For today's children, social media is often part of everyday life. Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and other digital platforms have become spaces where young people communicate with friends, watch videos, discover new interests and, increasingly, create and share their own content.
But the rules governing children's access to social media in the UAE are changing.
The UAE Cabinet has introduced Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2026 on Regulating Children’s Access to Social Media Platforms, establishing 15 as the minimum age for operating a personal social media account within the scope of the Resolution.
The new framework is part of the UAE's wider efforts to strengthen children's safety in the digital environment.
But what does the new rule actually mean?
Can a 13- or 14-year-old still use social media if their parents agree? How will platforms verify a user's age? What happens to children who already create online content? And what responsibilities will social media companies have?
These questions are becoming increasingly important for both families and businesses operating digital platforms in the UAE.
Under 15? Personal Social Media Accounts Are Restricted
One of the most important changes introduced by the new framework is the minimum age requirement.
Children under the age of 15 are not permitted to create, use or operate personal social media accounts falling within the scope of the Resolution.
The rule is broader than simply preventing a child from registering a new account.
Social media platforms are expected to identify and disable personal accounts belonging to users under 15 where those accounts are covered by the Resolution.
The framework also addresses activities associated with social media participation, including posting, commenting, sharing content, joining public groups and participating in large interactive spaces.
This means that the regulatory approach is moving beyond a simple registration-age requirement.
Instead, the UAE is placing greater emphasis on preventing children from independently accessing and operating personal social media accounts.
Does Parental Permission Make an Exception?
This is likely to be one of the biggest questions for parents.
The answer is no.
Parental consent does not override the minimum-age restriction applicable to a personal social media account.
Therefore, if a child is 13 or 14 years old, a parent's permission to create or operate a personal social media account does not, by itself, make that account permissible under the new framework.
The distinction is important because the rule is based primarily on the age of the user, rather than simply whether the child's parent has approved the account.
This represents a significant shift in the regulatory approach to children's online safety.
Parents still have an important role to play, but the responsibility is no longer placed entirely on families. Social media platforms themselves are expected to take meaningful steps to prevent underage access.
How Will Social Media Platforms Verify Age?
A major challenge for digital platforms will be determining whether a user is actually old enough to access the service.
Traditional registration systems often rely on users simply entering their date of birth.
The UAE's new regulatory direction places greater emphasis on reliable age verification and age-assurance mechanisms.
Depending on the applicable requirements and approved mechanisms, platforms may need to consider technologies such as digital identity verification or technology-assisted age verification.
The purpose is to make age verification more meaningful and effective.
For technology companies, this creates an important compliance issue.
A platform may not be able to rely solely on the argument that a child entered a false date of birth. Platforms are increasingly expected to develop systems capable of identifying underage users and taking appropriate action.
This could require businesses to review their:
- Registration systems;
- Age-verification processes;
- Privacy policies;
- Data-collection practices;
- Child-safety measures; and
- Procedures for identifying and disabling underage accounts.
What Happens to Users Aged 15 to Under 16?
The new framework does not treat all young users in the same way.
Users who are 15 but under 16 may access social media, but enhanced safeguards and age-appropriate protections apply.
The framework can therefore be understood as establishing two different levels of protection:
Under 15:
Personal social media accounts are not permitted.
15 to under 16:
Social media access is permitted, but additional protections apply.
This distinction will be particularly relevant for platforms when designing age-based safety features and for parents when understanding the rules applicable to teenagers.
Can Children Under 15 Still Appear in Social Media Content?
Another important question concerns children who already appear in online videos, photographs or other digital content.
Does the new minimum-age requirement mean that children under 15 cannot appear on social media at all?
Not necessarily.
Official clarifications reported following the Resolution indicate that children under 15 may still appear in content where the account is genuinely owned and managed by a parent or guardian, rather than being the child's personal social media account.
The distinction is therefore between:
A child's personal account, which is subject to the under-15 restriction;
and
A parent-managed account, where the parent or guardian is genuinely responsible for operating the account and publishing the content.
This distinction may be particularly relevant to family accounts, child content creators and parents who share photographs or videos involving their children.
However, families and creators should carefully consider the applicable privacy, child-safety and data-protection requirements before publishing content involving children.
More Than Just a “Social Media Ban”
It may be tempting to describe the new rules simply as a “social media ban for children under 15.”
The legal and regulatory picture is more nuanced.
Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2026 forms part of the UAE's broader child digital safety framework, including Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2025 on Child Digital Safety, which came into force on 1 January 2026.
The wider framework addresses issues such as:
- Children's online safety;
- Age verification;
- Protection of children's personal data;
- Privacy;
- Parental controls; and
- Responsibilities of digital platforms.
The UAE is therefore developing a broader regulatory model in which children's digital safety is not treated solely as a matter of parental supervision.
Instead, responsibility is increasingly shared between parents, children, technology companies, social media platforms and other digital-service providers.
What Does This Mean for Social Media Companies?
For technology companies operating in or targeting the UAE market, the new framework could have significant compliance implications.
The Resolution applies to social media platforms made available in, or directed towards, users in the UAE, regardless of where the platform itself is established.
Platforms should therefore consider whether their systems are capable of:
- Verifying users' ages;
- Identifying underage accounts;
- Disabling accounts belonging to children under 15;
- Preventing users from circumventing age-verification systems;
- Protecting children's personal information;
- Applying appropriate privacy and safety settings; and
- Complying with the wider UAE child digital safety framework.
This makes age assurance, privacy-by-design and child-safety systems increasingly important elements of digital compliance.
For businesses, compliance may need to be considered at the design stage rather than only after a regulatory concern arises.
Why Is the UAE Strengthening Children's Online Protection?
The UAE's approach comes at a time when governments and regulators worldwide are increasingly examining the impact of social media on children.
Concerns include:
- Exposure to harmful or inappropriate content;
- Online exploitation;
- Cyberbullying;
- Excessive screen use;
- Children's privacy; and
- The collection and processing of children's personal data.
The UAE's approach is particularly significant because it establishes a clear statutory minimum age for personal social media accounts while also placing responsibilities on the platforms themselves.
The regulatory approach is therefore moving from:
“Parents should supervise their children online.”
towards:
“Platforms must also take responsibility for protecting children online.”
This reflects a broader shift in digital regulation, where technology companies are increasingly expected to build safety protections directly into their products and services.
What Should Parents Do?
For parents, the most important point is simple:
A child under 15 cannot rely on parental permission to operate a personal social media account where the account falls within the scope of the Resolution.
Parents may therefore wish to review the accounts currently used by their children and consider how the new rules affect them.
Parents should also understand the distinction between a child's personal account and a parent-managed account, particularly where a child is involved in content creation.
Families may also wish to review:
- Privacy settings;
- Parental controls;
- Account ownership;
- The type of content being shared;
- The personal information being disclosed online; and
- The platforms being used by their children.
The objective is not simply to remove children from the digital environment, but to ensure that their participation takes place within an appropriate legal and safety framework.
What Should Businesses Do Now?
For businesses operating social media platforms, online communities or interactive digital services in the UAE, the new framework presents an opportunity to review existing compliance systems.
Businesses should consider assessing:
1. Age Verification
Can the platform reliably determine whether a user meets the applicable age requirement?
2. Account Controls
Are systems in place to identify and restrict accounts belonging to users below the permitted age?
3. Data Protection
How is children's personal information collected, stored, processed and protected?
4. Privacy Settings
Are privacy and safety settings appropriately designed for younger users?
5. Terms and Policies
Do the platform's terms of use and privacy policies accurately reflect the applicable UAE requirements?
6. Child Safety
Are there adequate systems for protecting younger users from harmful content, exploitation and other online risks?
For digital businesses, these issues should increasingly form part of broader UAE regulatory and compliance assessments.
A New Standard for Digital Childhood
The UAE's new social media rules raise a question that goes beyond whether a 14-year-old can have an Instagram or TikTok account.
They reflect a much broader question:
How should childhood be protected in an increasingly digital world?
Technology has developed rapidly, while legislation has often struggled to keep pace.
The UAE is now taking a clear position that children require a higher level of protection online and that this protection cannot depend entirely on whether a user enters an accurate date of birth when registering for a platform.
For parents, this means understanding the new age restrictions and reviewing how their children use social media.
For technology companies, it means treating age verification, privacy and child safety as core regulatory responsibilities.
The message is increasingly clear:
Keeping children safe online is no longer only a family responsibility. It is also a responsibility of the digital platforms they use.
How Concept Lawyers Can Help
The UAE's evolving child digital safety framework can have implications for technology companies, social media platforms, content creators, families and businesses providing digital services in the UAE.
At Concept Lawyers, we assist businesses in understanding UAE legislation, Cabinet Resolutions and regulatory developments that may affect their operations and compliance obligations.
Our legal support can assist businesses in reviewing relevant policies, contractual arrangements, digital practices and regulatory requirements to help identify potential legal and compliance risks.
As the UAE continues to develop its digital regulatory framework, businesses operating online should ensure that their policies, systems, data practices and contractual arrangements keep pace with applicable legal requirements.
Legal Disclaimer
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The application of Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2026 and related UAE child digital safety legislation may depend on the nature of the platform, service, user and specific circumstances involved. Individuals and businesses should obtain independent legal advice based on their particular circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum age for social media in the UAE?
Under Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2026, the minimum age for operating a personal social media account within the scope of the Resolution is 15.
Can parents allow a child under 15 to have a social media account?
Parental consent does not override the minimum-age restriction applicable to personal social media accounts.
Can children under 15 appear in social media videos?
A child appearing in content on an account genuinely owned and managed by a parent or guardian is different from the child independently operating a personal social media account. The specific circumstances and applicable legal requirements should be considered.
Can a 15-year-old use social media?
Users aged 15 but under 16 may access social media, subject to enhanced safeguards and age-appropriate protections.
How will social media companies verify age?
The new framework places emphasis on reliable age-verification or age-assurance mechanisms. The specific mechanisms used may depend on applicable regulatory requirements and approved technologies.
Does the rule affect foreign social media companies?
The framework can apply to social media platforms made available in, or directed towards, users in the UAE, regardless of where the platform is based.
