The UAE’s recent mandate setting the minimum age for social media use at 15 marks a significant shift, moving digital safety from mere parental advice to binding national law. With platforms now given a year to implement stricter verification systems, experts suggest that families should view this transition as a runway rather than an immediate source of panic. Hanadi Al Yafei, Director-General of the Child Safety Organisation, emphasizes that parents should avoid sudden confiscation or confrontation. Instead, they should use this period to have honest, calm conversations with their children about existing accounts, helping them understand the risks while gradually reducing their digital footprint.

This policy is rooted in developmental science, as children under 15 often lack the neurological maturity required to navigate complex online environments, such as managing impulse control or identifying predatory behavior. By setting the threshold at 15, the regulation aims to protect younger adolescents from grooming, harmful viral trends, and invasive data collection. Parents are encouraged to replace lost screen time with meaningful face-to-face interactions and to remain consistent if their children attempt to bypass restrictions using shared devices or fake ages. Ultimately, the success of this rule relies on a partnership between technology platforms and proactive, empathetic parenting.