More than 4,000 digital platforms that could be targeting users in the UAE are being monitored with child safety a top priority, authorities say.
The government, in co-ordination with the Telecommunications Regulatory Agency, is monitoring these risks, said Maryam Al Hammadi, Minister of State and Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet.
Figures show 97 per cent of children aged seven and above regularly use digital devices, while one in three has been contacted by strangers online, Ms Al Hammadi said at the Child Digital Safety Forum in Abu Dhabi this week.
"In co-ordination with the Telecommunications Regulatory Agency, more than 4,000 digital platforms have been monitored, either for dealing with the UAE or for being open and available to users in the country," she said, adding that there have been many conversations about how to regulate these platforms.
Ms Al Hammadi said 60 per cent of children have been exposed to violent or inappropriate online content, while 20 per cent face digital threats such as bullying, abuse or online grooming.
Her comments come after the announcement of a federal decree law to protect children from online risk and encourage responsible use of safe and age-appropriate digital content.
Ms Al Hammadi said the law reflects the UAE’s vision to protect children and enhance their quality of life, and aligns with the country’s designation of 2026 as the Year of the Family.
She said the legislation responds to the challenges families face in an open digital world where technology and platforms are advancing rapidly and children are spending an increasing part of their lives online.
The wide variety of digital platforms, with differing content and risk levels, has increased children’s exposure to harm, she added.
Ms Al Hammadi said the UAE’s approach reflects an international trend as countries including the UK, Australia and European Union members introduce or strengthen legislation to regulate children’s digital environments.
What is the law?
The Child Digital Safety Law is the first Emirati legislation dedicated to protecting children online.
It applies to all digital platforms operating in the UAE regardless of where they are based.
The law's objectives include protecting children from digital risks and harmful content that might affect their physical, psychological and moral well-being; raising awareness among children and caregivers of their digital rights and responsibilities; and encouraging the safe and responsible use of digital platforms.
The law also establishes a governing framework that defines the roles and responsibilities of relevant authorities and ensures co-ordination between them.
It was developed with the Ministry of Family, the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, the National Media Office and the Ministry of Interior.
It covers social media platforms, messaging services, search engines, online gaming platforms, video-on-demand and streaming services, podcasts and e-commerce platforms.
Under the law, digital platforms must adopt enhanced child-protection measures.
How does it work?
These measures include age-verification mechanisms, age-based content classification, blocking and filtering tools, restrictions on digital advertising targeting children, and parental controls such as usage time limits and accounts linked with parents or guardians.
Platforms must also provide tools to limit excessive interaction, regularly disclose their content and user policies, enable immediate reporting of child sexual abuse material and other harmful content, and comply with official orders to remove or report unlawful material and provide relevant information to authorities.
Participants said the law will be implemented through a risk-based regulatory framework, under which digital platforms are classified according to their potential impact on children.
Compliance will be monitored by judicial regulatory and security authorities, with penalties applied in proportion to a platform’s risk level.
Families, platforms and internet service providers will each have defined responsibilities.
The law also sets out responsibilities for caregivers, including monitoring children’s digital activities, using parental control tools, avoiding the creation of accounts on age-inappropriate platforms and reporting harmful or illegal content.
Internet service providers are required to activate content filters, ensure supervised access when children are users, link services to parental control tools and report child sexual abuse material or harmful content to the relevant authorities.
Ali Al Shaer Al Dhaheri, judicial inspection director at the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, said the widening range of risks for children requires a comprehensive response that combines legal, social, security and technical awareness.
He said effective partnerships between families, institutions and authorities are essential for child protection, alongside accountability for violations through a robust, responsive legislative framework.
Officials said the effective application of the law will require co-ordinated efforts beyond regulation alone, including awareness programmes for families, educational institutions and healthcare providers to address behavioural and social challenges associated with excessive digital use.
Organisations covered by the law have up to a year from its implementation to comply.
