Child delivery app safety warning issued to UAE families by Sharjah organisation

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The Child Safety Organisation has issued a child delivery app safety warning, urging UAE parents to supervise online orders, payments and home deliveries.

SHARJAH: The Child Safety Organisation in Sharjah has urged families to strengthen supervision of children using smartphones, delivery platforms and online shopping services at home. The organisation said the growing use of delivery apps among young users requires clearer family rules and stronger awareness around digital responsibility. Officials described the latest message as part of a wider child delivery app safety campaign aimed at helping parents manage new digital habits safely.

The organisation explained that many children now use phones independently to order food, toys and other products without fully understanding payment rules, privacy concerns or the risks linked to receiving deliveries alone. It warned that some children may attempt to answer the door themselves or share personal information online without adult approval.

H.E. Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, Director General of the Child Safety Organisation, said digital platforms now allow children to make decisions that were traditionally handled by parents. She stressed that the concern is not only how children use apps, but also what they order, how they pay and whether they are mature enough to manage these responsibilities safely.

Al Yafei added that supervision should not be viewed as restricting technology use. Instead, families should introduce digital tools gradually while setting age-appropriate boundaries. She also encouraged parents to delay smartphone access where possible to help children develop stronger awareness and safer online behaviour.

As part of the child delivery app safety guidance, the organisation advised parents to activate payment alerts, avoid storing bank card details on children’s devices and use parental control settings. Families were also urged to establish a clear household rule preventing children from opening the door to delivery workers without adult supervision.

The organisation said protecting children online depends on calm guidance, practical rules and ongoing family involvement.

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