With Australia's ban on major social media platforms for users under 16, the decision has sparked conversations among parents in the UAE, where children spend increasing amounts of time on apps such as TikTok, Instagram, Roblox, and Snapchat.

While some parents support stricter global controls, many argue that the real challenge lies not in banning platforms but in teaching children how to navigate the digital world safely.

Parents told Khaleej Times that age restrictions are easily bypassed by tech-savvy teens, making parental involvement, digital awareness, and open communication far more important than legislative bans alone.

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Dubai-based Um Amira, a mother of a 13-year-old daughter, said she maintains strict boundaries around what her daughter can access online.

Her daughter is only allowed to use Instagram, and even that account is monitored on the mother's phone and tablet. She completely refuses to allow her daughter to use Snapchat.“She keeps trying to open a Snapchat account, but I don't like this app at all. Every time she creates one, I delete it,” she said.

She allows Instagram because her daughter follows horse-riding content related to her hobby, but she does not support banning platforms outright.“I wouldn't be happy with a full ban. I prefer stronger oversight. If a child watches one inappropriate video, the algorithm starts showing more and more content that's older than their age. It escalates quickly, and that's scary.”

She believes that even 16 is too young for unfiltered social media use.“Even at 20, many young people are still maturing. In the UAE, legal responsibility starts at 21. That's when they can truly make their own decisions,” she added.

To manage her daughter's device use, she relies on the Family Link app, which allows her to control screen time, restrict websites, manage search filters, and automatically lock the device after a set duration.“If we had an officially regulated system like this, supported by authorities, it would make a huge difference,” she said.

While parents attempt to set boundaries, teenagers themselves admit how easily age limits can be bypassed. Ali Abdalla, a 13-year-old student, said he sometimes enters a fake age to download games that are not approved for his age group.“Sometimes I select that I'm 18 or older to download games like Brawl Stars and Clash Royale. I even put my age as 32 so I don't get a rejection message,” he said.

He added that peer pressure drives most of his decisions.“All my friends have these apps, so I felt like I had to get them too.”

Ali also asked his parents for TikTok and Instagram, like his classmates, but they refused due to concerns over sensitive content.“All my friends have TikTok. I just want to add them and like their photos and videos, but my parents are afraid I might see something inappropriate,” he said.

According to Mahra Al Kheili, a social worker at a school in Al Ain, banning apps overlooks deeper issues surrounding digital awareness within families.

She said schools frequently encounter students who use platforms far beyond their age group, and the concern is less about the apps themselves and more about the lack of communication at home.“Children today are extremely digitally smart. They know exactly how to get around age limits. That's why real protection requires partnership between parents and schools,” she said.

Al Kheili noted that exposure to violent, unrealistic, or mature content can lead to noticeable behavioural and emotional changes in students. She emphasised that parental monitoring tools are helpful but not enough on their own.“When children understand why limits are set instead of feeling controlled, they make better choices even without constant supervision,” she explained.

She believes national digital-literacy initiatives would help families navigate the rapidly evolving online environment more safely.

Parents agree that ensuring children's online safety requires more than banning apps. They point to the need for digital education, responsible oversight, continuous communication at home, and a better understanding of how algorithms influence what children see online.

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