Country profile

United Arab Emirates age-verification & online ID laws

Scheduled Child Digital Safety Law (+ under-15 social-media ban) effective Comply by Jan 1, 2027

The UAE's Child Digital Safety Law requires platforms to implement risk-based age-verification systems, with a compliance deadline of Jan 1, 2027.

Laws & bills on record

Social media

Scheduled

Bill / statute: Child Digital Safety Law (+ under-15 social-media ban)
Status: Passed, not yet in effect
Effective: Comply by Jan 1, 2027
Intrusiveness: High -- Broad reach: low or no content threshold, device/OS-level, or bundled with other verification.

The UAE's Child Digital Safety Law requires platforms to implement risk-based age-verification systems, with a compliance deadline of Jan 1, 2027. On June 18, 2026 the UAE also announced a ban on social media for under-15s, to take effect by mid-2027.

Timeline

Jan 1, 2025Child Digital Safety Law passed
Jun 18, 2026Scheduled
Jan 1, 2027In effect
Jan 1, 2027Law takes effect

Source: cepa.org

VPN restrictions

Using a VPN to commit a crime or to reach blocked services such as VoIP calls can draw heavy fines under the UAE cybercrime law.

Source: nordvpn.com

Frequently asked questions

Does United Arab Emirates require age checks or ID to use social media?

Yes, though it is not yet in force. Child Digital Safety Law (+ under-15 social-media ban) is scheduled, effective Comply by Jan 1, 2027. The UAE's Child Digital Safety Law requires platforms to implement risk-based age-verification systems, with a compliance deadline of Jan 1, 2027.

When does United Arab Emirates's age-verification law take effect?

United Arab Emirates's law (Child Digital Safety Law (+ under-15 social-media ban)) is scheduled to take effect Comply by Jan 1, 2027.

Are VPNs restricted in United Arab Emirates?

Using a VPN to commit a crime or to reach blocked services such as VoIP calls can draw heavy fines under the UAE cybercrime law.

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