ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi’s Civil Family Court has ordered two divorced parents to stop sharing content involving their children on social media.
The order covers photographs, videos, audio recordings, and personal information.
Both parents must also remove existing posts that could harm their daughters’ privacy, welfare, or best interests.
The case began after the father asked the court to stop his former wife from featuring their daughters in online content, including alleged commercial and promotional posts.
However, the court found that both parents had published content involving the children.
It therefore placed restrictions on both sides instead of only one parent.
The court also barred them from opening social media accounts in their children’s names without mutual consent, according to a Khaleej Times report on the ruling.
Children’s welfare came before the parents’ dispute
The court focused on the children’s rights rather than deciding which parent had the stronger complaint.
It found that children’s privacy and welfare must come before a parent’s wish to publish family content online.
This approach follows the UAE’s Child Rights Law, commonly known as Wadeema’s Law.
Article 13 protects children from unlawful or arbitrary interference with their private life, family, home, or correspondence.
It also protects children against unlawful attacks on their honour and reputation.
The law applies to children in the UAE, regardless of whether an online post earns money.
Future breaches may affect custody
The ruling applies directly to the two parents involved and should not be treated as a general ban on all parents posting pictures of their children.
However, it shows how existing child protection rules may be applied during a family dispute.
If either parent breaks the order, the other may return to court and request further action.
Reported consequences could include imprisonment or changes to the parents’ joint custody arrangement.
The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department explains that child custody includes parents’ rights and responsibilities for caring for a child and making decisions on the child’s behalf.
What UAE parents should know now
Parents should review what they have already shared about their children online.
Posts containing school details, locations, private family information, or material that may embarrass or harm a child deserve special care.
Divorced or separated parents should also discuss social media posts and seek written agreement before opening an account in a child’s name.
This is an awareness story, not a new UAE-wide social media ban.
The ruling shows that a child’s privacy can outweigh a parent’s right to share content when a court believes the child may be harmed.
