Sharjah: The Child Safety Organisation, affiliated with the Sharjah Family and Community Council, has urged parents to keep a closer eye on how children use smartphones, delivery apps, and online shopping platforms, saying convenience should never replace family supervision.
According to Emirates News Agency, the organisation emphasized in a public awareness message that while delivery services have become integral to everyday family life, facilitating food orders, shopping, and daily needs, they also necessitate parental oversight when used by children. The organisation advised that parents need to establish clear guidelines on what children can order, the payment methods they can use, and whether they are permitted to receive deliveries at home.
The organisation highlighted the potential for children to order food, products, toys, or other items without parental knowledge, and the possibility of them receiving deliveries on their own. It called on families to be vigilant about these habits and ensure children recognize the importance of adult knowledge and approval in online shopping and delivery activities.
The message from the organisation is intended to assist families in adapting to the changes in children’s behavior due to smart apps, rather than inciting fear. Children may perceive online ordering as a simple phone task, yet they may not grasp the importance of informing parents about their purchases, waiting for an adult during deliveries, or refraining from opening the door without permission.
Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, Director-General of the Child Safety Organisation, noted that apps enable children to make decisions independently, such as purchasing and dealing with someone from outside the home, which previously required family involvement. She stressed the need for supervision to create safe boundaries between independent actions and those requiring adult oversight.
Al Yafei emphasized treating digital access as a gradual process, not an automatic entitlement. She pointed out that understanding privacy, payment details, home addresses, and digital services are responsibilities requiring maturity and supervision. The organisation encourages introducing children to the digital world gradually to protect them and foster digital awareness.
The organisation urged parents to establish household rules for children’s use of delivery and online shopping apps. It recommended that purchases or deliveries proceed only with family knowledge and approval, and that a parent or trusted adult be present when necessary.
Additionally, families were advised to review app settings on children’s devices, avoid saving bank card details without safeguards, activate purchase notifications, and employ age-appropriate parental control tools. The organisation also stressed the importance of children not opening doors without permission and not sharing personal information through apps without family approval.
The Child Safety Organisation reiterated that protecting children in the digital age involves guiding them with clear rules and helping them develop safer digital habits.