UAE’s Ministry of Community Development (CDA) on Monday unveiled the blueprint for National Digital Wellbeing Policy amid the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. Explaining the need for a Digital Wellbeing Policy, Hessa bint Essa BuHumaid, Minister of CDA and Vice-Chairman of the Digital Wellbeing Council, said that the policy will guide the proliferation of the digital world in every sector across the UAE. The new policy will provide strong support to various fields varying from education, distance learning, digital research and curriculum to remote working, banking and financial transactions. Youth activities such as gaming, audio-visual sharing and communication along with government service platforms, social media interactions and online shopping will also benefit from the new digital wellbeing policy.

Speaking at the media briefing, BuHumaid said that studies conducted on UAE consumers showed that about 76% of the population believes that their digital wellbeing is at risk.

She explained that about 67% watched at least one video on social media every day, while nearly 72% preferred digital transactions or using liquid cash. At the same time, approximately 87% of UAE’s parents spoke about the risks involved in letting their children surf the internet unsupervised. On the contrary, 66% of the parents said they are now authorized to surf the internet on their children’s devices, while about 34% of the parents allow their children to browse the internet without supervision.

In this regard, the minister noted that the policy seeks to make some incisive recommendations to ensure that the new digital world becomes ethical, inclusive, and sustainable for all members of the community. BuHamid added that the new digital policy is not only tandem with the National Well Being Strategy 2031, but also reflects the concept of a post-COVID-19 world.

Speaking to the media, Amal Al Beloushi, programme manager at the Digital Wellbeing Council, said that the policy seeks to build a safe, inclusive, sustainable and positive digital community that coincides with the UAE centennial vision 2071. It will assist the society with the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviours in order to effectively respond to rapid changes.

National Wellbeing Survey 2020

Citing the results of the National Wellbeing Survey 2020 conducted by the Ministry of Community Development (CDA) through the National Happiness and Wellbeing Programme, Buhumaid said that about 56% of UAE's children are using digital devices to watch videos, while there are about 50% who use them to play electronic games. According to the survey, parents use various methods to manage their children’s screen time and the use of electronic devices. While 45% of parents have shared the negative impact of the excessive use of digital devices with their children, there are 33% of parents who check the content of their children's digital devices such as downloaded apps, visited sites, and messages.

The minister further noted that there are four pillars of policy which include 11 diversified initiatives:

·        Capacity - Building the capacities of members of the community such as children, students, employees and senior citizens

·        Digital behaviour - Consolidating positive digital behaviour and values across all social media platforms

·        Digital communication - Establishing legislation and regulations to accommodate the ongoing changes in the digital world to ensure that users are protected from potential risks

·        Digital content - Guiding the community to use the digital world and content positively in order to combat the exposure to hateful or harmful content using technological means or appropriate legislation.

The policy will be implemented through a "Charter of Positive Digital Citizenship Values and Behaviours" that has been designed by ten stakeholders in the community. As part of the National Wellbeing Council, these stakeholders include various UAE ministries such as education, CDA, interiors, justice, and economy, along with officials from entities such as the Telecommunications and Regulatory Authority (TRA), the National Artificial Intelligence Programme. Furthermore, parents and representatives from the Federal Youth Foundation and Smart Dubai have also assisted in the charter.

The policy is aimed at encouraging the community to develop a positive relationship with the digital world and technology and to create awareness about the potential risks and practices protecting users' interests.

TRA’s Sannif Platform (www.sannif.ae) is a suitable example of how self-restraint and monitoring work. Through this platform, parents can find out fundamental facts about the digital games their children might be playing. These facts can vary from the content of the game to whether it is age appropriate or not as well as potential risks. It also assists parents in choosing the right electronic games for their children.

Meanwhile, the ministry is working to integrate the Digital Wellbeing Policy into UAE's education curriculum starting from the kindergarten to create holistic and responsible awareness among children from a young age.