UAE issues law to protect children from online risks

The UAE Government has issued a federal decree law that aims to protect children from digital risks and harmful content and practices.

The new legislation aims to protect children from online threats that negatively affect their physical, psychological, and moral well-being.

The decree-law applies for internet service providers and digital platforms, whether operating or targeting users within the UAE, including websites, smart applications, online gaming platforms, social media platforms, and streaming services. 

The legislation prohibits digital platforms from collecting, processing, publishing, or sharing the personal data of users under the age of 13, with the exemption of educational or health purposes subject to a UAE Cabinet resolution.

Online platforms and services are required to implement default privacy settings, provide age verification mechanisms, offer tools to enforce age restriction, and activate blocking, filtering, and age-rating tools for content, alongside the regulation of targeted online advertising.

The new legislation also prohibits digital platforms from allowing children to take part in, create accounts for, or access online commercial games that involve betting on money.

The UAE Government also aims to outline a set of obligations for child caregivers, the priority being to monitor their digital activities, use parental control tools, and refrain from creating accounts for children without their supervision. 

A "Child Digital Safety" council will be established and chaired by the Minister of Family to work between federal and local entities, as well as the private sector, on efforts to ensure children's digital safety.

The decree aligns with the UAE’s declaration of 2026 as the Year of the Family and vision to strengthen children's quality of life.

The UAE Government has issued a Federal Decree Law on Child Digital Safety, aimed at protecting children from digital risks and promoting the responsible and safe use of technology. This comes within the framework of the UAE’s declaration of 2026 as the Year of the Family, and as… pic.twitter.com/IbcnXiZHTP

— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) December 26, 2025