Under the new Cabinet Resolution, children under 15 are prohibited from owning, managing or operating social media accounts in their own names.
Young content creators under the age of 15 will not be required to abandon their creative work under the UAE’s new Cabinet Resolution on children’s social media access, as long as their accounts are fully owned and managed by a parent or guardian, officials clarified on Wednesday, July 1.
The clarification came during a media briefing on the resolution, which sets 15 as the minimum age for children to create or operate personal social media accounts.
While the law is clear on that point, officials emphasised a clear distinction between a child owning a social media account and a child appearing in content shared via a parent’s account.
A young content creator asked whether the new law meant he would have to stop making content altogether, expressing concern that everything he had built would be lost. Officials responded quickly to reassure him.
“We absolutely want him to continue, but in the way we believe is most appropriate for his age,” an official said. “The resolution does not say he is forbidden from creating content. It does not say he cannot share his ideas and creativity with the world.”
Parent’s account, parent’s control
What the law prohibits is children under 15 owning, managing or operating personal social media accounts in their own name. However, a parent or guardian may film the child, produce content, and publish it through the parent’s account. As long as the content is positive and beneficial, there is no restriction on the child’s creative participation.
“They can film him and publish it; there is no issue, as long as the content he presents is useful and positive,” the official said. “But not through his own account. The child needs the help and support of their parents when it comes to content.”
What this means for families
For families with children who have already built significant online followings, officials said the message is clear: the content does not need to stop, but the structure must change.
The account must be under the parent’s name, fully controlled by the parent, and the child must not independently access, manage or interact on the platform.
Officials also addressed existing underage accounts with large followings, noting that after a 12-month transition period for platform compliance, accounts operated by users under 15 must be deactivated or transferred. Whether a platform allows conversion to an adult account will depend on its own internal policies, but the legal requirement is that the child’s direct access must end.
Importantly, parental consent does not override the ban. Even with approval, under-15 users cannot operate personal accounts.
The only permitted way for children under 15 to remain active in content creation is through a parent-managed account.
A law that protects, not prohibits
Officials stressed that the resolution is not intended to stop young talent or discourage families from supporting children’s creativity.
Instead, they said the goal is to ensure children benefit from digital platforms within a safer framework that protects them from risks associated with unsupervised use.
“The resolution does not aim to restrict the use of technology or limit children’s opportunities to benefit from it,” said Eng. Majid Sultan Al-Masmar, Director General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).
“Rather, it regulates access based on educational and regulatory foundations that consider the needs of each age group.”
