By Staff Reporter
DUBAI- Parents in the UAE are being urged to establish strict safety rules for children using food delivery and online shopping apps, following a new advisory issued by the Child Safety Organisation in Sharjah.
The organisation warned that children should never open the door to delivery drivers without adult supervision or permission, stressing that young users may not fully understand potential risks or know when to seek help from adults.
According to the advisory, some children are now independently ordering food, toys, and other products through mobile apps without their parents’ knowledge, and in some cases attempting to receive deliveries on their own.
Families have been encouraged to closely monitor how children use shopping and delivery platforms by reviewing app settings, disabling quick-payment features where necessary, and avoiding the storage of bank card details on devices accessible to children. Parents were also advised to activate purchase notifications and use parental control tools suitable for their child’s age.
The organisation further stressed the importance of teaching children not to share personal information — including home addresses and phone numbers — through apps or online conversations without parental approval.
Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei said modern apps now allow children to make decisions that previously required direct parental involvement.
She explained that supervision is not about preventing children from using technology, but about setting clear boundaries between what children can manage independently and what requires adult oversight.
Al Yafei also encouraged families to introduce digital access gradually, saying children need time and maturity to understand the responsibilities linked to privacy, payments, and online services. She added that delaying smartphone use can help strengthen children’s digital awareness and safety.
The advisory comes as delivery services continue to become an essential part of daily family life across the UAE, making it easier for households to manage shopping and meals while also creating new digital safety challenges for parents.
News Source: Khaleej Times
