Authorities say the restrictions could foster safer online participation by encouraging parental supervision, while continuing to support the creator economy’s future development.
The UAE does not anticipate that proposed restrictions preventing children under 15 from independently maintaining social media accounts will have a significant impact on the country’s rapidly expanding creator economy, according to an official from the National Media Authority.
Instead, authorities believe the measures will promote safer engagement on digital platforms through increased parental oversight while helping support the sector’s sustainable long-term growth.
“The law is primarily focused on ensuring that children under 15 do not independently hold social media accounts. Its purpose is to protect young users and prevent any potential exploitation,” Mohammed Al Zarooni, Director of Strategic Planning at the NMA, said.
Al Zarooni said he does not expect the restrictions to have a significant impact, adding that the changes could have a positive effect by encouraging younger users to engage with social media platforms under parental supervision.
Aligning with international standards
The proposed legislation is part of wider efforts to strengthen online child protection and reflects similar measures and discussions taking place in countries such as Australia and across parts of Europe.
Al Zarooni said the UAE is working to ensure its regulations align with global standards while considering input from parents and relevant stakeholders.
He made the remarks on the sidelines of TikTok’s UAE Forward event, which brought together the company’s senior regional executives, along with representatives from the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) and the UAE Government Media Office.
Regulation as a “first line of defence”
Separately, Mohammed Al Zarooni, Deputy Director General of the Information and Digital Government Sector at TDRA, said the government aims to strike a balance between strengthening digital safety regulations and supporting the continued growth of online platforms.
“There are certain legislations that need to be met and respected, and I believe that it’s the first line of defence,” he said.
He added that the government’s role is to support the expansion of digital platforms while ensuring community safety and creating an environment where entrepreneurs can continue to use these platforms for growth.
“By supporting trusted digital platforms, we believe this will contribute to the UAE’s wider digital economy ambitions,” he said, adding that such efforts would help the country continue to advance in the digital economy.
A report released during the event found that TikTok contributed Dh1.1 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the UAE economy and supported around 7,000 jobs. The report also said more than 70,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in the UAE advertise on TikTok, while more than 10,000 entrepreneurs — including 3,500 women and 1,400 Emiratis — said they launched businesses because of the platform.
