Bahrain: Shura Council Proposes Bill to Bar Children Under 15 from Social Media

Bahrain’s Shura Council is set to debate a new draft bill that would ban children under the age of 15 from creating accounts on digital platforms, as part of proposed amendments to the Kingdom’s Child Law aimed at strengthening digital safety.

The proposed legislation, which will be discussed on Sunday, recommends adding a new chapter titled “Child Digital Safety” to Law No. 37 of 2012. The move comes following approval from the Shura Council’s Women and Child Affairs Committee, which endorsed the proposal after reviewing its legal and constitutional soundness.

Under the draft, the term “digital platforms” is broadly defined to include social media networks, mobile applications, and websites that allow users to create accounts, communicate, interact, or access digital content. Children who have not yet completed 15 years of age would be prohibited from opening accounts on such platforms.

Teenagers aged 15 to 18 would still be permitted to use digital platforms, but under stricter rules designed to enhance privacy protections and reduce exposure to harmful or inappropriate content. These controls would reflect the developmental needs and vulnerabilities of that age group.

Platforms used strictly for educational purposes would be exempt from the ban, with the Minister of Education responsible for determining which services qualify under this category.

The amendment was submitted by Second Deputy Chairperson of the Shura Council Dr Jehad Al Fadhel, along with First Deputy Chairman Jamal Fakhro, Dalal Al Zayed, Head of the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee, Dr Ali Al Rumaihi, Head of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee, and Khaled Al Maskati, Head of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee.

According to the Women and Child Affairs Committee, the objective of the proposed change is to extend child protection into the digital sphere, where children increasingly face risks such as exposure to harmful content, privacy violations, and online misuse.

The amendment would insert a new “Chapter Seven (Repeated)”, comprising six articles, including provisions governing implementation. The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) would be tasked with issuing policies, standards, and instructions for internet service providers to ensure child protection and digital safety online.

In addition, a separate authority established by decree would be responsible for defining administrative penalties for violations, outlining enforcement and appeal mechanisms, and setting procedures for verifying users’ ages.

The committee noted that similar approaches have been adopted internationally, with countries imposing age limits and placing legal obligations on digital platforms and service providers, combining outright bans for younger children with regulated access for older teenagers.