Digital Hazards: Risky Trends, Violence Threaten Online Safety for Children Under 12

UAE mothers are sounding the alarm about dramatic behavioral changes in their children after smartphone use, describing kids as "disconnected from reality" and prone to unexplained outbursts of anger. Medical experts and legal professionals are now calling for legislation to ban smartphone ownership for children under 12, warning of what they term a "silent crisis" threatening an entire generation's brain development and mental health.

The concerns aren't just anecdotal. Recent statistics from the UAE's Cybersecurity Council show that 72% of children aged 8-12 use smartphones daily, while only 43% of parents regularly monitor their children's digital activity. Even more troubling, cyberbullying cases among children have increased by 18%.

Mothers interviewed described disturbing patterns. Mozah Al Mazrouei noticed her 10-year-old son Obaid becoming "detached from reality" after long phone sessions, unable to answer simple questions despite his high intelligence. Fatima Ibrahim Al Maini watched her son develop violent outbursts, eventually attacking his younger sister to prevent her from approaching his device. Another mother, identified as "Um Abdullah," found herself constantly monitoring dangerous social media trends and challenges after realizing her child was eager to imitate them, regardless of the risk.

The Science Behind the Concern

Neurologist Dr. Ibrahim Allam explains why the under-12 age group is particularly vulnerable. "The child's brain before age 12 goes through extremely rapid growth, especially in the frontal lobe responsible for attention, emotional control, and decision-making," he said. The constant notifications and fast-paced content create overstimulation, raising dopamine levels and making children dependent on immediate rewards while reducing their ability to focus.

The smartphones specifically impact three critical brain regions: the prefrontal cortex (responsible for focus and executive control), the hippocampus (memory and learning), and the amygdala (emotional regulation). Dr. Allam warns that rapid switching between apps weakens deep learning, raises stress levels, and can lead to long-term changes in neural connection patterns that later manifest as behavioral problems or attention deficits.

Pediatrician Dr. Sameh Abdel Azim supports the call for restrictions, arguing that current health guidelines about limiting screen time shouldn't be treated as optional recommendations but as necessary interventions to prevent multifaceted threats to children's physical, mental, and behavioral development.

Sleep, Depression, and Academic Performance

Neurologist Dr. Bonum C. Awatari points to recent studies showing that poor sleep quality from late-night phone use increases depression risk in children by 30% and reduces academic performance by about 20%. Children who own phones before age 12 show a 20% decrease in sustained attention ability, weakened working memory, difficulty controlling impulses, higher anxiety levels, and greater tendency toward social isolation.

The digital environment itself poses direct dangers. Children encounter violent content, inappropriate material, dangerous challenges, and trending activities that can directly threaten their safety. The experts note that children at this age lack the cognitive ability to self-regulate their device usage, making external controls essential.

Legal Framework and Implementation

Legal consultant Tariq Dardiri points out that existing UAE law, particularly "Wadeema's Law," already requires parents and caregivers to protect children from anything threatening their physical, psychological, or moral safety. Neglect or failure in supervision constitutes a form of abuse that can carry legal responsibility.

Rather than outright bans, Dardiri suggests practical enforcement mechanisms: requiring retailers to refuse selling activated devices with communication contracts to underage buyers, automatically restricting certain apps and websites, mandating manufacturers provide default child-safe settings that only parents can disable with special codes, and imposing fines on retailers who violate the guidelines.

Family therapist Dr. Jasim Al Marzouqi emphasizes that any legislation's success depends on integrating three key elements: law, family involvement, and proper digital education. He stresses that protecting children from digital world dangers isn't achieved through prohibition alone, but through guidance, monitoring, and providing healthy alternatives that help build balanced, interactive personalities.

Social counselor Fatima Ibrahim Al Balushi advocates for legal controls rather than complete bans, believing this achieves better balance between allowing access and ensuring safe usage. She notes that children may encounter violence, inappropriate content, or dangerous trends through their phones, sometimes leading to life-threatening situations when they attempt to replicate viral challenges.

The call for legislation isn't just social advocacy but rests on clear scientific and legal foundations. As Dr. Allam puts it, the demand for laws would provide families with a supportive framework to protect children at an age when they cannot regulate device usage themselves, especially as clinics see increasing cases of attention problems, emotional disorders, and poor academic performance resulting from uncontrolled screen use.