Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) on Friday concluded the activities of the Child Digital Safety Forum, held under the theme “Towards a Safe and Sustainable Digital Environment for Future Generations”.
The participants discussed the institutional and societal dimensions of protecting children in the digital space. This contributes to strengthening institutional integration and raising public awareness of newly introduced legislation, coinciding with the entry into force of Federal Decree-Law No. (26) of 2025 concerning Child Digital Safety.
The second day of the forum, whose sessions were moderated by Counsellor Hassan Al Hammadi, Director of the Prosecution Administration in Abu Dhabi, was held via the virtual platform of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Academy. It reviewed several key themes related to child safety in the digital space, including the roles of government entities and social media platforms, as well as the relevant legal and legislative dimensions.
In this context, Dr. Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, Head of the Cybersecurity Council of the Government of the United Arab Emirates, in his presentation entitled “Cybersecurity in the Digital Environment and Its Role in Child Protection”, addressed the most prominent cyber challenges targeting children and emphasised the importance of building an integrated preventive system based on modern technologies, supportive legislation, and institutional coordination among the competent authorities.
Dr. Fatima Al Kaabi, Vice Chairperson of the National Human Rights Institution, also discussed in her paper entitled “The Compatibility of the Child Digital Safety Law with International Standards for Children’s Rights in the Digital Environment” the human rights framework of the UAE law and the extent of its alignment with relevant international conventions and standards, in a manner that achieves a balance between child protection and the safeguarding of children’s rights in the digital environment.
The forum sessions further addressed the responsibilities of digital platforms. Dr. Ahmed Abdel Zaher, Legal Adviser at the Technical Office of the Undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, in his paper entitled “The Role of Social Media Companies in Protecting Children’s Rights”, pointed out the legal frameworks governing the operation of digital platforms, mechanisms for compliance with national legislation, and technical protection tools designed for children.
For his part, Dr Mahmoud Muslim, journalist and member of the Egyptian Senate, delivered a paper entitled “Child Digital Protection in the Arab Region: From Prohibition to Immunity”. He emphasised the importance of transitioning from policies of restriction and prohibition to fostering concepts of digital awareness and resilience among children and families, as well as the role of educational and media institutions in supporting this approach.
Furthermore, Colleen O’Toole, former Appellate Judge and former Prosecutor in Ashtabula County, Ohio, USA, presented a paper entitled “The Liability of Artificial Intelligence Platforms for Crimes Committed Against Children”. She addressed the legal framework governing the responsibility of platforms based on artificial intelligence technologies for crimes targeting children in the digital environment, mechanisms for holding them accountable, and means of enforcing the legal obligations imposed upon them, in a way that enhances the protection of children’s rights and keeps pace with rapid technological developments.
In the closing sessions of the forum, Dr Sami Al Toukhy, Director of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Academy, highlighted the legal framework governing interactions with major technology companies, emphasising the importance of advancing the concept of “digital judicial sovereignty” to align with the nature of cross-border cybercrimes and to strengthen the protection of children in the digital environment. He pointed out that the new law represents an advanced legislative model, establishing clear obligations for digital platforms, thereby enhancing the UAE’s position as a global pioneer in this field.
