As digital devices become increasingly embedded in children’s daily lives, experts in the UAE have urged parents to monitor more closely how long their young children spend using mobile phones, tablets and other screen-based devices, even when they are viewing educational content.

Dr Saliha Afridi, founder and chair of The LightHouse Arabia, warned that one hour or more of daily screen time may be considered excessive for children under five and could negatively affect their language development, cognitive abilities, and social and emotional growth.

She stressed that while technology can offer valuable learning opportunities, the type of content, the child’s age and the amount of screen time all play a role in determining its impact on development.

Citing research findings, Afridi distinguished between the use of technology for entertainment, short-form social media content and longer educational videos, such as those on YouTube.

She warned that content is not necessarily harmless to children simply because it is educational.

According to the expert, research has shown that even around one hour or more of daily screen time may be considered excessive for children under five.

Afridi stressed that the early years of life are a critical period for brain development and that children need sufficient opportunities to explore their surroundings, interact with others and learn through real-world experiences.

“Children need to look into their parents’ eyes, play with their friends, touch the soil and interact with the world around them, because these experiences support brain development,” she said.

Why real-world interaction matters for children

Afridi warned that passive screen viewing, even when the content is educational and of high quality, may deprive children of experiences essential to developing communication, thinking and social skills.

“When a child sits in front of a screen and passively watches content, even if it is the best possible content, one hour or more of daily use can affect cognitive development and cause delays in language skills,” she explained.

According to the expert, the concerns extend beyond academic performance to children’s ability to form social relationships and understand their own emotions and those of others.

She added that excessive screen time may undermine children’s academic performance and affect their social and emotional development.

Afridi stressed that parents should consider both their child’s age and the amount of time spent on digital devices when setting rules for their use.

The warnings come as technology has become an integral part of education, entertainment and everyday family life.

Experts say parents should not treat all screen use as equal. Instead, they should make informed decisions about what content their children watch and the age at which they are ready to use digital platforms.

Afridi also acknowledged that keeping children completely offline is no longer a realistic option.

She stressed that the priority should be to equip children with the psychological and technical skills needed to navigate the digital world safely.

She said the issue was not limited to teaching technical skills, as children must also be psychologically prepared to engage with online environments.

From online protection to digital empowerment

Razan Bashiti, chief executive of INJAZ UAE, said the approach taken by families and relevant authorities to children’s online safety should go beyond restricting access and instead focus on developing skills and building confidence among young people.

“We need to move away from focusing solely on protecting children online and place greater emphasis on empowering them by teaching the right skills and building their confidence to use the internet safely and responsibly,” she said.

Bashiti noted that technology has become an integral part of education and can support teachers in the classroom and help parents reinforce their children’s learning at home.

“I believe technology is an extremely valuable tool, particularly given the vast amount of information available on YouTube. However, as parents, we have a responsibility to set a positive example and make use of technology’s benefits,” she added.

She said parents should set appropriate limits while also practising healthy digital habits themselves, discussing online experiences with their children and helping them distinguish useful content from potentially harmful material.

Google and YouTube tools for parental supervision

Google and YouTube have introduced a range of tools to give families greater control over children’s digital experiences.

These features include private video uploads, autoplay and personalised advertising being disabled by default for accounts belonging to users under 18, and parental supervision tools available through Google Family Link and YouTube Family Centre.

Earlier this year, YouTube introduced dedicated accounts for children and teenagers across the Middle East and North Africa, giving parents greater control over visible content based on their child’s age and stage of development.

One feature allows parents to set time limits for YouTube Shorts, including reducing daily access to zero minutes.

The standalone YouTube Kids app also offers parental controls that allow families to manage children’s video-viewing experiences.

How UAE and Saudi users view educational content on YouTube

According to research by Kantar, 95 per cent of surveyed viewers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia believe YouTube is a leading platform for educational content.

In addition, 92 per cent of Generation Z respondents said the platform had helped them learn new skills.

However, experts stressed that access to digital educational resources does not eliminate the need for age-appropriate limits and parental supervision.

The UAE’s strategy for protecting children online

Engineer Saeed Belhoul, Acting Director-General of the UAE Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, said the country’s child digital safety strategy is built on three pillars: prevention, awareness and empowerment.

He said responsibility for protecting children online is shared among families, relevant institutions and digital platforms.

“Protecting children does not necessarily mean preventing them from entering the digital world. Instead, they should be empowered to explore it and benefit from its opportunities with awareness, confidence and responsibility,” Belhoul said.