UAE Launches First-Ever Pact to Keep Children Safe Online

The UAE has introduced a groundbreaking initiative to safeguard children online. The country’s first-ever Children’s Digital Wellbeing Pact was signed at the World Government Summit (WGS) 2025 in Dubai. The pact brings together authorities, companies, and major social media platforms to ensure young users are protected from harmful content and cyber threats.

Ensuring a Safe Digital Space for Children

The agreement focuses on creating a safer online environment by limiting children’s exposure to harmful content, preventing cyberbullying, and promoting digital literacy. A study in 2019 revealed that around 33% of children in the UAE had experienced online bullying, highlighting the urgent need for protective measures.

Fatima Al Melhi, Director of Special Projects at the Early Childhood Authority, emphasized the pact’s long-term vision. “We are committed to fostering innovation in digital wellbeing strategies and strengthening research and development initiatives,” she stated.

Stronger Protection Measures

The pact will introduce clear mechanisms to safeguard children’s privacy, protect their data, and regulate online content targeting young users. Key strategies include:

• Implementing stricter content supervision to filter out harmful material.
• Enhancing transparency with ongoing reporting and evaluation.
• Developing new technologies to verify users’ ages before they access certain content.
• Establishing incident response protocols to tackle cyber threats in real time.

Empowering Parents and Schools

A major part of the pact focuses on educational initiatives to boost digital literacy. Schools and communities will be involved in programs designed to help children and parents navigate the online world safely. The initiative will also support research and exchange of expertise to tackle risks linked to evolving technology.

Collaboration with Tech Giants

The Digital Wellbeing Council and the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority spearheaded the initiative, with key partners including:

• The Ministry of Interior’s Office of International Affairs
• The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority
• The Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications Office

Leading social media and tech companies have also joined the pact. Snapchat will take the lead in the first year, with Meta, Google, TikTok, X, Yango, Samsung, e&, and du also committing to the initiative.