UAE to set national standards for children's media content

The UAE is set to introduce national standards for children’s media content, the National Media Authority announced on July 1, as part of a broader push to elevate the quality and safety of what children consume across all digital and traditional media.

Maitha Majid Al Suwaidi, Chief Executive Officer of the Media Strategy and Policy Sector at the National Media Authority, made the announcement during a media briefing on the Cabinet Resolution regulating children’s access to social media platforms.

She said the new frameworks would be developed in collaboration with the Child Digital Safety Council and would serve as a national reference for media organisations, digital platforms, content creators, and families alike.

“We do not have a challenge with the abundance of content or ease of access,” Al Suwaidi said. “Our challenge is the quality of the content presented to the child. We are not just talking about protecting children from risks, we are talking about supporting media content that develops their skills and instils positive values.”

The National Media Authority will introduce two initiatives. The first is a national media content standards guide for children, which will define what content is appropriate for each age group and serve as a binding reference for media institutions, digital platforms, and content creators.

The second is an age classification policy and guidance framework covering all artistic and media works that include not only social media and digital platforms, but also books, films, and music.

Together, these frameworks aim to establish a comprehensive national reference that empowers parents to make more informed decisions about the content their children are exposed to, while raising the overall quality of media produced for young audiences.

Al Suwaidi emphasised that the National Media Authority continuously monitors media content directed at children and assesses its compliance with national standards and applicable legislation.