As digital devices become an increasingly common part of children's lives, parents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are strongly advised to monitor how much time young children spend in front of screens, even if the content is educational.
According to Dr. Salih Afridi, founder and chairman of The LightHouse Arabia, children under five years old who spend an hour or more daily in front of screens may be subject to excessive device use. This can potentially affect speech development, cognitive abilities, and socio-emotional growth.
While technology can provide valuable learning opportunities, she emphasized that the type of content, the child's age, and the total viewing time are important. Afridi noted that research is quite convincing, distinguishing between entertainment technologies, short social media formats, and longer educational content such as YouTube.
She cautioned that educational content should not be automatically considered harmless just because it is designed for learning. Afridi stated: 'For children under five, up to an hour or anything beyond that can be considered excessive use.'
Afridi stressed that early years are a critical period for brain development, when children need opportunities to explore their environment, interact with other people, and learn through direct experience. She emphasized that 'they need to look into the eyes of their mothers and fathers... they need to play with their friends. They need to touch the ground. They need to interact with the world, because it is beneficial for their brain development.'
Afridi warned that passive screen viewing, even with educational material, can lead to the loss of experiences that promote the development of communication, thinking, and social skills. She added: 'When you have a flat screen and very passive viewing, even if it is the best content... an hour or more of daily screen time (for a child) can affect cognitive development and slow down language skills.'
The concern, she said, goes beyond academic performance and relates to the child's ability to build relationships and understand emotions. Afridi concluded: 'Thus, academically they may not be strong, and their socio-emotional development may be compromised,' adding that parents must consider both the child's age and the time spent watching.
Her remarks highlight an issue faced by families as technology becomes deeply integrated into education, entertainment, and daily life. Instead of treating all screen time equally, parents need to make informed decisions about what their children watch and when they are ready to engage with digital platforms from a developmental perspective.
Afridi also acknowledged that completely disconnecting children from the internet is no longer a realistic option. In her view, the priority should be helping them develop the psychological skills and technical understanding necessary for safe navigation in the online world. She added: 'Not having them online is not an option. But how do we teach them psychologically and technically? Because it is not only technical skills; it is also psychological skills.'
Razan Bashiti, CEO of INJAZ UAE, stated that the discussion about child safety online must move beyond restricting access to equipping youth with confidence and skills to make responsible decisions. Bashiti said: 'We need to move away from focusing only on protecting children online and focus more on empowering them by providing them with the necessary set of skills and confidence to navigate the internet safely and wisely.'
She noted that technology is becoming an integral part of education, assisting teachers in classrooms and helping parents reinforce knowledge at home. Bashiti added: 'I believe it is a wonderful tool, especially given the wealth of information available on YouTube. But we, as parents, are responsible for modeling behavior and choosing positive aspects.'
For parents, this means setting boundaries while demonstrating healthy digital habits, openly discussing online experiences, and helping children distinguish useful information from potentially harmful content.
Google and YouTube have implemented several tools designed to give families greater control over children's digital experiences. These include private uploads, disabling autoplay, and turning off personalized advertising by default for users under 18, as well as parental controls through Google Family Link and YouTube Family Center.
Earlier this year, YouTube introduced Kid and Teen accounts in the Middle East and North Africa, offering parents additional content controls tailored to the child's developmental stage. These features include a Shorts feed timer that can be set to zero minutes per day. YouTube Kids, a parent-controlled standalone app, was launched in 2021.
A study conducted by Kantar showed that 95 percent of viewers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia believe that YouTube offers leading educational content, while 92 percent of Generation Z respondents stated that the platform helped them develop new skills.
However, access to educational resources does not negate the need to observe age restrictions and parental guidance.
En Said Belhoul, Acting Director General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), stated that the UAE's strategy for child digital safety combines prevention, awareness, and empowerment, with responsibility shared among families, regulatory bodies, and digital platforms. He noted: 'Protecting children does not necessarily mean avoiding their interaction with the digital world, but rather empowering them to explore it and benefit from its capabilities with awareness, confidence, and responsibility.'