Child Digital Safety Council has held its first meeting, which has prepared the groundwork for having a coordinated national platform in order to protect children and ensure balanced development in the digital environment.
The project will consolidate the concerned parties into a collaborative framework that would streamline regulatory, policy, and awareness initiatives.
During the meeting, the Council established its competencies and implemented a system of governance and working mechanisms to clarify roles and responsibilities. The strategy will integrate regulatory measures and awareness campaigns, which conforms with the Federal Decree-Law regarding Child Digital Safety.
Sana Suhail, Minister of Family and Chair of the Child Digital Safety Council, stated, “In line with the directives of our wise leadership to protect families and children, this meeting marks a pivotal step towards creating an integrated national framework. Our aim is not only to shield children from growing digital risks but also to empower them to harness the vast opportunities of the digital space, thereby strengthening family bonds and contributing to social prosperity.”
She said, “The Council is working to forge a genuine partnership between government entities, digital service providers, and the community to ensure a safe and thriving digital environment that contributes to building strong generations rooted in enduring national values. This serves as a genuine investment in the safety of future generations and the quality of their digital lives.”
One of the major consequences of the meeting was the decision to create a national classification system of digital platforms. The system will determine the level of risk, the nature of the content, the age appropriateness, the protection of privacy, the safe usage standard, and the protection of children’s digital rights.
However, the social media platforms were also the first point of focus by the Council. It will be researched more in accepted regulatory systems to find a compromise between the protection demands, duties of digital service providers, and the role of families in supervision and guidance.
The authorities underlined that digital safety mandates a clear allocation of duties between service providers, caregivers, and families. The awareness has been considered as one of the pillars of the framework, and plans are going to be made to support campaigns, provide families with digital safety tools, support the digital rights of children, and promote responsible online behaviour.
The results of this stage will be presented to the Education and Human Resources Council to be reviewed and approved in order to align with the larger policies of the country concerning childhood and family.
The Council will operate on a more regular basis and specialised workstreams in collaboration with federal and local governments and strategic partners, to develop a complete digital safety ecosystem that improves child safety, empowers families, and encourages positive, responsible technology use.
The representatives of the major government departments were present at the meeting, among which are the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the National Media Authority, the Federal Public Prosecution, the Department of Community Development, Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, the Community Development Authority, Dubai and the Child Safety Department in Sharjah.
The Council’s establishment comes after the formation of the Ministry of Family in December 2024 under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The Ministry has a mandate to prepare and enforce policies, strategies, and legislation to enhance family cohesion, strengthen national identity, and foster positive societal values, as well as respond to challenges of family stability and demographic sustainability.
