India, June 19 -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become the first Arab nation to set 15 as the minimum age for citizens to use social media platforms, joining a growing number of countries introducing restrictions amid concerns over the impact of social media on children.

The UAE Cabinet issued the resolution on Thursday, establishing a new regulatory framework governing children's access to social media platforms.

According to the resolution, social media companies will be granted a transitional period of up to 12 months to progressively implement the new standards in coordination with relevant authorities, ensuring both technical and regulatory readiness, Gulf News reported.

Under the new rules, children under the age of 15 will ...