Meta Platforms Inc.UAE bans social media for under-15, directly impacting Meta's platforms (Facebook, Instagram) with compliance costs and reduced underage users.
The United Arab Emirates has set a minimum age of 15 for social media use, becoming the first Arab nation to impose such a restriction. Under the regulation approved on Thursday, children under 15 will be prohibited from creating, using, or operating personal social media accounts, and will be barred from posting content, commenting, sharing material, or joining public groups. Teenagers aged 15 and 16 will be permitted to use social media platforms subject to enhanced safeguards, including age-appropriate content controls, restrictions on interactions with unknown users, screen-time management tools, and parental supervision features. The rules likely apply to all social media platforms operating in the UAE, including services offered by Meta Platforms, Alphabet's YouTube, Snap, Pinterest, and Reddit, and the UAE will give social media platforms up to 12 months to implement the new standards. The rule requires companies to implement robust age-verification systems, including digital identity checks and AI tech, and self-declared ages will no longer be accepted as valid verification.
Meta Platforms Inc.UAE bans social media for under-15, directly impacting Meta's platforms (Facebook, Instagram) with compliance costs and reduced underage users.
Snap IncUAE bans social media for under-15, affecting Snap's user base and requiring age-verification systems.
Pinterest IncUAE bans social media for under-15, affecting Pinterest's user base and requiring age-verification implementation.
Reddit, Inc.UAE bans social media for under-15, affecting Reddit's user base and requiring compliance with new rules.
Alphabet Inc Class CUAE bans social media for under-15, affecting YouTube's user base and requiring costly age-verification systems.