Shura Council proposes bill to bar children under 15 from social media

TDT | Manama

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Anew Shura - drafted legislation would bar children under 15 from creating accounts on digital platforms, as the upper chamber prepares to debate adding a “digital safety” chapter to Bahrain’s Child Law.

The proposal goes before the Shura Council on Sunday with a recommendation from its Women and Child Affairs Committee that it be taken up.

Services

In the draft, “digital platforms” is used in a wide sense, covering services such as social media and other apps or sites where users open accounts, interact or communicate, and access digital content.

Teenagers aged 15 to 18 would still be able to use them, but under rules meant to strengthen privacy and cut exposure to harmful material.

Platforms used for education would be exempt, with the Minister of Education to decide which services qualify. Amendment The amendment was submitted by the Second Deputy Chairperson of the Shura Council, Dr Jehad Al Fadhel, alongside the First Deputy Chairman, Jamal Fakhro; Head of the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee, Dalal Al Zayed; Head of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee, Dr Ali Al Rumaihi; and Head of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee, Khaled Al Maskati. In its report, the Women and Child Affairs Committee said it had reviewed the view of the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee, which found the draft sound on constitutional and legal grounds.

Change

The change would insert a new “Chapter Seven (Repeated)” into Law No. 37 of 2012 under the title “Child Digital Safety”.

The added chapter would include six new articles, with a second article dealing with implementation.

The committee said the aim was to extend child protection into online life, where children can be exposed to harmful content, breaches of privacy and other forms of misuse.

Platforms

It defined digital platforms as electronic means that allow users to interact and communicate in the digital space and offer digital services or content, where the service operates in, or is directed at users in, the Kingdom.

Under the draft, children who have not completed 15 would be banned from opening accounts on such platforms.

For those aged 15 to 18, use would be allowed but tied to controls and duties aimed at privacy and safer use, with the rules framed around that age group’s stage of growth.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) would be tasked with issuing policies, standards and instructions on what internet service providers must do to protect children from harmful content and support digital safety online.

A separate body, to be named by decree, would draw up the list of administrative penalties for breaches, set out how they are enforced and appealed, and lay down rules on checking a user’s age.

The committee also referred to moves in other countries to set age limits and place duties on platforms and service providers, with a mix of bans and regulated access depending on age.