Government and Private Organizations Come Together to Enhance Children’s Digital Wellbeing
In line with the Year of Community, His Highness Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior and Chairman of the Digital Wellbeing Council; H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, along with H.E. Sana bint Mohamed Suhail, Minister of Family Affairs and ECA’s Director General, witnessed the signing of the UAE Children’s Digital Wellbeing Pact during the World Government Summit in Dubai.
Today, there are serious risks to children’s online safety and wellbeing. More than two hours of screen time per day increases likelihood of higher blood pressure and Type 2 Diabetes in children. Moreover, ~33% of children in the UAE reported being bullied online (2019). Within this context, the Pact is designed to protect children online and it will do this by promoting a safe and appropriate online environment, minimizing exposure of children to harmful content and protecting children from cyberbullying.
H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: “Protecting children in the digital world is a shared responsibility that requires efforts between various sectors to ensure that we provide a space that balances freedom of access to information with ensuring the safety of children from electronic risks. 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.”
His Highness added that signing the Children’s Digital Wellbeing Pact is in line with national efforts to promote a safe and balanced environment for children in the digital world, in line with the directives of the country’s leadership. The efforts are aimed at building a sustainable digital society that takes into account the needs of future generations.
The Pact, the first of its kind in the region, was facilitated by the Digital Wellbeing Council and the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, while 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 office came onboard as strategic partners for the Pact. Moreover, numerous technology and content platforms, social media channels, internet and telecommunications service providers also came together and became members of the Pact. They are Snapchat (leading member of the pact for its first year), Meta, Google, TikTok, X, Yango, Samsung, e& and du.
H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Office of Development and Martyrs Families Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, said: “Protecting children and boosting their digital quality of life is a priority to us. Ensuring children’s safety and well-being online directly contributes to building a secure and prosperous society that leverages technology positively. By providing a safe and stimulating digital environment that gives children access to information and educational resources securely, we empower them with greater opportunities to learn and innovate, away from risks associated with the misuse of technology.”
Jawaher Abdelhamid, Regional Head of Public Policy for the Middle East and Africa at Snap Inc., said: “At Snap, we share a deep responsibility to continually strive toward creating a safe experience for our users – particularly the youngest ones. As a reflection of this commitment, we feel proud to undertake a leading role in the development and execution of the UAE’s first Children’s Digital Wellbeing Pact and look forward to engaging meaningfully with governments, partners and parents on prioritizing the safety and privacy of young Snapchatters in the UAE.”
By developing clear mechanisms to protect children from physical and psychological harm, as well as enhancing supervision of digital content targeting them, the Pact will enhance collaboration among various partners to ensure the highest standards of digital safety for children. The Pact also protects children’s data, ensuring their privacy and safety within the digital ecosystem. This includes promoting transparency through continuous reporting and evaluation mechanisms according to global leading practices. It also focuses on developing effective strategies to reduce the promotion of harmful content, taking into account different age groups.
Moreover, the Pact will support digital literacy programs and educational initiatives that equip children and their parents with the needed skills to browse safely online. The Pact will also facilitate the exchange of expertise and investment in research, to address the emerging risks posed by technological advancements. Finally, the Pact supports exchanging information on advanced technological methods that contribute to providing a safer online environment for children. This includes developing and using effective tools to verify the user’s age before displaying content, establishing leading practices and strategies to enhance user privacy protection, with a particular focus on children’s data, and ensuring full compliance with relevant data protection regulations. It also includes identifying incident response mechanisms and reporting protocols to address emerging cyber threats and immediately manage incidents affecting children. In addition, the Pact will help strengthen efforts to develop policies that enhance children’s digital quality of life.
Last Updated on 2 hours by News Desk 1
