UAE: First-of-its-kind digital pact to protect children online
'Digital literacy initiatives will be detailed with the pact members and could range between community-wide to school-based initiatives,' said Fatima Al Melhi, Director of Special Projects at Early Childhood Authority. 'We will be focusing on long-term collaboration to drive research and development initiatives, fostering innovation and continuous improvement in digital wellbeing strategies.'
The UAE Children's Digital Wellbeing Pact, which was signed during the World Government Summit (WGS) 2025 in Dubai, is designed to promote a safe and appropriate online environment, minimising exposure of children to harmful content and protecting them from cyberbullying. A 2019 research showed that approximately 33 percent of children in the UAE have reported being bullied online.
In line with the Year of Community, Lt-Gen Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and Chairman of the Digital Wellbeing Council, stressed the importance of the pact. 'Protecting children in the digital world is a shared responsibility that requires efforts between various sectors,' he said. 'More and more people are relying on technology in daily life so it has become necessary to establish clear frameworks and effective implementation mechanisms to protect children from harmful content and increasing digital challenges.'
Clear mechanisms
The pact will develop clear mechanisms to protect children from physical and psychological harm, and enhance supervision of digital content targeting them. It will also protects children's data and ensure their privacy and safety within the digital ecosystem. This includes promoting transparency through continuous reporting and evaluation mechanisms and focuses on developing effective strategies to reduce the promotion of harmful content.
The pact will also support digital literacy programmes and educational initiatives that help children and their parents with the needed skills to browse safely. It will also help the exchange of expertise and investment in research, to address the emerging risks posed by technological advancements.
The pact will support exchanging information on advanced technological methods that contribute to providing a safer online environment for children, like developing and using effective tools to verify the user's age before displaying content. It also includes identifying incident response mechanisms and reporting protocols to address emerging cyber threats and immediately manage incidents affecting children. The aim of the pact is to develop policies that enhance children's digital quality of life.
It was facilitated by the Digital Wellbeing Council and the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority. Strategic partners of the pact were the Office of International Affairs at the Ministry of Interior, the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, the Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications. Social media platform Snapchat is the leading member of the pact for the first year while others like Meta, Google, TikTok, X, Yango, Samsung, e& and du also partnered for the pact.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arabian Business
2 days ago
- Arabian Business
Saudi Arabia approves digital ID use for non-resident foreigners to own property
Saudi Arabia's Cabinet has approved the use of a digital identity system to allow non-Saudi, non-resident foreigners to own property in the Kingdom, the government said, as part of new rules opening up the real estate market. The decision enables digital IDs to be used ahead of the implementation of the Non-Saudi Real Estate Ownership Law, which was approved in July and will take effect in January 2026, according to a Cabinet resolution published on Friday. Mechanisms under development The General Real Estate Authority will coordinate with the Ministry of Interior, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), the National Information Center and other relevant bodies to develop mechanisms for activating the digital ID. The Cabinet resolution said the identity must be operational before the property ownership law comes into force. The approval also endorsed a decision by the Strategic Committee of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs on governance for non-Saudi ownership and usufruct rights. A dedicated committee will be formed within the General Real Estate Authority's board of directors to oversee those matters. The Cabinet amended the structure of the authority's board, which will now be headed by the Minister and include the CEO, representatives from 10 ministries and government entities, and three private-sector members appointed by the Council of Ministers for renewable three-year terms. The ministries represented include Interior, Municipalities and Housing, Finance, Justice, Economy and Planning, Investment, Environment, Industry and Mineral Resources, as well as the General Authority for State Properties and the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information. Steps required for non-residents In July, the General Real Estate Authority released a draft of the law's executive regulations. Under the draft, non-resident foreigners seeking to own or use property in the Kingdom would need to obtain and activate a digital ID through the Absher platform, open a Saudi bank account, and secure a local contact number. The authority has said these measures are designed to ensure transparency and compliance in the property registration process as Saudi Arabia seeks to attract more foreign investment into its real estate sector. The Cabinet's approval on Friday follows Resolution No. 16 of the Council of Ministers, which reviewed recommendations from the Council of Economic and Development Affairs and several memoranda from the Board of Experts. The Non-Saudi Real Estate Ownership Law is part of the Kingdom's broader economic reform programme under Vision 2030, which aims to diversify income sources, attract foreign investment, and develop sectors such as tourism and real estate.
Sharjah 24
12-08-2025
- Sharjah 24
MoI marks Youth Day, launches first federal youth space
Senior officials and youth leaders attend The event was attended by senior MoI officials, police leaders, and representatives of youth organisations. It opened with a speech highlighting the UAE leadership's commitment to empowering youth and the MoI's role in developing their skills, in line with the directives of His Highness Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. Showcasing MoI Youth Council achievements The ceremony featured presentations on the journey and achievements of the MoI Youth Council. It also marked the graduation of the first batch of the six-month "Nucleus of the Future" programme, aimed at training Emiratis for careers in the security and police sectors. Additionally, five outstanding youth-led projects under the Nabras Al Shabab initiative were recognised. Tour of youth projects and leadership programmes Al Neyadi toured exhibits showcasing the council's ongoing and upcoming initiatives, including the "Exceptional Leader" project at the Police College and the "Young Leaders" programme. Launch of the first youth space at federal level Accredited by the Federal Youth Authority, the newly inaugurated youth space is designed to enhance youth participation in decision-making, support innovation, and provide facilities for workshops, events, and brainstorming sessions. It is the first initiative of its kind across federal ministries and government entities. Concluding youth panel discussion The event concluded with a youth panel discussion hosted by the MoI Youth Council to mark International Youth Day, fostering dialogue and the exchange of ideas among young participants.
Gulf Today
01-08-2025
- Gulf Today
UAE, Ukraine discuss parliamentary ties
Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defence, Interior, and Foreign Affairs Committee at the Federal National Council (FNC), met with Olena Kondratiuk, Vice Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, on the sidelines of the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament held in Geneva, Switzerland. During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to enhance parliamentary cooperation and emphasised the importance of continued coordination and consultation on issues of mutual interest. The two sides emphasised the need to unify stances in international parliamentary forums. They reiterated their commitment to advancing joint parliamentary action as a means of strengthening the growing strategic partnership between the UAE and Ukraine. They also highlighted the vital role of parliamentary friendship groups and diplomacy in supporting shared interests, expanding cooperation across various fields, and contributing to the aspirations of the leaderships and peoples of both nations. Several FNC members attended the meeting. Separately Dr Al Nuaimi met with Raúl Luis Latorre Martínez, President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Paraguay, on the sidelines of the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament held in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting was attended by several FNC members. Both sides affirmed the strong ties of friendship between the UAE and Paraguay and emphasised the shared desire of their leaderships to expand and elevate bilateral cooperation across various fields, in ways that promote prosperity and mutual benefit for both countries and their peoples. The discussions focused on the importance of enhancing joint parliamentary action to support sustainable development, recognising the growing role of parliamentary diplomacy as a key instrument for building bridges of collaboration between nations in vital and developmental sectors. They called for activating the role of parliamentary friendship groups between the UAE FNC and the Paraguayan Chamber of Deputies to facilitate the exchange of information and legislative expertise, coordinate on issues of mutual interest, and align positions on matters presented at regional and international parliamentary platforms. WAM
