An Abu Dhabi court has ordered a divorced couple to stop posting any images or personal content involving their children on social media. The ruling was issued by the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court after a legal dispute between the father and the mother of two daughters over the use of the children in online posts, including commercial and promotional content.
The case began when the father filed legal action against his ex-wife, asking the court to prevent her from using their children in social media content. However, the court found that both parents had been sharing images of the children online. The judge ruled that this practice was not in the best interests of the children, regardless of whether the posts were monetised or shared for personal use.
The Abu Dhabi court ordered both parents to immediately stop publishing photographs or personal information about their children on any social media platforms. It also instructed them to remove existing content that could harm the children’s privacy, dignity, or welfare. The ruling was based on the UAE’s Child Rights Law, formerly known as Wadeema’s Law, which protects children from exploitation and ensures their right to privacy and protection of their identity.
Legal experts say the decision highlights growing concerns about children’s exposure on social media, especially in cases involving influencer content. Byron James, partner and head of the UAE office at Expatriate Law, said the court focused on the children’s wellbeing rather than only commercial activity. He noted that both paid promotional posts and ordinary family photos can raise similar privacy risks once they are shared online.
He explained that even content shared with a limited audience can spread widely once it is posted. Screenshots and resharing make online content difficult to control. He also said that when children appear in paid posts, additional legal issues may arise, including labour and licensing rules for commercial content involving minors. According to him, such cases raise questions about consent, privacy, and long-term digital exposure.
The court’s decision also raised wider concerns about how children may experience their online presence in the future. Legal observers noted that children cannot give informed consent to having their lives shared publicly. They also pointed out that online content can remain searchable for years, potentially affecting a child’s future identity and privacy.
However, legal experts cautioned against viewing the ruling as a major shift in UAE law. Diane Hamade, founder and managing partner of Diane Hamade Attorneys at Law, said the case should not be treated as a binding precedent. She explained that the ruling was made by a Court of First Instance in a specific family dispute and does not change existing legislation or create a new legal rule on social media use by parents.
She said both parents in the case had social media platforms and were involved in the dispute over how their children were represented online. The court’s decision applied existing child protection principles to the specific circumstances of the case, focusing on the best interests of the children rather than setting a general rule for all families.
Ms Hamade also clarified that the custody case involving the children is still ongoing before the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court. She added that family law cases are subject to privacy rules, and details are not fully disclosed publicly.
The ruling highlights increasing legal attention on children’s digital privacy in the UAE. It also reflects a broader global debate about how far parents should go when sharing family life online, especially when children are involved in monetised or public content.
