Hanadi Al Yafei, head of a child safety organisation, has outlined steps parents should take if their children already have social media accounts.
For many parents in the UAE, the new social media age rule is likely to start not with enforcement or technology, but with conversations at home.
The UAE Cabinet resolution sets 15 as the minimum age for social media use and requires platforms to introduce stronger protections for users aged 15. Children under 15 will not be allowed to create or operate personal social media accounts, and platforms have been given up to 12 months to comply with the new requirements.
A useful way to handle this is to treat it less like a punishment and more like a transition that is now backed by a national rule.
What to say to a 12-year-old with an existing account
Keep it simple, factual, and calm. Something like:
“This isn’t just our decision. The rule is that social media is only for 15 and above now. So we need to close or pause your account. We can look at other ways for you to stay connected and entertained that are safer for your age.”
It helps to acknowledge the disappointment without debating the rule itself. Arguing about whether it’s “fair” usually drags the conversation into a loop you can’t resolve.
When they say “but all my friends are online”
That’s the most common pushback. A practical response is:
“I understand it feels unfair. But a rule doesn’t change just because others are doing something differently. Our job is to follow it and keep you safe.”
Then shift the focus away from comparison and toward alternatives: messaging apps for family, gaming with controls, supervised content platforms, or offline social plans.
When children try to bypass restrictions
This is where consistency matters more than negotiation.
- Fake ages: Explain that platforms use age checks and that bypassing rules can lead to account loss or longer-term restrictions. Keep it neutral, not threatening.
- Shared devices / sibling accounts: Set a clear boundary that accounts belong to individuals and sharing them isn’t allowed. If needed, adjust device settings or move to supervised login environments.
- Older siblings’ accounts: This often becomes a family-wide rule: no lending accounts, even “just to watch.”
The key is to avoid turning it into a cat-and-mouse game. If restrictions are technically easy to bypass, tighten access at the device or household level rather than relying on trust alone.
What helps families long-term
- Agree on clear “online access rules” that apply to everyone in the home
- Replace social media time with structured alternatives (sports, hobbies, group activities)
- Keep communication open so children don’t feel punished, just guided
- Revisit the conversation periodically rather than making it a one-time shutdown
If you want, I can draft a short script tailored for different ages (10–13 vs 14–15), or a simple “family social media agreement” you can actually use at home.
Hanadi Al Yafei, Director-General of the Child Safety Organisation, said the solution is not panic, confiscation, or confrontation, but preparation.
She explained that the 12-month transition period is designed to give families time to adjust, noting that such change cannot happen overnight. She added that parents should view the period as a “runway” for gradual adjustment rather than a deadline that triggers panic.
Hanadi Al Yafei described the UAE’s new social media age rule as one of the most significant developments in child digital safety, saying it shifts online protection from voluntary guidance to enforceable national law and also places clear obligations on platforms.
She said that during the 12-month transition period, families should use the time to prepare children gradually rather than waiting for enforcement to begin. According to her, the first step should be an honest, calm conversation, including reviewing existing accounts together, understanding what platforms children use, and slowly reducing access over time.
Al Yafei warned that sudden restrictions or confiscation could lead to stronger resistance from children, particularly those who feel singled out because their peers are still online. She emphasised that parents should first acknowledge children’s emotions, noting that feeling excluded or “different” is often the real source of frustration.
She advised parents to explain the rule in a way children can understand, focusing on protection rather than prohibition, saying that children are more likely to respond to “this protects you” than a simple “no.”
She also stressed the importance of replacing lost screen time with healthier alternatives such as more face-to-face interaction with friends and increased family engagement.
Al Yafei explained that children under 15 are especially vulnerable to online risks because they are not yet developmentally equipped to handle the pressures of open social media platforms, including exposure to harmful content, grooming risks, peer pressure, and data exploitation.
She said the age threshold of 15 reflects neurological development, particularly in impulse control and risk assessment, which are still maturing during early adolescence.
While stronger age verification and enforcement measures will help, she noted that technology alone cannot eliminate all risks. Children may still attempt to bypass restrictions using fake ages, VPNs, shared devices, or siblings’ accounts. In such cases, she said parents should respond calmly and consistently rather than with anger, treating it as a household safety issue and reinforcing the reason behind the boundary.
