Social media age minimum raised to 15 under Cabinet Resolution 106
Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2026, issued in June, sets the minimum age for social media at 15. Children below that cannot create, use or operate a personal account. Teenagers who are 15 or 16 can stay on, but with age-appropriate content settings, limits on contact with strangers, screen-time tools and parental controls built in.
The analysis — automated & source-checked
- Applies to
- Digital & tech · UAE
- What to do
- Social media platforms must implement age verification systems and build in age-appropriate safeguards (content filtering, contact limits, screen-time tools, parental controls) for 15–16-year-olds. Parents should prepare children for the transition by encouraging offline activities and modelling healthy digital habits.
- By when
- due 30 Jun 2027 · 30 Jun 2027
Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2026 sets the minimum age for social media accounts at 15 years old. Children under 15 cannot create, use or operate a personal account on any platform. Teenagers aged 15 and 16 may use social media but only with age-appropriate content settings, limits on contact with strangers, screen-time tools and parental controls built in by platforms. Parental consent does not override the rule, and platforms must verify ages properly rather than allowing users to simply input a birthday. Companies have up to 12 months from the resolution's issuance to implement these requirements. The UAE is the first Arab country to implement such restrictions, following similar measures in Australia and several European nations.
Source
Reported by: Gulf News 1 Jul 2026 Read the original ↗ More from Gulf News →
Quick answers
What do I need to do?
Social media platforms must implement age verification systems and build in age-appropriate safeguards (content filtering, contact limits, screen-time tools, parental controls) for 15–16-year-olds. Parents should prepare children for the transition by encouraging offline activities and modelling healthy digital habits.
What's the deadline?
30 Jun 2027.
Who reported this?
Gulf News (UAE).
When was it announced?
1 Jul 2026.
Where can I read the original?
Read the original at Gulf News: https://gulfnews.com/lifestyle/life-after-likes-how-uae-parents-can-help-children-navigate-the-offline-transition-1.500592086
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