Children's digital safety

Children under 15 are not allowed to create, use or operate personal accounts on social media platforms. Digital platforms are classified based on the level of risk they may pose to children. This classification will define: appropriate age groups for each platform, age verification mechanisms and the obligations required from each platform according to its classification. It is prohibited to collect or use personal data of children under the age of 13 unless certain strict conditions are fulfilled. 
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Legal Framework for Children's Digital Safety in the UAE

The following legislation helps ensure a safe digital environment for children:

 

How does the law protect children online?

The legal framework for children’s digital safety in the UAE aims to protect children when they are using the internet and digital platforms by ensuring a safe and age-appropriate digital experience, while also promoting awareness among children and parents on the responsible use of technology. It establishes a comprehensive national framework for child protection in the digital environment, assigning shared responsibilities on digital platforms, internet service providers, parents and government entities to ensure that children engage with technology in a safe, healthy and a balanced way.

Pillars of Children's Digital Safety in the UAE

Child Digital Safety Council

The Council was established under Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2025 Regarding Child Digital Safety. It is chaired by Minister of Family and aims to ensure coordination and integration between relevant federal, local, and private sector entities working for children’s digital safety.

 

Its main responsibilities are to:

  1. propose national policies and strategies to protect children in the digital space
  2. review legislations and ensure they keep up with technological developments
  3. develop awareness programmes and conduct studies on digital risks
  4. monitor the level of digital safety for children across the country. 

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Digital Platform Classification System

Under Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2025 Regarding Child Digital Safety, digital platforms will be classified based on the level of risk they may pose to children. This classification will define:

  1. appropriate age groups for each platform
  2. age verification mechanisms
  3. the obligations required from each platform according to its classification.

 

You can also explore the ‘Sannif’ platform, which helps parents learn about online games and their content before allowing children to use them. The platform enables users to search for any digital game and view the potential risks it may include, helping parents choose the most suitable games for their children.

 

Protection of Privacy and Personal Data

Under Federal Decree-Law No. 26 Regarding 2025 on Child Digital Safety and Federal Decree by Law No. 45 of 2021 Concerning the Protection of Personal Data, it is prohibited to collect or use personal data of children under the age of 13 unless:

  1. clear consent is obtained from the parent or guardian
  2. the parent or guardian can easily withdraw their consent
  3. the purpose of collecting the data and how it will be used is clearly explained, and
  4. the child’s data is not used for targeted advertising or commercial purposes.

 

In addition, under Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 on Child Rights Law (Wadeema’s Law), Article 29 requires telecommunications companies and internet service providers to report any child pornography content shared online to the relevant authorities. They must also provide information about individuals, entities and/or websites involved in distributing such content and/or exploiting children.

 

The Dubai Data Law (Law No. 26 of 2015 on the Organization of Dubai Data Publication and Sharing, PDF 250 KB) also aims for data protection and privacy of all individuals including that of children.

 

Age verification

Under Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2025 Regarding Child Digital Safety, digital platforms are required to put in place effective age verification measures for users. These measures must match the nature of the platform and the level of risk associated with it.

 

Children's access to social media platforms

According to Cabinet Decision No. 106 of 2026 on Regulating Children’s Access to Social Media Platforms, the minimum age for using social media in the UAE is set at 15 years. Children under 15 are not allowed to create, use or operate personal accounts on social media platforms. They are also not allowed to access full features including social interaction, posting, commenting, sharing, joining public groups or open channels, or participating in any large interactive spaces.

 

The decision also requires platforms to take all necessary technical and controlling measures to enforce these rules. It supports a gradual shift towards healthier and more balanced digital habits in line with different age groups of children and young people.

 

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Obligations of digital platforms

Digital platforms must provide tools to protect children. Tools must include:

  1. strong privacy settings enabled by default
  2. parental control tools
  3. age-based content ratings and classification
  4. options to set daily usage limits and rest periods
  5. easy tools to report harmful content
  6. use of artificial intelligence to detect and remove harmful content
  7. immediate reporting of any child sexual abuse material or other harmful content.

 

Obligations of internet service providers

Internet service providers must:

  1. filter harmful content
  2. provide parental control tools
  3. support safe internet use for children, and 
  4. report any content that may harm children.

 

 

ITU's Child Online Protection (COP) Guidelines

ITU launched the 2020 Child Online Protection (COP) Guidelines to ensure that the rights of children are being respected when they are online. The guidelines are the product of the collaborative effort of 80 experts from different sectors including governments, international organisations, NGOs, academia and the private sector.

 

ITU has developed specific guidelines for:

  1. children
  2. parents and educators
  3. industry and
  4. policymakers.

 

In addition, ITU and its partners are in the process of launching training courses to educate everyone about children’s online safety. Discover and enroll for courses. To support the implementation of the 2020 COP Guidelines globally, ITU further launched ‘Global Programme on Child Online Protection & Online Safety with Sango for Kids’.
Updated on:

23 Jun 2026

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