Regulation of the digital space is no longer a purely technical matter. It has evolved into a significant legal issue, particularly where children are concerned. As children increasingly engage with digital platforms as part of their daily lives, the need for a clear and effective legal framework has become unavoidable.
In response, the United Arab Emirates has enacted Federal Decree-Law No. (26) of 2025 on Child Digital Safety (the Child Digital Safety Law), marking a decisive step in redefining legal responsibility and protection in the digital environment. This article provides a structured legal analysis of the law and outlines its key implications for digital platforms, service providers, and other stakeholders.
Children and the Digital Environment: A Shift in Legal Perspective
The digital environment is no longer separate from children’s real-world experiences; it has become an integral part of their daily lives. Activities such as browsing websites, watching online content, interacting on social platforms, and playing electronic games are no longer occasional or purely recreational. These activities now carry legal significance, particularly because children lack full legal capacity.
The Child Digital Safety Law, which entered into force on 1 January 2026, establishes a clear legal position: child protection must extend beyond traditional physical settings to include the digital environment. The law provides a transitional grace period until January 2027 before full mandatory enforcement, acknowledging the scale of legal, technical, and operational adjustments required from affected entities.
A Balanced Legal Framework
A key feature of the Child Digital Safety Law is its balanced regulatory approach. The law does not treat technology as inherently harmful, nor does it position digital platforms as legal adversaries. Instead, it seeks to balance innovation with responsibility.
Under this framework, the child is not viewed merely as a digital user, but as a protected party entitled to enhanced safeguards. These safeguards extend beyond standard contractual terms, general privacy notices, and conventional compliance practices.
Risk-Based Regulation and Proportionality
The law adopts a risk-based regulatory model, under which legal obligations vary depending on the nature of the platform and the level of interaction it enables. For example, an educational platform is subject to different requirements from an interactive gaming platform or an open communication application.
As the level of potential risk to children increases, so do the regulatory obligations imposed on the platform. This approach reflects the principle of proportionality and aligns with modern regulatory best practices.
Key Obligations for Digital Platforms
The Child Digital Safety Law imposes core compliance obligations on digital platforms, including:
- Protecting children from gambling and commercial gaming activities, including related advertising;
- Restricting the collection, use, and processing of children’s personal data and preventing its commercial exploitation;
- Implementing effective age-verification mechanisms;
- Ensuring that content and advertisements are appropriate for specific age groups;
- Providing parents with meaningful monitoring and control tools; and
- Responding promptly to reports and cooperating transparently with competent authorities.
These obligations place child safety at the centre of platform governance and compliance strategies.
Responsibilities of Internet Service Providers and Parents
The scope of the law extends beyond digital platforms to include internet service providers. These entities are required to take preventive measures, such as filtering harmful content, enabling parental control tools, and reporting content that poses a risk to children’s safety.
The law also recognises parents as essential partners in digital protection. It adopts a supportive and enabling approach that reinforces the role of families, rather than imposing punitive obligations upon them.
Enforcement and Regulatory Oversight
Enforcement of the Child Digital Safety Law is led by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), in coordination with the Child Digital Safety Council. The TDRA is granted broad regulatory powers, including the authority to impose measures such as blocking or suspension in cases of non-compliance.
Further clarification of compliance requirements is expected through implementing regulations, making the current period a critical phase for legal readiness and regulatory planning.
From a legal perspective, the Child Digital Safety Law represents a significant development in the UAE’s digital regulatory landscape. It moves child digital protection from general policy principles to a clear and enforceable legal framework.
This shift requires all stakeholders—government entities, regulators, businesses, and civil society—to adopt a proactive compliance approach. Reviewing internal policies, assessing digital risks, and aligning operations with digital governance requirements are no longer optional.
Early preparation and compliance will not only mitigate legal risk but will also strengthen trust with regulators and users, demonstrate legal maturity, and contribute to building a safer digital environment for children, both today and in the future.
If you have any questions or need further advice on related matters, please feel free to contact Hussam Alghofari: hussam.alghofari@sat-law.com.
Written by Hussam Alghofari
January 16, 2026
