, Chairman of the Board of the Emirates Child Protection Association, said it is hoped that raising the minimum age for social media use will help reduce the risks of modern technologies, particularly since younger children and adolescents may not possess sufficient awareness and skills to handle the risks associated with these platforms.
He pointed out that some studies have shown that excessive use of social media may contribute to the worsening of cyberbullying and the frustration caused by unrealistic comparisons, which can increase symptoms of anxiety and depression, especially among younger age groups.
He added that there are health risks linked to changes in behavioural patterns, noting that some studies conducted on children and adolescents between the ages of 13 and 15 showed that 56% of them spend more than 3 hours daily on smartphones and mobile devices browsing the internet and social media platforms. He also noted that many educational leaders and policy-makers have warned of the growing phenomenon of smartphone addiction among children and adolescents, and the resulting increases in obesity rates and chronic diseases — including diabetes — due to reduced physical activity and declining participation in sport.
Al Shammari stressed the importance of not overlooking the risks of misusing these platforms as a source of distorted sexual content, or as a means that may allow dangerous individuals — whether extremists or those with deviant intent — to access children, exploit them, groom them, or lure them for criminal or extremist purposes.
He noted that some law enforcement agencies around the world have recorded a significant rise in the volume of child sexual exploitation material circulating online, with specialised studies showing that this type of criminal content has increased by more than 1,500%.
For her part, Mouza Al Shoumi said the decision represents an advanced step in the field of child protection in the digital environment. She said it does not merely set a minimum age, but establishes a comprehensive framework that ensures the provision of a safer online environment for children and young people, by obliging platforms to apply precise age-verification mechanisms and provide special controls for the 15-to-16 age group — including age-appropriate content, restrictions on unsafe interactions, regulation of usage times, and the activation of parental control tools.
Among the decision's most notable features, she said, is its emphasis on protecting children's privacy and preventing the use or processing of their personal data for commercial or marketing purposes based on tracking their digital activities. This, she said, reflects the United Arab Emirates' commitment to protecting children's rights in the digital age and enhancing their security and safety.
The decision also reinforces shared responsibility among the family, digital platforms, and relevant institutions. It affirms the role of parents in supervising their children's digital activity and raising awareness of safe and responsible use of technology, thereby contributing to building a generation that is aware and capable of benefiting from digital opportunities without being exposed to their risks.
Educational consultant Heba Abdel Rahman affirmed that setting 15 as the minimum age for social media use is appropriate, as adolescent concepts will have taken shape to a considerable degree by that age. She stressed, however, the importance of parental supervision being based on partnership and dialogue rather than surveillance, in a way that builds trust and awareness in children.
She noted that studies have proven the impact of digital platforms on mental health, and that they can in some cases contribute to increased feelings of anxiety and depression. She affirmed that the decision is grounded in field studies aimed at protecting children and promoting safe use of technologies.
She added that the responsibility for awareness does not rest with the family alone, but requires the cooperation of schools, civil associations, and sports centres. She noted that raising children's digital awareness is an important preventive step that helps protect them from negative influences and destructive ideas.