UAE Cracks Down: No Socials for Under-15s
Last update: June 18, 2026
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Under 15? You’re about to be logged out of socials in the UAE.
So, it’s official: if you’re under 15 in the UAE, social media is about to be off-limits. The government announced the ban on Thursday, meaning the Emirates now joins the likes of Australia, Britain and Canada in putting age gates on platforms, according to cbinews.tv.
Here’s how it’ll work. Social media companies now have 12 months to get their houses in order. Their job? Monitor accounts and shut down any profiles set up by under-15s. If they don’t, they could face warnings, partial blocks, or even a full-on ban in the UAE.
The rules are pretty strict, too. The cabinet resolution says kids under 15 can’t create, use or run personal accounts at all. And even if they somehow sneak on, they’re barred from the good stuff — no posting, no commenting, no sharing, no joining public groups or open channels. Basically, no “social” in social media.
This comes just months after Australia kicked off the world’s first under-16s social media ban in December. Britain followed this week, and now the UAE is next.
The UAE’s media and telecoms regulators have been given the power to come down hard on platforms that don’t comply. WAM, the official news agency, said measures could include warnings, blocking platforms entirely, or dishing out administrative penalties.
In short: if you’re under 15 in the UAE, your scrolling days are numbered.
Hashtags: #UAENews #SocialMediaBan #Under15 #DigitalSafety #UAE #OnlineSafety #Parenting #TechPolicy #CBINews
