UAE shuts down 160,000 websites to protect youth

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, confirmed 160,000 illicit websites and social media accounts have been shut down to protect young people.

During a cabinet meeting on Monday, Sheikh Mohammed said the Digital Wellbeing Council has been working closely with social media companies in the crackdown on illegal sites and content.

The websites and social media accounts, which included the selling of drugs and banned substances, have been removed to protect the UAE’s future generations. "We emphasise the importance of cooperation among families, media and schools to safeguard our children, who are the most valuable asset of our nation," Sheikh Mohammed said. 

"At today’s Cabinet meeting, we reviewed the accomplishments of the Digital Wellbeing Council for the year 2022. This council, in collaboration with various social media platforms, has successfully eliminated over 160,000 websites and accounts that targeted our youth, through promoting substance use and unfavourable habits that are foreign to our culture."

Also during the cabinet meeting Sheikh Mohammed noted over seven million employees across all sectors in the UAE are benefiting from the Involuntary Loss of Employment scheme (ILOE), while 98 per cent of the UAE workforce are covered by the Workers' Protection Programme.

"Today, we approved a new structure for the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, including establishing a coordinating council for the labour market in the UAE, to maintain its stability and enhance its competitiveness. The workforce is the real engine of the economy, and monitoring their concerns and protecting their rights are essential elements for advancing our national economy," said Sheikh Mohammed.