The United Arab Emirates has enforced a comprehensive new law aimed at strengthening the online safety of children, placing clear legal responsibility on parents for their children’s digital activities.
According to Gulf News, the newly enacted Emirati Child Digital Safety Law requires parents to actively monitor and supervise how their children use the internet. Under this legislation, parental responsibility goes beyond guidance or advice and is now recognised as a legal obligation.
The law obliges parents to closely oversee their children’s use of mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and other digital devices. Its primary objective is to protect minors from online risks such as cyber violence, blackmail, fraud, and exposure to immoral or inappropriate content. Authorities have stressed that safeguarding children in the digital space is a shared responsibility between families and the wider digital ecosystem.
To ensure a safer online environment, the law mandates strict measures including compulsory age verification for children’s accounts, advanced content filtering, parental control tools, limits on screen time, and a ban on targeted advertisements aimed at minors. Social media platforms, online games, search engines, and streaming services are all required to comply with child-safety standards.
In addition to parental duties, the legislation also places accountability on digital companies, including those operating outside the UAE. Companies must ensure their platforms are safe for children or face serious consequences. Emirati authorities are currently monitoring more than 4,000 digital platforms, citing reports that nearly 60 per cent of children in the UAE have previously been exposed to inappropriate online content.
Officials have warned that violations of the law could result in heavy fines, service bans, or complete shutdowns within the country. The government says the law is a major step towards creating a secure and child-friendly digital environment across the UAE.