MAYS IBRAHIM and SAMIHAH ZAMAN (ABU DHABI)
Behind the UAE's landmark ban on social media for under-15s is the science that has shown children this age are not yet developmentally equipped to handle the platforms' psychological and social impact, experts say.
The decision, announced on Thursday, prohibits social media use and access in the UAE among children aged 15 years and younger, and introduces guardrails for those aged 15 to 16.
Dr Dala Kakos, Policy Adviser specialising in AI and Education at the Education, Human Development and Community Development Council, said the UAE's age threshold was informed by developmental research conducted as part of its policy work.
Dr Kakos said that it is only by mid-adolescence that young people "typically show greater self-awareness, stronger emotional regulation, improved decision-making, a more established sense of identity, and an increased capacity to evaluate social influences and long-term consequences".
"These developmental shifts may support young people with more abilities to navigate the complex digital environments and content they encounter online," the expert told Aletihad.
The findings were also consistent with broader international research, including work by UNESCO and OECD, which identifies adolescence as a critical period for developing the cognitive, social, and emotional capabilities needed before exposure to social media.
"This approach recognises the importance of protecting the developmental space children need for healthy growth," Dr Kakos explained.
"It can help ensure that their cognitive, emotional, and social development is shaped mainly by their families, schools, communities, and real-world experiences rather than algorithms."
Another expert, Audrey Hametner, agreed that delaying access could give young people more time to develop their identity and values before entering online environments that can shape behaviour and self-perception.
"[Social media] has been great for some youth, and it has been disastrous for others," said Hametner, founder and chief executive of The Bedrock Programme, a social enterprise focused on developing future leaders.
"I have seen incredibly shy teens find like-minded 'friends' ... and I have seen many more use social media to express themselves just like they do in the playground," she told Aletihad.
Worldwide Shift
The UAE Cabinet's decision follows increasing scrutiny over the impact of social media use among young children, with several countries introducing age-based restrictions.
Australia became the first country to implement a nationwide ban on social media accounts for children under 16, with the law taking effect on December 10, 2025, and requiring platforms to prevent underage users from holding accounts. Indonesia followed with measures restricting access to high-risk social media platforms for users under 16, with enforcement beginning in March 2026.
The UK has also announced plans to prohibit access to major social media platforms for children under 16, with the measures expected to come into force in 2027. Other countries, including France, have introduced parental consent requirements for users under 15, reflecting a broader international trend towards stronger online protections for minors.
Hametner cautioned that enforcement would remain one of the biggest challenges, as young people are often highly adept at finding ways around restrictions.
"I have been told by children that they already use VPNs to bypass school barriers," she said.
Build Critical Thinking Skills First
The UAE's policy will introduce guidance for young people aged 15 to 16 to enable safe, regulated access to digital platforms, supported by age-appropriate content classification, restricted interactions, managed usage parameters, and parental controls.
Dr Kakos noted that the regulation was not intended to limit access to technology, but to help ensure young people develop the critical thinking, resilience, judgement and digital citizenship needed to engage with it responsibly throughout their lives.
"Children cannot protect themselves from tech companies. Parents cannot have this responsibility alone," she said.
The regulation, Dr Kakos added, recognises that highly persuasive digital environments can shape behaviour, self-image and attention patterns before children are developmentally ready.
"The objective is to help ensure technology serves human development rather than asking development to adapt to technology."
Social media platforms operating in the UAE have been allowed a 12-month period to comply with the new guidelines.
The resolution is part of an integrated legislative framework that includes the Child Rights Law, cybercrime legislation, personal data protection rules, media regulations, and child digital safety measures, strengthening institutional coordination and establishing a proactive, comprehensive approach to protecting children in the digital space.
Hametner welcomed the wider framework underpinning the regulations, saying it reflected a deeper consideration of the issue beyond simply restricting access to social media.
"It clearly shows the leadership has examined this issue at a deeper level," she said. "It's not just about restricting access, but about personal and societal wellbeing, accountability and setting direction for future challenges."
She added that monitoring indicators including mental health, attention spans, child protection outcomes, behaviour in schools, and feedback from families can help policymakers assess whether the measures achieve their intended goals.
The UAE's 'Human-First' Approach
Educators hailed the Cabinet decision, highlighting how the UAE has always been a forerunner in child safety.
Tabassum Kazi, Vice Principal at Dunes International School, told Aletihad the initiative was "a positive step that distinguishes digital literacy from social media exposure".
"In today's rapidly evolving digital world, students must develop digital competency, critical thinking, and responsible technology through the AI Literacy curriculum. Social media does not teach digital literacy; rather, it exposes children to vast amounts of content, including AI-generated material, without necessarily helping them understand its purpose, credibility, or impact.
"Children need guided learning to differentiate between needs and wants in the digital space," Kazi explained.
"This [decision] will also encourage stronger family engagement, helping children develop values such as respect, empathy, responsibility, and meaningful communication. Together, parents and schools can build responsible digital citizens while preserving healthy childhood development and family connections," she added.
Dr Kakos noted that supporting healthy digital development would require a shared effort from parents, schools, industry, and government.
She said parents remain the strongest influence on children's daily habits and behaviour, while schools help young people build digital literacy, critical thinking, privacy awareness and responsible online behaviour.
"Digital wellbeing may be considered as a main future-ready competency, alongside communication, creativity, problem-solving, and lifelong learning."
The most important measure of technological progress was not the technology itself, but its impact on people and society, according to Dr Kakos.
"The UAE is approaching this issue through a human-first lens," she said.
"The conversation is not simply about technology regulation or online safety - it is part of a broader national vision centred on human development, education, wellbeing, family development and lifelong learning."
Parents Laud UAE's ‘Pioneering' Move
Parents in the UAE are accustomed to the UAE's proactive approach to child safety, and see the decision as an extension of its commitment to safeguard young people in an increasingly technology-driven world.
Samir Hammad, a father-of-two from Jordan, hailed the move, calling it a "pioneering step" in the Arab world.
"The UAE is truly a model to be followed across the region. Over the years, we have noted the detrimental effects of social media, and the decision to ban it for children under the age of 15 years will help children hold firm to their values, and protect them from harmful content," he told Aletihad.
Hammad, whose eldest child is now in middle school, said schools in the UAE have played a pivotal role in ensuring that children have remained as protected as possible.
"Students are allowed to take only the phones without cameras to school, and this limited the use of social media for my children. In fact, we are planning to even hold off on giving either of them a smartphone till they are at least 15 years old, and even then, we plan to implement safeguards till they are older," he said.
Hammad added that despite parental supervision, there has always been a chance for harmful content to reach children.
"Much of the material that is posted on social media today clashes directly with our moral principles and values. We are therefore truly fortunate to live in the UAE, where our children are better protected through far-reaching government initiatives," he said.
Nadia Afreen, a mother and a long-time UAE resident, said she was relieved to hear of the new restrictions on social media use for children.
"Children are so very sensitive to peer pressure, and this has only been intensified through the widespread access to social media. I am truly grateful for these measures introduced by the wise UAE leadership, which enables us to raise our children in a safe and secure environment, both physically and now virtually," she told Aletihad.
The UAE has previously rolled out other measures to protect children online. In September 2025, the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) announced that it was disabling chat features on popular online gaming platform Roblox, while introducing enhanced Arabic-language content and communication moderation tools.
Wadeema's Law – the UAE's core child protection legislation – also guarantees a child's right to safety, dignity, and protection in all environments, empowering authorities and institutions to take protective action against violators.