UAE sets minimum social media age at 15: what parents need to know
22 June 2026 · UAE Government Media Office (WAM) · 2 min read
In short: The UAE Cabinet has set 15 as the minimum age for using social media, making the UAE the first Arab country to do so. Children under 15 can no longer hold personal accounts; 15-16 year-olds get access with strict safeguards. Platforms have a 12-month transition to add reliable age verification. Issued 18 June 2026.
What the resolution says
On Thursday 18 June 2026 the UAE Cabinet issued a resolution regulating children's access to social media. It is a child-safety measure rather than a school rule, but it lands squarely in family life, so it's worth understanding clearly.
| Age | What's allowed |
|---|---|
| Under 15 | No personal social media accounts. No posting, commenting, sharing or joining public groups. |
| 15-16 | Access permitted with safeguards: age-appropriate content, limits on contact with unknown users, screen-time tools and parental controls. |
| 17+ | Standard access. |
Importantly, parental consent cannot override the under-15 prohibition, and platforms are barred from collecting children's data for commercial profiling or tracking-based advertising.
How it will be enforced
Platforms must put in place "accurate and reliable age verification" and monitor non-compliant accounts. Oversight sits with the Child Digital Safety Council, the National Media Authority and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), which can issue warnings, block services or apply administrative penalties. Companies have up to 12 months to roll the standards out.
Why it matters for families choosing schools
Digital wellbeing has become a real factor in how parents evaluate schools and nurseries. Many UAE schools already run e-safety and screen-time programmes, and this resolution gives those efforts a clear national baseline. When you visit or shortlist a school, it's a fair question to ask:
- How does the school teach online safety and digital citizenship?
- What is the device and phone policy during the school day?
- How does it partner with parents on screen time and wellbeing?
For younger children, the same calm, boundaried approach is one of the things to look for in an early-years setting, alongside curriculum, ratios and care.
A measured step
The change is significant but gradual: the year-long transition gives families and platforms time to adjust rather than forcing an overnight switch. For parents, the practical takeaways are simple: know the new age line, lean on the built-in parental controls, and keep the conversation about healthy screen habits going at home and at school.
Choosing the right environment is the bigger picture. If you're weighing your options, you can browse and compare schools or put two side by side on Eduwl, calmly and at your own pace.
Source: UAE Cabinet resolution, reported by the UAE Government Media Office via WAM (Emirates News Agency).