Safety without spying: How UAE parents can protect teens' online lives

Khaleej Times

9 hours ago

For many parents, raising children in a digital-first world comes with new, unfamiliar challenges, especially when it comes to keeping their teenagers safe online without invading their privacy.
While their kids navigate complex social platforms and endless content streams, parents often ask themselves: How can I guide them without crossing a line?
That question is increasingly shaping how major platforms like TikTok and Snapchat are developing their safety features, not just to protect teens, but to help families create a shared understanding of digital wellbeing.
'It's not about spying,' Ilunga Mpyana, head of Public Policy Programmes for the Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Pakistan, and South Asia at TikTok told Khaleej Times. 'It's about sharing your experience with your teenager. These tools are meant to trigger conversation, to ask, what are you experiencing? What are your concerns?'
On TikTok, one of the main features designed to support this is Family Pairing, which allows parents to connect their accounts with their teen's. Once enabled, with the teen's knowledge and consent, parents can set screen time limits, apply content filters, monitor who their child follows or is followed by, and receive alerts when their teen reports harmful conten t.
'You're doing it together,' Mpyana said. 'It's about experiencing the platform together, not surveilling it.'
Snapchat, too, is refining its approach to teen safety by relaunching its Family Safety Hub, a redesigned platform aimed at helping parents better understand and support their children's digital habits.
The language has shifted, from 'Parents Site' to 'Family Hub', to signal that safe online behavior is a shared responsibility between adults and teens.
One of the key features of Snapchat's family hub allows parents to see who their teen is communicating with, without giving access to the actual content of those conversations. This balance, between oversight and autonomy, is part of a wider effort to build trust rather than tension.
'From the start, Snapchat was designed as a safe and private platform, making user safety a fundamental priority,' said Jawaher Abdelhamid, head of Public Policy for the Middle East and Africa at Snap Inc. 'The Family Safety Hub reflects our commitment to empowering families across the region with the tools they require to make what they believe are the right choices for their teens, all while still respecting young Snapchatters' privacy.'
New additions to the Hub include simplified FAQs, feature walkthroughs, downloadable guides, and embedded educational videos that are regularly updated to keep pace with the platform's evolution.
But as useful as these tools are, mental health experts say technology is only part of the equation.
Dr Jana Bou Reslan, a lecturer in educational psychology and content creator, believes safety starts with communication, not control. 'Digital space is a part of their world now,' she said. 'It's not just about how long they're online, but how they're using it. Are they passively scrolling, or are they actively learning?'
She encouraged parents to engage with their teens' interests instead of imposing limits in isolation. 'Use the platforms together. Build connections, share ideas. The goal isn't restriction; it's guided exploration.'
Still, many teens keep their digital experiences private, not because they have something to hide, but because they fear being judged, punished, or misunderstood.
'Teens are exploring who they are,' Bou Reslan said. 'They seek validation and identity online. If a parent responds with power or punishment instead of understanding, it deepens the secrecy.'
She recommended looking out for signs like sudden withdrawal, changes in school performance, or a shift in how protective they are of their devices. 'Say, 'Hey, I noticed you've been quiet lately. Is there something on your mind?' Share your own struggles. Make it a dialogue, not a confrontation.'
Ultimately, platforms may provide the tools, but the most important work happens at home, through trust, empathy, and honest conversations. 'We're not just protecting them from the internet,' Bou Reslan said. 'We're teaching them how to exist in it with confidence and care.'