Our Consulting Editor, Advocate Anjana Bhatia D.I is an accomplished Indian Lawyer practicing in India and the UAE. She has over 25 years of experience in Law – Litigation, Corporate, Civil, Criminal, Mediation as well as registered with DIFC Wills and Probate Registry. She provides legal solutions to clients globally with strategic results.
Adv. Anjana Bhatia D.I answers a few significant questions during an internal discussion with Emirates Reporter’s team on Child Digital Safety.
What does the new UAE law expect parents to do to keep children safe online, and when can this become a legal issue?
Under the UAE’s Child Digital Safety Law, parents and caregivers are no longer just advisorson digital use they are legally responsible for protecting children’s online safety. The law explicitly requires caregivers to monitor / supervise children’s digital and online activities, including social media use, gaming, apps, and web browsing. They must make use of parental control tools, ensure that children only use age-appropriate platforms, and not permit children to access content or applications that are unsuitable for their age group.
This legal responsibility becomes an issue when a child is exposed to harmful content, cyber-bullying, online grooming, or other digital risks because of inadequate supervision or a failure to use available tools and safeguards. In such cases, authorities may view the caregiver’s inaction as a violation of the law’s duty of care.
Does the law clearly say parents will be fined, or are the rules about punishment still being worked out?
The Child Digital Safety Law establishes clear legal obligations for caregivers to supervise and protect children’s online activities, but it does not specifies a fixed schedule of fines and penalties for parents within the text of the Decree-Law itself. Instead, the law gives the Cabinet the authority to determine and set administrative penalties, including fines, through subsequent regulations. This means the core law outlines what are parents duties, but in specific circumstances; the implementation of fine is still being detailed and are expected to be issued soon.
From a legal standpoint, this approach is common in UAE legislation: the main law sets duties and principles, while detailed penalty frameworks are developed by the executive branch so that they can be adjusted according to act, practicality and enforceability. It would be incorrect to say that parents are automatically subject to a fixed fine based solely on the Decree-Law text.
In practice, this means that while the concept of fines for parents is very likely to be part of the enforcement regime, the exact amounts and conditions are still under preparation and will be clarified once the Cabinet issues the implementing regulations.
How will officials decide if a parent has not done enough to watch over a child’s online activity?
Officials will evaluate compliance based on whether caregivers have taken reasonable and proactive steps to safeguard the child online, consistent with the law’s duties which are:
i. Supervise children’s digital use – Caregivers must monitor children’s online activity using parental controls to ensure safety while allowing age-appropriate independence.
ii. Use age-appropriate digital platforms – Caregivers must ensure children only use platforms suitable for their age and are not exposed to inappropriate content or shared accounts.
iii. Protect children from exploitation online – Caregivers must not use or expose children online in ways that violate their privacy, dignity, or emotional wellbeing.
iv. Protect children’s personal data – Caregivers must safeguard children’s personal information and comply with all applicable data protection and privacy laws.
v. Educate children about digital safety – Caregivers must teach children safe, responsible digital behavior and explain the risks of excessive or unsafe online use.
vi. Report harmful content immediately – Caregivers must promptly report the authorities of any exposure to harmful or pornographic content.
vii. Comply with any additional legal duties – Caregivers must follow all other obligations imposed under the Decree-Law and its implementing regulations.
If a parent is found to have neglected/ ignored these duties, for example, by allowing a minor to use platforms without safeguards or ignoring evidence of online harm; the authorities may classify it as a breach of the law’s caregiving obligations.
While the Decree-Law leaves the exact penalty schedule to Cabinet regulation, early reports indicate a potential tiered system: administrative fines that might start modestly for minor non-compliance, but escalate substantially for serious neglect or repeated violations.
What simple steps can parents take now to follow the law without constantly checking or spying on their child?
Parents must take proactive but respectful steps that protect children online without turning supervision into invasive surveillance. First, utilize the built-in safety tools provided by devices and platforms, which allow parents to set age-appropriate settings, filter out harmful content, and limit access to risky features without having to manually review every message or search history. Setting up age-appropriate filters and parental control tools on browsers, apps, and devices to create safer default environment, reducing the need for constant oversight.
Open communication is also key: talking regularly with children about their online interests, explaining risks, and encouraging them to be transparent to parents mainly if anything uncomfortable. A trust-based approach that helps keep them safe. Experts emphasise understanding what children are doing online, not just how much time they spend there, and teaching them to recognise inappropriate or risky situations themselves.
Finally, setting clear family rules about device use (e.g., no screens at night, agreed-upon times and places for internet use) and staying informed about the platforms children use can ensure compliance with the law’s expectations while respecting children’s privacy and independence.
How is the UAE’s way of protecting children online different from or similar to laws in Europe and other developed countries?
The UAE’s laws on protecting children online are broadly similar to those in Europe and other developed countries, but they differ in how responsibility is shared and enforced.
Similarities:
Like the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)and other Western child-protection laws, the UAE restricts how digital platforms collect and use children’s personal data and limits targeted advertising to minors. All these systems require platforms to provide age-appropriate content controls, parental tools, and protections against harmful or inappropriate online content.
Differences:
A key difference is that the UAE places clear legal responsibilities on parents and caregivers, not limiting to digital platforms. In most European countries, parents are encouraged to supervise children’s online activity, but this is rarely a legal obligation backed by fines.
In Europe and other developed jurisdictions, enforcement mainly focuses on technology companies through regulators, audits, and compliance penalties. The UAE, however, follows a shared-responsibility model, where parents, platforms, and the government all play an active role.
The UAE law also formally classifies digital platforms based on risk and applies controls accordingly, which is not a standard feature in all Western legal systems. The UAE follows global standards for child online safety, it stands out for making parental responsibility a legal requirement and treating child digital protection as a shared duty.
“The above is a general overview; outcomes differ from case to case and are subject to the discretion of the concerned authorities.”
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