The UAE has issued a Federal Decree-Law concerning child digital safety. This comes in line with the UAE’s declaration of 2026 as the 'Year of Family', and as part of its vision to safeguard and enhance the quality of life of children across all environments.
This Decree-Law, issued by a UAE Cabinet’s decision following approval from the Education, Human Development, and Community Development Council, establishes a system for categorising all digital platforms. This system serves as the reference framework, outlining regulatory standards for classifying platforms according to their type, content, usage volume, and impact on children. It also defines the controls and restrictions related to the use of these platforms by different age groups of children.
The new legislation aims to protect children from harmful digital content and practices that negatively affect their physical, psychological, and moral well-being.
The law applies to internet service providers and digital platforms, whether operating within the UAE or targeting users within the UAE. Digital platforms covered by the decree-law include websites, search engines, smart applications, messaging applications, forums, online gaming platforms, social media platforms, live streaming platforms, podcast platforms, streaming services, online video-on-demand platforms, and e-commerce platforms. The decree-law also applies to those responsible for the care of children.
Additionally, the decree-law establishes the 'Child Digital Safety Council' in the UAE, chaired by the Minister of Family, as an advisory and coordinating body to achieve integration between federal and local entities and the private sector regarding efforts to ensure children's digital safety. The Decree-Law prohibits digital platforms from collecting, processing, publishing, or sharing the personal data of children under the age of 13, except under specific conditions.
The new legislation also prohibits digital platforms from allowing children to take part in, create accounts for, or access online commercial games involving gambling or digital activities that involve betting with money.
Furthermore, the decree-law outlines a set of obligations for internet service providers, including activating content filtering systems on their networks to enhance compliance with policies prohibiting harmful content for children.
The decree-law also outlines a set of obligations for child caregivers, most importantly, monitoring the child's digital activities, using parental control tools to ensure safe use and protection from harmful content.
The Ministry of Family and the relevant local authorities responsible for child affairs, each within its jurisdiction, are tasked with developing the necessary programs and mechanisms to ensure that child caregivers fulfil the obligations stipulated in the decree-law and its implementing regulations. The new legislation also regulates the mechanism for reporting harmful content to children, ensuring swift action in cases of online abuse or exploitation of children.