For some families, food delivery applications have turned into an “open window” between children and the outside world, after leaving accounts activated on the children’s phones, allowing them to order meals or products at any time, and sometimes while they are alone inside the home, all the way to receiving orders themselves from the delivery staff, even in the late hours of the night, taking advantage of features that allow orders to be delivered without knocking on the door or alerting family members.
Parents who allow their children to use delivery applications told Emirates Today that they view these applications as a convenient and practical means that saves time and serves them when they are busy or late outside the home, pointing out that there are children who are accustomed to using the application to order food or products themselves, choose orders and wait for their arrival, as a daily practice that is not much different from the rest of their digital uses.
On the other hand, specialists confirmed that the scene goes beyond the idea of “ordering a meal” or providing food in times of need, and is linked to enabling children to use digital accounts that contain home addresses, personal data, and saved payment methods, in addition to completing purchases, receiving orders, and dealing directly with delivery personnel, sometimes in the absence of adult supervision or without their knowledge.
They added that getting used to giving children the authority to order through applications may open the door to challenges related to privacy, digital security, and personal safety, especially in cases where orders are allowed during late hours or while the child is alone inside the house, noting that some features of applications, such as the option not to ring the bell, reduce the chances of family members paying attention to the receipt process.
They pointed out that the issue is not related to the use of the technology itself, but rather to the extent of supervision over the method of its use, and the limits of the powers granted to children when accessing accounts linked to sensitive data, personal information, residential addresses, and electronic payment methods.
While the Child Safety Foundation, affiliated with the Sharjah Family and Community Council, called on parents to enhance children’s awareness of children’s use of smartphones, delivery applications, and electronic shopping, stressing the necessity of setting clear rules for use, avoiding saving payment methods or activating quick purchases without controls, in addition to educating young people not to share addresses, phone numbers, or any personal information through applications.
In detail, a parent, Abdullah Al-Hantoubi, said that many parents deal with delivery applications as a service that saves time and serves the family in times of need, but granting children broad powers to use them may transform it from an auxiliary means into an unsupervised use area, pointing out that some applications are no longer limited to direct payment, but also provide installment options for paying in batches, which may make the purchase process seem easier and less expensive in the child’s eyes, and this encourages him to repeat the order without fully realizing it. for the financial obligations associated with it.
He called for restricting access to payment methods, and not relying on features, such as “delivery without ringing the bell,” as this may cause the family to lack knowledge of the ordering or receiving processes.
While a parent, Jassim Al-Raisi, said that delivery applications have become for many families a practical means that meets daily needs, especially when busy or late outside the home, indicating that he does not see a problem in enabling children to order food within known limits and under the supervision of the family, but he stressed the importance of not leaving accounts open without follow-up or allowing orders to be made at late times or while the child is alone.
For her part, a parent, Moza Muhammad Al-Naqbi, said that the ease of using applications has made some children more accustomed to self-ordering, pointing out that the matter may seem comfortable for parents at first, but it requires clear controls, especially since the accounts contain personal data, addresses and different means of payment, adding that families need to make children aware of the limits of use, and not to deal with orders or delivery personnel without the presence of an adult.
For his part, data scientist, engineer Mohammed Al Shehhi, said that dealing with children’s use of delivery applications should not be limited to viewing it as a case of “ordering a late meal,” but rather as an issue related to digital and data powers that may exceed what is appropriate for their ages.
He explained that delivery applications are no longer just platforms for ordering food, but rather have become systems that collect usage, behavior, and purchasing data, pointing out that when a child uses the application, he does not just choose a meal, but interacts with a system that tracks preferences, order times, spending, and location, which may form a behavioral file about the child and the family.
Al Shehhi pointed out that the presence of payment methods saved within the application gives the child the ability to purchase instantaneously, without a direct sense of the payment process or the value of the money, which requires dealing with applications that store bank cards or digital wallets, as financial tools that require clear controls.
He added that some convenience features within applications may turn into oversight gaps within the home, citing the “Don’t ring the bell” option, which may seem appropriate for adults, but may be used by children to hide the ordering or receiving process from parents, especially at late times or during the absence of an adult.
Al Shehhi stressed that the risks are not limited to the financial aspect, but rather extend to personal safety, as the child may move from using a number on the phone to direct interaction with a stranger when receiving the order, calling on families to pay attention to the issue of opening the door, knowing who is inside the house, and repeating patterns of receipt that may become observable.
He pointed out that delivery app accounts usually include sensitive data, such as detailed address, phone number, delivery notes, and order history, warning against excessive entry of additional information or letting children write delivery notes themselves.
He explained that modern applications are designed to reduce friction and speed up decision-making, through instant offers, ready-made suggestions, and re-ordering with one click. These are features that may be suitable for adults, but they may not take into account the limited ability of children to control impulse or estimate the financial and security consequences.
He called for applying the principle of “the least possible authority” within the family, so that the child is not given an open account that includes a saved payment card or the ability to order unrestricted, indicating that the child can choose the meal, while the powers to pay, approve the order and receive it remain in the hands of the guardian.
Al Shehhi stressed the importance of families dealing with delivery applications with the same caution used with banking applications and electronic wallets, by activating fingerprint or passwords before paying.
In addition, the legal advisor, Khadija Suhail, said that the expansion of the use of shopping and delivery applications within families has made it common to allow children to use electronic accounts linked to their families’ means of payment, but this use may entail legal and financial obligations that require greater attention and oversight.
She explained that the guardian mostly bears financial responsibility for purchases made through his account or bank card, as he is the owner of the payment method and responsible for its management, even if the purchases are made by the children through devices or applications linked to the family account.
She added that some practices may go beyond the financial aspect and reach the scope of civil liability, especially in cases of misuse of applications, executing fake orders, or duplicating and illegally canceling orders, which may result in damages or losses to service providers or other parties.
She stressed the importance of adopting preventive measures that limit the risks associated with the uncontrolled use of applications, including activating parental control tools, setting a spending ceiling, and not leaving payment methods open, in addition to making use of prepaid cards as an option that gives families greater ability to control electronic expenses.
She stressed the importance of enhancing financial and legal awareness among children, by making them aware of the nature of the obligations resulting from electronic purchasing, and informing them that completing orders through applications entails actual obligations, and not just digital steps on the phone.
While international lecturer and trainer in leadership and community awareness, Aisha Al-Kindi, said that the issue is not related to delivery applications themselves, but rather to the limits of the powers that parents grant to children when using them, explaining that children by nature view them as an easy and quick way to get what they want, without realizing the personal data, payment methods, or consequences of use associated with them.
She stressed that the role of the family is not limited to providing technology, but rather includes supervision and guidance, and setting clear controls that ensure safe and responsible use, in a way that preserves the privacy of the family and the safety of the children, taking into account the level of maturity and awareness of each child.
She pointed out that there are children who may not realize the sensitivity of providing information, such as address and phone number, or the dangers of options such as “ring the bell” and “leaving the order at the door,” especially when used at late times or while the child is alone, in addition to the limited financial awareness of some of them.
Determine purchasing permissions
Aisha Al Kindi called for not saving credit cards on children’s devices, and for specifying purchase permissions in proportion to their ages, in addition to educating them not to open the door or share personal information, stressing that setting clear controls helps achieve a balance between taking advantage of the advantages of technology and promoting a culture of digital and financial responsibility among children.
Parents said that they allow their children to use delivery applications, as it is a convenient and practical way that saves time and serves them when they are busy or late outside the home.
