Pakistan, June 18 -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has introduced a minimum age requirement of 15 for social media users, becoming the first Arab country to implement such a restriction as governments worldwide increase efforts to protect children online.

Under new regulations approved on Thursday, children under the age of 15 will not be allowed to create, operate or maintain personal accounts on social media platforms. The measures also prohibit users below that age from posting content, commenting, sharing material or participating in public online groups.

The new framework introduces additional safeguards for teenagers aged 15 and 16. Social media platforms will be required to provide age-appropriate protections, including content ...