Parliamentarians and specialists called for a study of banning or restricting the use of social media for children, pointing to the experiences of several countries that have tended to impose age restrictions to protect them, stressing the importance of taking advantage of the country’s advanced digital infrastructure to implement defensive mechanisms to accurately verify ages via digital identity, oblige platforms to protect them, prevent the use of recommendation algorithms to target them, and impose deterrent financial penalties on negligent platforms.
They told Emirates Today that children face 10 security, health and psychological risks through these platforms, including: electronic bullying, digital luring and blackmail, data theft, digital addiction, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, poor concentration and academic achievement, social isolation, influence by influencers, comparisons that affect self-esteem and self-confidence, and exposure to content that is not appropriate for their ages.
A survey conducted by “Emirates Today” through its accounts on social networking sites, with the participation of 3,763 people, revealed widespread support for restricting or prohibiting minors from having accounts on social media platforms, as 2,975 participants, or 79.1%, supported the ban or restriction, while 631 participants, or 16.7%, saw the necessity of allowing accounts under parental supervision, compared to only 157 participants, or 4.2%, who preferred not to impose any restrictions. Or banning children’s accounts, according to the “WhatsApp” poll – which lasted for 24 hours under the title “In light of the increasing digital risks to children… Do you support banning or restricting minors from owning accounts on social media platforms?” – The largest percentage of participants, as 3,669 people participated, their opinions were divided between 2,900 people who chose “Yes” by 79.04%, and 623 people who chose “Yes, but allowing accounts subject to parental supervision” by 16.98%, while the number of people who chose “No” did not exceed 146 people by 3.98%. On the other hand, the poll on the “Instagram” platform received 94 participants. Individually, 75 participants voted in favor of the “Yes” option by 79.8%, eight participants voted in favor of the “Yes, while allowing accounts subject to parental supervision” by 8.5%, while 11 participants chose the “No” option by 11.7%.
Safe alternatives
In detail, a member of the Federal National Council, Mona Rashid Tahnoun, confirmed that in light of the rapid digital transformations that the world is witnessing, it has become necessary to reconsider the relationship between children and social media, especially with its increasing negative impact on them.
She said: “I believe that the present time has become appropriate to open a serious public debate about establishing controls and legislation that guarantee the safe and responsible use of these platforms, in a way that achieves a balance between benefiting from technology and protecting children from its dangers.”
She explained that the goal is not to isolate children from technology or prevent them from benefiting from the tools of the digital age, but rather to create a regulatory framework that guarantees the safe and responsible use of these platforms, and protects children from inappropriate content, cyberbullying, digital exploitation, and addiction that may affect their psychological, social, and academic development.
She pointed out that the proposal to set a minimum age for owning personal accounts on social media, including the age of 16 years, which some countries have begun to adopt or study, is an idea worthy of discussion and research, with the need to take into account the privacy of Emirati society and the needs of children at various age stages, noting that what is more important than setting the age itself is the presence of effective mechanisms to verify ages and provide levels of protection appropriate to each age group.
She stressed that protecting children in the digital environment is a shared responsibility of the family, social media companies and platforms, by requiring them to implement more precise procedures to verify the ages of users, provide safe digital environments for children, and strengthen parental control tools and preventive controls.
She indicated that she would consider submitting a parliamentary question request to discuss the issue of children’s use of social media, and discuss the feasibility of setting controls or setting a minimum age for owning accounts, in a way that achieves a balance between protecting young people and taking advantage of the opportunities provided by modern technology, in line with the UAE’s approach to building a safe and cohesive society that keeps pace with the requirements of the future.
Modern legislation
Member of the Federal National Council, Dr. Moza Mohammed Al Shehhi, stressed that protecting children in the digital environment is no longer an option, but rather a national necessity imposed by accelerating digital transformations, stressing the importance of finding a deliberate balance between enabling children to benefit from modern technology and protecting them from the risks associated with it, through modern legislation, effective protection tools, and an integrated partnership between the family, educational institutions, and digital platforms.
She said that there is a noticeable increase in societal observations and requests received from parents, educators, and specialists regarding the negative effects of some social media uses on children, including exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, violation of privacy, and excessive use, which may reflect on academic achievement, mental health, and family relationships.
She added that international experiences that tended to impose age restrictions or prohibit children from owning accounts deserve to be studied and benefit from their results, especially in light of the increasing challenges that children face in the digital space. She explained that child protection is a national priority, noting that it may be appropriate to study setting stricter age controls or requiring parental approval and control for younger age groups, in addition to evaluating the feasibility of setting a unified minimum age for owning accounts, in a way that achieves effective protection without depriving children of learning opportunities and benefiting from modern technologies. She called on parents to enhance dialogue with their children, monitor their use of modern technologies, and develop their awareness of digital risks.
Challenges
The founder and president of the “Women Support the Homeland” Association and member of the Board of Trustees of the National Commission for Human Rights, Dr. Amina Al-Majed, confirmed that the early and uncontrolled use of means of communication has become one of the most prominent educational and social challenges facing families, as some children have become more attached to screens than to family dialogue, which has been reflected in the quality of communication within the family and weakened the space for emotional interaction between its members. She expressed her support for banning the possession of accounts on social media platforms for minor children or imposing restrictions on owning accounts at young ages, stressing that Emirati society is a society keen on family and childhood. She suggested attractive alternatives for children, including “enrolling them in sports and cultural clubs, engaging them in volunteer programs and community activities, interactive reading, and smart libraries.”
Exploitation and psychological disorders
Cybersecurity expert, Engineer Ahmed Al Zarouni, confirmed that children are among the groups most vulnerable to digital risks, pointing out that these risks are not limited to cyberbullying, digital addiction, and exposure to inappropriate content, but rather extend to electronic fraud, data theft, and exploitation due to their lack of awareness of social engineering methods. He said that restricting children’s access represents an important preventive step to protect them digitally and psychologically, pointing out that the UAE has an advanced digital infrastructure that qualifies it to apply strict and advanced authentication models that surpass many global experiences. He explained that the national digital identity system can be used to verify age accurately, while preserving users’ privacy, and not sharing their detailed data.
The psychologist, Hessa Al-Rais, confirmed that children may be exposed to risks when using platforms without supervision, including age-inappropriate content, cyberbullying, digital exploitation or blackmail, as well as forming an unrealistic image of oneself and life as a result of constant comparisons, in addition to negative effects on academic achievement, sleep, and social relationships.
She explained that psychological studies showed that children’s early use of uncontrolled social media platforms contributed to several psychological and behavioral problems, including “increased levels” of anxiety and stress, low self-esteem, sleep disturbances, decreased concentration and attention, and the effects resulting from electronic bullying that lead to feelings of sadness, withdrawal, social isolation, and symptoms of depression in children. She said that children in the early stages of life are more vulnerable to being affected by social comparisons and inappropriate content, stressing that family supervision represents the first line of defense in protecting children from digital risks.
Proactive legislative steps to protect children “digitally” in the Emirates
Lawyer Dr. Abdullah Al Nasser confirmed that the UAE has taken advanced and proactive legislative steps to protect children in the digital environment, by issuing Federal Law No. 26 of 2025 regarding child digital safety, which entered into force at the beginning of this year, and aims to enhance children’s digital safety, harmful content, and practices that negatively affect their physical, psychological, and moral health, ensure children’s right to obtain appropriate and safe digital content, and encourage responsible use.
He said that the law imposed clear obligations on digital platforms, including adopting effective and reasonable mechanisms, standards, and procedures for age verification. The law also prohibited digital platforms from collecting, processing, or sharing personal data of children under the age of 13 except in accordance with strict controls.
He explained that the current law has established a solid legislative foundation, by requiring platforms to verify age and impose appropriate age controls, but the rapid development of the digital space may require the study of additional, more stringent regulatory measures towards young age groups in the future, in order to achieve a balance between the child’s right to benefit from technology and his right to be protected from digital risks.
