The UAE has introduced one of its strongest measures yet to protect children online, setting a minimum age of 15 for social media use.The new rules mean that children under 15 will no longer be allowed to create or use personal social media accounts, even if they have their parents’ permission.

For many families, the announcement raises practical questions. Which apps are affected? Can parents make exceptions? How will age checks work? And what changes for teenagers aged 15 and 16?

Here’s a breakdown of what the new regulations mean for parents.

Which platforms are affected?

The rules apply broadly to almost any platform that functions as a social media service. This includes platforms that allow users to create profiles, share content, interact with others, join communities, or receive content recommendations through algorithms. Whether a service is free or paid does not matter. If it is available in the UAE or targets users in the country, it falls within the scope of the new regulations.

What is banned for children under 15?

The most significant change is the introduction of a minimum age of 15 for social media use. Children below this age will no longer be allowed to create, use or operate personal social media accounts.

The restriction goes beyond simply opening an account. Children under 15 will also be prohibited from accessing the full range of social media features, including posting content, commenting on posts, sharing material, participating in public groups or channels and engaging in wider social interactions through personal profiles.

In effect, the UAE has drawn a clear line by establishing 15 as the age at which children can begin accessing social media platforms.

Can parents give permission?

No. One of the most notable aspects of the new regulations is that parental consent cannot be used to bypass the age restriction.

The resolution explicitly states that permission from a parent or caregiver does not constitute a valid exemption from the rules. This means that even if a parent is comfortable with their child using social media before the age of 15, the platform is still required to prevent access.

The measure is designed to create a uniform national standard rather than leaving the decision entirely to individual families.

What happens when a child turns 15?

Turning 15 does not mean teenagers gain unrestricted access to social media. Instead, the regulations introduce a more controlled environment for young users aged between 15 and 16.

Teenagers in this age group will be allowed to have accounts, but platforms will be required to apply enhanced safety measures. These protections are expected to include stronger privacy settings, age-appropriate content filtering, restrictions on interactions with unknown users and tools that help manage the amount of time spent online.

The aim is to recognise that older teenagers are increasingly participating in the digital world while ensuring that they remain protected from some of the risks associated with social media use. The regulations describe this as part of a gradual transition towards healthier and more balanced digital habits.

What role will parents play?

While parents cannot override the age limit, they will still play a central role in supervising their children’s online activity.

For teenagers aged 15 and 16, caregivers will be able to use parental control tools provided by social media platforms to manage account settings and monitor usage. However, any changes made through these tools must remain within the limits established by the regulations.

The rules also place specific responsibilities on parents and caregivers. They are expected not to assist children in circumventing age-verification systems or accessing platforms in violation of the regulations. At the same time, they are encouraged to actively supervise their children’s digital activities, discuss online risks and promote safe and responsible internet use.

The message from regulators is clear: protecting children online is not solely the responsibility of technology companies but a shared responsibility involving families as well.

How will age verification work?

A key challenge for governments around the world has been ensuring that children cannot simply enter a false date of birth when signing up for social media accounts. The UAE’s new framework seeks to address that issue directly.

Under the regulations, platforms must implement effective and reliable age-verification systems. These may include digital identity checks, artificial intelligence-powered verification tools, biometric technologies or other mechanisms approved by the Child Digital Safety Council.

Importantly, self-declared ages will no longer be accepted as sufficient proof. Platforms will be expected to demonstrate that their systems can accurately determine whether a user meets the required age threshold.

At the same time, the regulations require companies to handle personal information responsibly. Data collected for verification purposes must be limited to what is necessary, stored securely and retained only for as long as required. Users must also be informed about how verification systems operate.

What new responsibilities will social media companies face?

The regulations place significant obligations on social media platforms, reflecting the UAE’s view that technology companies should play a more active role in protecting children online.

Platforms will be required to identify and remove accounts operated by children under 15, introduce measures to prevent users from bypassing safety systems and regularly assess risks to children’s digital wellbeing. They must also provide parental control tools and educational resources that help families navigate the online environment safely.

The rules further restrict how children’s data can be used. Platforms will not be permitted to target children with personalised advertising based on behavioural tracking, nor can they use information gathered from children’s online activities for commercial purposes.

The overall approach positions social media companies as active partners in child protection rather than simply providers of digital services.

When will the changes take effect?

The regulations will not be implemented overnight. Social media companies have been given a transition period of up to 12 months to introduce the necessary technical systems and compliance measures.

This period is intended to ensure that platforms have enough time to build age-verification mechanisms, introduce enhanced protections for teenagers and align their services with the new requirements.

Who will enforce the rules?

Responsibility for oversight will be shared between the National Media Authority and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority. Both organisations have been granted powers to monitor compliance and take action where necessary.

Platforms that fail to comply could face a range of measures, including warnings, administrative penalties and, in serious cases, partial or full blocking of their services within the UAE.

Alongside these regulators, the Child Digital Safety Council will play an important role in assessing emerging risks, developing safety policies and ensuring that the framework continues to evolve as technology changes.

Why is the UAE introducing these measures?

The new social media rules form part of a broader effort to strengthen child protection in the digital age.They build on existing legislation, including Wadeema’s Law, which protects children from neglect, abuse and exploitation, and follow the establishment of the Child Digital Safety Council as part of the UAE’s wider family-focused initiatives.

Officials say the objective is not simply to restrict children’s access to technology but to ensure that young people can engage with the digital world in a safer, healthier and more age-appropriate way.

What does this mean for families?

For many parents, the new rules may provide welcome clarity. Families have long faced pressure from children who want to join social media because friends and classmates are already online. A nationally enforced minimum age may make those conversations easier by creating a clear and consistent standard.

At the same time, questions remain about how effectively the rules can be enforced in practice. Children around the world have historically found ways to bypass age restrictions by providing inaccurate information when signing up for accounts. Whether the new verification systems can close those loopholes will be closely watched.

What is clear, however, is that the UAE is signalling a major shift in its approach to children’s online safety. By placing greater responsibility on technology companies while giving parents clearer guidance and stronger tools, the country is seeking to reshape how young people engage with social media in the years ahead.

International visitors flying to Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways will automatically receive complimentary medical travel insurance for up to 15 days, under a new initiative launching in July 2026.

The cover will be provided at no additional cost on eligible Etihad-operated flights from July to December 2026, with no application required. It will apply only to passengers whose point of origin and point of sale are outside the UAE.

Travellers using Etihad’s stopover programme in Abu Dhabi will also be covered during their stay, subject to terms and conditions.

The initiative has been launched in partnership with Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi and will be underwritten and administered by Daman National Health Insurance Company.

Officials say the scheme is designed to simplify travel planning and enhance the visitor experience, particularly during peak tourism periods when the emirate is targeting higher stopover and leisure traffic.

“This initiative ensures we meet that demand with an exceptional, end-to-end visitor experience,” said Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi.

Etihad’s chief executive Antonoaldo Neves said the offer would allow passengers to focus on their visit rather than pre-travel formalities, calling it an example of closer cooperation between an airline and a destination.

Abu Dhabi has been expanding its tourism offerings in recent years, with major attractions including Saadiyat Island, Yas Island and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, as it seeks to strengthen its position as a global stopover hub.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is entering a decisive, services-led growth phase in its IT sector, as enterprises and governments accelerate large-scale digital transformation initiatives. Investments in cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), data centres, and cybersecurity are reshaping technology priorities, with implementation, integration, and managed services gaining prominence over traditional software-led models.

Industry analysis by Grand View Research (GVR) reveals that IT services currently account for around 21–22% of total IT spending across MENA, a share expected to rise to between 26 and 28% by the end of the decade. The region’s professional IT services market, valued at USD 33.9 billion (Dh124.5 billion) in 2024, is forecast to grow to nearly USD 58.3 billion (Dh214 billion) by 2030, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 9.5%.

Sourav Bhanja, Middle East Head of GVR, said: “Many B2B IT services firms in the region continue to underinvest in digital engagement. Professional platforms such as LinkedIn remain underutilised, while company websites often lack strong case studies, sector-specific storytelling, and clear positioning.”

Government-led digitalisation programmes, sovereign cloud deployments, smart city initiatives, and national data strategies, coupled with rising enterprise adoption across sectors such as banking and financial services, healthcare, energy, logistics, and public infrastructure, are driving this shift. As hyperscalers and global technology firms expand their regional footprint, demand for localised integration, migration, and managed services continues to accelerate.

Bhanja also emphasised the importance of leadership visibility in the region’s competitive IT market: “Technical capability alone is no longer enough. Firms that combine deep technical expertise with consistent marketing, strong leadership visibility, and clear communication of value are the ones most likely to succeed in the MENA market.”

The analysis highlights that with growing competition among IT services providers, market visibility and differentiation have emerged as critical growth drivers. Integrated, always-on digital marketing strategies are increasingly vital, as many B2B IT services firms underutilise channels such as LinkedIn, websites, thought leadership content, newsletters, blogs, infographics, and short-form video to engage decision-makers.

Market data also indicates a broader shift towards digital-first engagement. Digital advertising spend in the Middle East, estimated at USD 32 billion (Dh117 billion) in 2024, is projected to rise sharply to USD 81.4 billion (Dh298.9 billion) by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 16.7%. In contrast, the regional events and conferences market is expected to expand at a more modest 7.1% CAGR, reflecting changing enterprise marketing priorities.

Grand View Research concluded that IT services firms combining technical depth with strong market communication, data-driven marketing, and visible leadership will be best positioned to capture the next phase of growth across MENA.