A New Era of Digital Child Protection in the UAE with Federal Decree-Law No. (26) of 2025
A New Era of Digital Child Protection in the UAE with Federal Decree-Law No. (26) of 2025
The United Arab Emirates has introduced a significant legislative development in digital governance and child protection through Federal Decree-Law No. (26) of 2025 on Child Digital Safety. The Decree-Law establishes a comprehensive framework to strengthen the protection of children in the rapidly evolving digital environment, reflecting the UAE’s continued commitment to cybersecurity, digital governance, privacy protection, and responsible technological development.
The legislation comes at a time when children are increasingly engaging with digital platforms, social media, online gaming, streaming services, artificial intelligence tools, and virtual worlds. This growing exposure has raised global concerns about online exploitation, harmful content, behavioural manipulation, targeted advertising, excessive use, and the misuse of children’s personal data.
The new legislation complements and operates alongside several existing UAE laws and regulatory frameworks, including:
The primary purpose of the legislation is to enhance children’s digital safety and reduce their exposure to harmful online content, unsafe interactions, and behavioural risks linked to modern digital platforms.
More specifically, the Decree-Law seeks to protect children from harmful content, promote responsible use of digital technologies, raise awareness of digital rights and responsibilities, establish a unified governance framework for child digital safety, and strengthen coordination between relevant authorities.
Importantly, the legislation adopts a proactive and preventive regulatory approach rather than relying solely on post-violation enforcement mechanisms.
The law applies broadly to platforms operating in or targeting the UAE, including websites, social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, streaming services, e-commerce platforms, podcasts, and virtual environments. It also extends to internet service providers and caregivers responsible for children.
This broad jurisdictional scope demonstrates the UAE’s intention to regulate the full spectrum of digital interaction affecting children.
A key development under the Decree-Law is the establishment of the Child Digital Safety Council, chaired by the Minister of Family Affairs.
The Council plays a central role in shaping the UAE’s national strategy for child digital safety and coordinating efforts between government authorities, regulators, educational institutions, healthcare entities, and the private sector.
Its responsibilities include proposing policies and strategies, reviewing legislative updates, monitoring emerging digital risks, promoting awareness initiatives, conducting research on online harms affecting children, and coordinating implementation across relevant stakeholders.
This reflects a centralized governance approach to ensure consistent oversight of child digital safety across the UAE.
A key aspect of the Decree-Law is its strong focus on protecting children’s personal data and preventing exploitative digital practices.
Under the legislation, platforms are prohibited from collecting, processing, publishing, or sharing the personal data of children under 13 unless strict conditions are met, including obtaining verifiable parental consent.
Platforms must also ensure clear privacy policies, allow withdrawal of consent, restrict access to children’s data, and avoid using it for commercial profiling or exploitation. Targeted advertising to children is also prohibited.
These measures align with global efforts to strengthen children’s online privacy and reduce data-driven exploitation.
The Decree-Law requires digital platforms to implement effective and proportionate age verification mechanisms depending on the nature and risk profile of the platform.
Additionally, Platforms must also implement child protection measures, including high-privacy defaults, content filtering, age classification systems, parental controls, screen-time limits, reporting tools, and AI-based detection of harmful content.
The legislation goes beyond general compliance by imposing direct operational and technical responsibilities on platform design and user experience.
The law places strong emphasis on combating harmful content, child exploitation, and online abuse. Platforms and internet service providers must detect and report harmful material, cooperate with authorities, remove illegal content, and immediately report child exploitation cases.
Authorities are granted broad enforcement powers, including the ability to impose administrative sanctions, partial blocking measures, or full platform blocking in cases of non-compliance.
The Decree-Law also adopts a shared responsibility approach, requiring caregivers to monitor children’s online activity, use parental controls, prevent access to inappropriate content, protect children’s privacy, educate them on safe digital behaviour, and report harmful content.
This reflects the UAE’s policy approach that child digital safety requires cooperation between families, regulators, educational institutions, and technology providers.
The Decree-Law came into force on 1 January 2026, with affected entities given a one-year period to ensure full compliance with its requirements, unless extended by Cabinet decision.
Further executive regulations and penalty frameworks are expected to define enforcement mechanisms, compliance standards, and applicable sanctions.
Federal Decree-Law No. (26) of 2025 marks a significant step in the UAE’s digital regulatory framework by establishing an advanced system for child digital protection.
The law key obligations for technology companies, digital platforms, and internet service providers operating in or targeting the UAE, including reviewing compliance policies, privacy practices, age verification, and parental control systems.
The Decree-Law ultimately reinforces the UAE’s broader vision of fostering a secure, responsible, and future-ready digital ecosystem that prioritises the well-being, privacy, and safety of children in an increasingly interconnected world.
Note: This Legal Update / Newsletter is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. It is based on laws and legal interpretations in effect as of the date of publication. Laws and regulations may change over time, and their application can vary depending on individual circumstances. Readers are strongly encouraged to seek specific legal counsel before acting on any of the information provided herein.
The legislation comes at a time when children are increasingly engaging with digital platforms, social media, online gaming, streaming services, artificial intelligence tools, and virtual worlds. This growing exposure has raised global concerns about online exploitation, harmful content, behavioural manipulation, targeted advertising, excessive use, and the misuse of children’s personal data.
Legislative Background and Regulatory Context
The new legislation complements and operates alongside several existing UAE laws and regulatory frameworks, including:
- Federal Law No. (3) of 2016 concerning Child Rights (Wadeema’s Law)
- Federal Decree-Law No. (34) of 2021 on Combating Rumours and Cybercrimes
- Federal Decree-Law No. (45) of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data
- Federal Decree-Law No. (55) of 2023 on Media Regulation
Objectives of the Decree-Law
The primary purpose of the legislation is to enhance children’s digital safety and reduce their exposure to harmful online content, unsafe interactions, and behavioural risks linked to modern digital platforms.More specifically, the Decree-Law seeks to protect children from harmful content, promote responsible use of digital technologies, raise awareness of digital rights and responsibilities, establish a unified governance framework for child digital safety, and strengthen coordination between relevant authorities.
Importantly, the legislation adopts a proactive and preventive regulatory approach rather than relying solely on post-violation enforcement mechanisms.
Broad Scope of Application
The law applies broadly to platforms operating in or targeting the UAE, including websites, social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, streaming services, e-commerce platforms, podcasts, and virtual environments. It also extends to internet service providers and caregivers responsible for children.This broad jurisdictional scope demonstrates the UAE’s intention to regulate the full spectrum of digital interaction affecting children.
Establishment of the Child Digital Safety Council
A key development under the Decree-Law is the establishment of the Child Digital Safety Council, chaired by the Minister of Family Affairs.The Council plays a central role in shaping the UAE’s national strategy for child digital safety and coordinating efforts between government authorities, regulators, educational institutions, healthcare entities, and the private sector.
Its responsibilities include proposing policies and strategies, reviewing legislative updates, monitoring emerging digital risks, promoting awareness initiatives, conducting research on online harms affecting children, and coordinating implementation across relevant stakeholders.
This reflects a centralized governance approach to ensure consistent oversight of child digital safety across the UAE.
Protection of Children’s Personal Data
A key aspect of the Decree-Law is its strong focus on protecting children’s personal data and preventing exploitative digital practices.Under the legislation, platforms are prohibited from collecting, processing, publishing, or sharing the personal data of children under 13 unless strict conditions are met, including obtaining verifiable parental consent.
Platforms must also ensure clear privacy policies, allow withdrawal of consent, restrict access to children’s data, and avoid using it for commercial profiling or exploitation. Targeted advertising to children is also prohibited.
These measures align with global efforts to strengthen children’s online privacy and reduce data-driven exploitation.
Mandatory Age Verification and Child Protection Controls
The Decree-Law requires digital platforms to implement effective and proportionate age verification mechanisms depending on the nature and risk profile of the platform.Additionally, Platforms must also implement child protection measures, including high-privacy defaults, content filtering, age classification systems, parental controls, screen-time limits, reporting tools, and AI-based detection of harmful content.
The legislation goes beyond general compliance by imposing direct operational and technical responsibilities on platform design and user experience.
Regulation of Harmful Content and Online Exploitation
The law places strong emphasis on combating harmful content, child exploitation, and online abuse. Platforms and internet service providers must detect and report harmful material, cooperate with authorities, remove illegal content, and immediately report child exploitation cases.Authorities are granted broad enforcement powers, including the ability to impose administrative sanctions, partial blocking measures, or full platform blocking in cases of non-compliance.
Responsibilities Imposed on Caregivers
The Decree-Law also adopts a shared responsibility approach, requiring caregivers to monitor children’s online activity, use parental controls, prevent access to inappropriate content, protect children’s privacy, educate them on safe digital behaviour, and report harmful content.This reflects the UAE’s policy approach that child digital safety requires cooperation between families, regulators, educational institutions, and technology providers.
Compliance and Implementation Timeline
The Decree-Law came into force on 1 January 2026, with affected entities given a one-year period to ensure full compliance with its requirements, unless extended by Cabinet decision.Further executive regulations and penalty frameworks are expected to define enforcement mechanisms, compliance standards, and applicable sanctions.
Conclusion
Federal Decree-Law No. (26) of 2025 marks a significant step in the UAE’s digital regulatory framework by establishing an advanced system for child digital protection.The law key obligations for technology companies, digital platforms, and internet service providers operating in or targeting the UAE, including reviewing compliance policies, privacy practices, age verification, and parental control systems.
The Decree-Law ultimately reinforces the UAE’s broader vision of fostering a secure, responsible, and future-ready digital ecosystem that prioritises the well-being, privacy, and safety of children in an increasingly interconnected world.
Note: This Legal Update / Newsletter is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. It is based on laws and legal interpretations in effect as of the date of publication. Laws and regulations may change over time, and their application can vary depending on individual circumstances. Readers are strongly encouraged to seek specific legal counsel before acting on any of the information provided herein.