UAE survey: 51% children approached by strangers online

Khaleej Times

19-03-2025

A new study has revealed that more than half of children have been regularly contacted online by someone they don't know and nearly 40 per cent have been exposed to harmful online content, including explicit or violent material. The research done by mobile manufacturing company Human Mobile Devices (HMD) and Perspectus Global, surveyed over 25,000 children and parents in six countries including the UAE.
The figures also revealed that one in three children has been asked to take conversations to private messaging apps, and 56 per cent of them reported being insulted or made to feel small online.
'The overall feedback we got was that we are often overprotective of our children in the offline world but are under-protective when they are venturing into the online world,' said Sanmeet Singh Kochhar, Vice President of HMD Global in the AMEA Region. 'This could expose them to the dangers of the online environmen t. So there is an urgent need from parents specifically, to have a guided entrance into the digital world for children.'
'Not surprising'
According to Dubai-based educator Hanan Ezzeldin, the figures were not surprising. 'As someone who coaches parents on social media dangers, I have seen my fair share of shocking incidents,' she said. 'In one case I came across, a 13-year-old boy in Dubai had befriended a 19-year-old boy based in Abu Dhabi and asked his parents to meet his new 'friend'. The parents reviewed the messages between them and something didn't feel right. With some investigation they found the that 19-year-old boy was in fact a 40-year-old man who had been speaking to multiple children.'
Ezzeldin added that parents must put in place strict rules to keep their children safe online. 'It is absolutely essential that all their social media accounts are set to private,' she said. 'We must also teach them not to chat with unknown people on social media. There are many paedophiles who target youngsters who like and engage with posts of celebrities. Also, parents should make it a practice to ask for consent before posting their children's photos on social media and having proper conversations with them to inculcate good digital media hygiene.'
Omer Tariq, CEO of mental health platform Helply, said it was essential for parents to put in place controls when giving their children a device. 'Giving unrestricted phone access to a youngster is like handing them the keys to a world they're not fully prepared for. There's just too much out there—some of it useful, but a lot of it harmful,' he said.
He added that children are more likely to develop social media addiction and not understand the risk of privacy. 'Kids can spend hours glued to their phones, affecting their sleep, studies, and even their ability to interact with people in real life,' he said. 'They also don't always understand the risks of sharing personal details online. Whether it's talking to strangers, falling for scams, or unknowingly giving away sensitive information, the dangers are real.'
Better phone project
HMD is currently preparing to launch a phone built as a 'first step' into the digital world, which they claim is designed to give teens independence while ensuring parents have the controls they need.
The Better Phone Project will have parental controls, social media and browser restrictions, GPS tracking and focus mode among other features. The company's research also found that the average age for a child's first smartphone is 11 and that 54 percent of parents regret giving their child a smartphone too soon.
'We spoke to over 12,000 parents and we worked with them to design a solution,' said Sanmeet. 'After nearly a year of research and different focus groups, studies involving families from 87 countries, we developed the HMD Fusion X1. Our goal is to create a technology that grows with the child. So, for example, there could be certain controls for children who are between the ages of 6 and 9. As they grow, we can give them more access. So the technology is then growing with the child, teaching them responsible digital habits.'