World Government Summit: His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed witnesses signing of Digital Wellbeing Charter for Children

Lieutenant General HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior, and Chairman of the Digital Wellbeing Council, witnessed the signing of the Digital Wellbeing Charter for Children in the UAE, on the sidelines of the World Government Summit in Dubai, in line with the Year of Community.

His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan said that protecting children in the digital world is a shared responsibility that requires concerted efforts between various sectors to ensure the provision of an electronic space that balances freedom of access to information and ensuring the safety of young people from electronic risks. With the increasing reliance on technology in daily life, it has become necessary to establish clear frameworks and effective executive mechanisms to protect children from harmful content and increasing digital challenges, which is embodied in this charter, which establishes the principle of sustainable partnership between government agencies, the private sector, and technology companies to enhance cybersecurity for children, and develop smart solutions to protect them from digital risks.

His Highness stressed that signing the Children's Digital Wellbeing Charter comes within the framework of national efforts aimed at promoting a safe and balanced environment for children in the digital space, in line with the directives of the wise leadership aimed at building a sustainable digital society that takes into account the needs of future generations, and provides them with opportunities to learn, grow and innovate in an environment that respects their rights and protects their safety, noting that the UAE is always keen to anticipate the future and develop strategies that keep pace with rapid technological changes.

His Highness added that the Children's Digital Wellbeing Charter reflects this commitment by unifying efforts to ensure a safe digital environment that respects children's privacy, protects them from unsafe use of data, and provides them with interactive platforms that stimulate creativity and learning, away from the negative effects of the digital world.

The charter, which was signed by His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and Her Excellency Sana bint Mohammed Suhail, Minister of Family Affairs and Director General of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, is the first of its kind in the region, focusing on strengthening the partnership between the public and private sectors to ensure a safe and balanced digital environment for children and families. It also establishes the foundations for joint cooperation in developing policies and initiatives that enhance digital wellbeing. It also represents a pioneering step towards enabling younger generations to benefit from digital opportunities safely and responsibly, in line with the aspirations of the wise leadership towards a sustainable and prosperous digital future.

The charter, which brings together a number of government and private sector entities led by the Emirates Digital Wellbeing Council and the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, aims to enhance children’s safety on the internet and provide a safe and appropriate digital environment for them, reduce children’s exposure to harmful content, and ensure respect for and protection of children’s rights in the digital environment, by enhancing cooperation between various partners, as well as focusing on cybersecurity and protecting children from cyberbullying.

The charter is organized in coordination between the Emirates Council for Digital Wellbeing, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, and in strategic partnership with the International Affairs Office at the Ministry of Interior, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and the Digital Government, the Office of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, in addition to the membership of a number of technology, content and social media platforms, and internet and telecommunications service providers in the country, namely Snapchat (the first-year pioneer member), Meta, Google, TikTok, X, Yango, Samsung, E&, and Du.

For his part, His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Martyrs' Families and Development Affairs Office at the Presidential Court and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, said: "Protecting children and enhancing their digital quality of life is one of the UAE's main priorities. Ensuring the safety and protection of children in the digital world directly contributes to building a safe and prosperous society that benefits from technology in a positive way, as it is one of the basic tools that enhance children's learning and develop their skills. By providing a safe and stimulating digital environment that allows them to access information and educational resources in a safe and healthy way, it guarantees them greater opportunities for learning and innovation away from the risks that may result from the misuse of technology.

" “At Snap, we have a great responsibility to continuously strive to provide a safe experience for our users, especially young people and adolescents. As an expression of this commitment, we are proud to play a leading role in developing and implementing the first Digital Wellbeing Charter for Children in the UAE. We look forward to working effectively with governments, partners and parents to prioritize the safety and privacy of Snap users in the UAE, and contribute to enhancing the digital wellbeing of children,” said Jawaher Abdul Hamid, Head of Public Policy for the Middle East and Africa at Snap.

Today, the world is witnessing increasing risks to children’s safety and wellbeing online, as studies indicate that spending more than two hours a day in front of screens increases their likelihood of developing high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Statistics from 2019 also showed that about 33% of children in the UAE were exposed to cyberbullying, highlighting the urgent need to raise awareness of the dangers of the digital space and take measures to protect children.

The Charter will contribute to enhancing cooperation between various partners to ensure the highest standards of digital safety for children, by establishing clear mechanisms to protect children from physical and psychological harm, and enhancing supervision of digital content directed at them. The Charter also commits to protecting children’s data and ensuring their privacy and security within the digital ecosystem.