UAE Enacts Landmark Federal Decree-Law for Child Digital Safety

New Legislation Safeguards Young Users Online

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially issued a new federal decree-law focused on ensuring child digital safety. Announced on Friday, December 26, 2025, this comprehensive legislative framework aims to protect minors from the growing array of online risks and harmful digital content, while promoting the responsible use of age-appropriate technology. The move reinforces the UAE's commitment to safeguarding children's well-being in an increasingly digital world.

The decree-law applies broadly to internet service providers and digital platforms that operate within the UAE or target users in the country. This extensive scope includes, but is not limited to, websites, search engines, smart applications, messaging services, online gaming platforms, social media networks, live streaming services, podcasts, video-on-demand platforms, and e-commerce sites.

Key Obligations for Digital Platforms and Service Providers

Under the new law, digital platforms are now subject to stringent obligations designed to create a safer online environment for children. These include:

• Establishing default privacy settings.
• Implementing robust age verification mechanisms.
• Providing tools to enforce age restrictions on platform usage.
• Activating blocking, filtering, and age-rating tools for content.
• Regulating targeted online advertising directed at children.
• Prohibiting children from participating in, creating accounts for, or accessing online commercial games involving gambling or betting with money.
• Banning the collection, processing, publishing, or sharing of personal data of children under 13, with specific exceptions for educational or health platforms under strict conditions.

Furthermore, internet service providers are mandated to activate filtering systems on their networks to block harmful content, ensuring a more secure internet experience for minors.

Role of Caregivers and New Child Digital Safety Council

The legislation also outlines clear responsibilities for caregivers, emphasizing their crucial role in ensuring children's digital safety. Caregivers are obligated to monitor children's online activities, utilize parental control tools, refrain from creating accounts for children on non-age-appropriate platforms, and educate them on safe and responsible technology use.

To oversee and coordinate these efforts, a new Child Digital Safety Council will be established, chaired by the Minister of Family. This council will serve as an advisory and coordinating body, tasked with proposing policies, legislation, and strategies to enhance child digital safety. Its functions will also include launching comprehensive awareness campaigns and conducting studies to monitor emerging digital risks.

Alignment with National Vision and Existing Laws

This new decree-law aligns with the UAE's declaration of 2026 as the Year of Family, underscoring the nation's vision to enhance the quality of life and well-being of children. It builds upon existing foundational child protection legislation, such as the Wadeema Law (Federal Law No. 3 of 2016), which already guarantees a broad set of protections for all children in the UAE. The Ministry of Interior's Child Protection Centre continues to provide vital reporting channels, including a hotline (116111), online portals, and the Hemayati app, for reporting incidents involving children.