The impact of lower oil and shipping costs could begin to appear within a few weeks, but it may take several months for these savings to fully pass through to retail prices and consumer goods, depending on supply chains and existing contracts, industry experts said.

The reopening and stabilisation of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is expected to ease pressure on energy and freight costs, giving UAE residents the prospect of more stable fuel prices and gradual relief on some imported goods.

Consumers, however, should not expect an immediate drop in supermarket bills or retail prices. Many businesses are still working through stock bought when shipping costs were higher, while suppliers, insurers and freight companies will want to see stability hold before fully resetting prices and operations.

Haris Shaikh, CEO of Gallop Shipping in Dubai, said the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz allows oil, gas and goods to move normally again through one of the world’s most important trade routes, reducing concerns about supply disruption and easing pressure on energy and shipping costs.

“The impact of lower oil and shipping costs could begin to appear within a few weeks. However, it may take several months for these savings to fully pass through to retail prices and consumer goods, depending on supply chains and existing contracts,” he said.

The first signs of relief are likely to be felt in fuel and shipping costs, followed by goods that depend heavily on transport and energy expenses. Food products, transportation services and travel costs could also see some benefit over time if lower oil and freight costs are sustained.

Shaikh said UAE consumers should expect greater market stability and less price volatility in the coming weeks, but not “immediate or significant reductions in all prices,” because lower costs take time to move through the wider economy.

UAE ports stand to benefit

The deal is also expected to support the UAE’s trade and logistics sector by making shipping routes in the Gulf safer and more reliable.

Hiba Alemadi, CEO and Founder of Queen Gulf Capital, said safer routes should help lower shipping costs and increase the amount of cargo moving through UAE ports, although the return to normal operations will be gradual.

“The deal is good news for the UAE because it makes shipping routes in the Gulf safer and more reliable. This should help lower shipping costs and increase the amount of cargo moving through UAE ports. However, things may not return to normal right away. Shipping companies, insurers, and businesses will want to see stability over time before fully restoring operations,” she said.

In the longer term, she said the UAE is in a strong position to benefit from higher trade volumes because of its ports and logistics network, which can support growing regional business activity.

Freight rates may not fall quickly

Freight rates have increased significantly since March as businesses dealt with regional uncertainty, higher risk costs and disruption-related charges. Even with Hormuz reopening, industry executives expect the adjustment to be slow.

Alemadi said some exceptional charges, including drop-off, internal shifting and related operational costs, could reduce gradually if the situation stabilises. A significant reduction in freight rates, however, is unlikely in the immediate future.

This significantly impacts retailers and shoppers, as higher shipping costs are already built into the prices of many goods on shelves. Importers and retailers may need several delivery cycles before lower freight costs begin to show up in consumer pricing.

“The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is good news for UAE retailers and shoppers, but the benefits will not happen right away. Businesses need time to adjust, and many retailers are still selling products bought when shipping costs were higher. If the situation remains stable, shoppers could see more stable prices and better product availability over the next few months,” Alemadi said.

DP World prepares for higher vessel calls

DP World GCC said the de-escalation in regional tensions is an encouraging development for trade, with teams staying in contact with customers and shipping line partners as conditions evolve.

“At Jebel Ali, we have prepared extensively for the return of sea freight volumes through the Strait of Hormuz and our teams are primed and ready to manage the increase in vessel calls once shipping schedules begin to normalise,” said Ahmad Yousef Al-Hassan, CEO and Managing Director of DP World GCC.

He added that DP World’s immediate priority remains “keeping cargo moving safely and reliably” through its regional multimodal network, while giving customers the flexibility and visibility they need during this period.

A smoother return of vessels through Hormuz would support port activity, warehousing, trucking, re-exports and regional distribution, all of which are central to Dubai and the wider UAE’s role as a trade hub.

Oman and Iran back safe passage

The commercial outlook follows a joint statement issued by Oman and Iran after talks in Muscat during the visit of Iranian Parliament Speaker Dr. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Dr. Abbas Araghchi.

Oman affirmed its support for the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed between the United States and Iran, and said continued dialogue and coordination were important for its successful implementation.

Oman and Iran, the two coastal states bordering the Strait of Hormuz, reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring safe passage through the Strait in line with international law, while also stressing their sovereignty and sovereign rights over their respective territorial waters.

The two countries agreed to sustain dialogue through a joint working group between their foreign ministries. The group will discuss the future management of navigation in the Strait, including services and associated costs, while also engaging with littoral states in the region and other related parties.

What residents should expect now

The near-term impact for UAE residents is likely to be confidence and stability first, followed by gradual cost relief if the situation holds.

Lower uncertainty across global markets can support trade, investment and business planning. It can also help reduce pressure on household budgets if oil and shipping costs remain lower for an extended period.

The most evident consumer benefit over the next few months may be steadier prices and stronger availability, especially for imported goods that rely on shipping schedules. Significant price cuts will depend on how long the route remains stable, how quickly freight rates adjust, and when retailers replace higher-cost inventory with new shipments bought at lower logistics costs.

GN

The UAE is expected to see rainfall from Tuesday through Thursday, accompanied by fog, mist and a drop in temperatures later in the week, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said.

The forecaster said convective clouds are expected to develop from Tuesday afternoon, bringing showers to parts of the country, particularly in eastern areas, while humid conditions could lead to fog or mist formation in some coastal and inland regions.

Weather on Monday is forecast to remain generally fair, with clouds appearing over eastern areas. Humidity is expected to increase overnight and into Tuesday morning, especially in western coastal and inland areas, raising the likelihood of fog and mist.

On Tuesday, skies will be fair to partly cloudy, with convective cloud build-up and rainfall expected during the afternoon. Similar conditions are forecast on Wednesday, when rain-bearing clouds are again likely to form over eastern regions.

The NCM said temperatures are expected to fall on Thursday, particularly in western parts of the country. Fresh north-westerly winds could also generate blowing dust in exposed areas, while sea conditions in the Arabian Gulf may become moderate and occasionally rough, especially in western waters.

Winds throughout the period are expected to range between 10 and 25 kph, with gusts reaching up to 40 kph in some areas.

GN

: The race to keep children off social media has shifted from political promises to technical enforcement.

After Australia became the first country to introduce a nationwide ban on social media for children under 16, governments across Europe, Asia and now the Middle East are enacting similar measures. The UAE on Thursday became the latest country to introduce mandatory age checks, making it the first Arab nation to set a legal minimum age for social media use.

The real challenge now is not whether children should be restricted from social media, but how governments and technology companies can enforce the rules effectively.

UAE joins growing list of countries

The UAE announced that children under 15 will no longer be allowed to create or operate personal social media accounts, while teenagers aged 15 and 16 can access platforms only under stricter safeguards such as parental supervision, content filtering and limits on interactions with strangers. Platforms have one year to comply.

The move follows a growing international trend led by Australia, whose landmark law came into force in December 2025.

According to Reuters, at least a dozen countries have either implemented or are in the process of legislating nationwide restrictions on children’s access to social media, while several others are tightening parental consent and age-verification rules.

As of 18 June 2026, countries fall into three broad categories:

Bans enforced (in force)

Country	Minimum age	Status
Australia	Under 16	World’s first nationwide ban, in force since December 2025. Platforms are legally responsible for preventing under-16s from creating or using accounts.
Indonesia	Under 16	GovernmentGovernment has announced plans to prohibit under-16s from major social media platforms. has implemented on end of March 2026.

Passed or tabled legislation (awaiting implementation or final approval)

Country	Proposed age	Status
UAE	Under 16	Announced on 18 June 2026. Children under 15 cannot operate personal social media accounts. Platforms have one year to implement mandatory age verification.
UK	Under 16	Government announced ban; legislation expected before Christmas 2026 with rollout targeted for spring 2027.
Turkey	Under 15	Parliament has passed legislation. Awaiting presidential approval before becoming law.
France	Under 15	National Assembly approved bill. Senate approval and final parliamentary vote still required.
Malaysia	Under 16	Government has announced implementation plans beginning in 2026.

Countries considering or drafting bans

Country	Proposed age	Current position
Norway	Under 16	Government will introduce legislation to Parliament later in 2026.
Denmark	Under 15	Government has political backing and is preparing legislation, with limited parental exemptions.
Spain	Under 16	Government intends to legislate mandatory age verification and ban access for minors under 16.
Greece	Under 15	Government preparing legislation, with implementation expected from January 2027.
Poland	Under 15	Draft legislation being prepared to make platforms responsible for age verification.
Slovenia	Under 15	Draft law under preparation.
Austria	Under 14	Draft legislation expected following government agreement.
any	Under 16 (proposal)	Coalition discussions ongoing; currently requires parental consent for users aged 13-16.
India	Not specified	National debate underway; officials have called for Australian-style age restrictions.
Canada	Under 16	Canada’s culture minister on Wednesday introduced legislation to ban children under 16 from having social media accounts.

Other countries tightening child protections instead of blanket bans

These countries have introduced stricter parental consent, age verification or screen-time controls, but not blanket under-16 social media bans:

• China – “Minor Mode” with mandatory screen-time and app restrictions.
• Italy – Children under 14 require parental consent to open social media accounts.
• Portugal – Parliament approved parental consent requirements for users aged 13–16

Rather than focusing only on age limits, many governments are making platforms legally responsible for keeping underage users off their services

The technology behind the ban

For years, most social media companies relied on one simple question during sign-up: “What is your date of birth?”

Governments increasingly argue that self-declared ages are ineffective because children can simply enter a false birthday.

New laws, therefore, require platforms to use stronger age-verification methods to make the rules workable.

These include:

• Government-issued digital IDs
• AI-powered facial age estimation
• Credit card or payment verification
• Third-party identity services
• Mobile carrier verification
• Device-based parental controls
• Biometric age estimation

Australia’s legislation deliberately avoids prescribing one single technology, instead requiring platforms to take “reasonable steps” to prevent children under 16 from creating accounts. The UAE similarly requires platforms to use robust verification that goes beyond self-declared ages.

Meta: AI that estimates your age

Meta has become one of the most aggressive companies in deploying artificial intelligence for age verification on its platforms.

Rather than depending solely on birthdays entered during registration, the company analyses signals including:

• Friends of similar ages
• Birthday messages
• Profile activity
• Interaction patterns

If Meta believes a teenager is pretending to be an adult, the account can automatically be switched into a Teen Account with stricter protections.

Users may then be asked to upload a government-issued ID or record a short video selfie analysed by facial age-estimation technology.

TikTok: Face estimation and family controls

TikTok combines several approaches on its platform.

The company can request:

• Government identification
• Facial age estimation using AI
• Parental verification through Family Pairing
• Family Pairing allows parents to:
• Set screen-time limits
• Approve privacy settings
• Restrict direct messages
• Control searchable content

YouTube: Account verification through Google

YouTube relies largely on Google’s broader identity system for age verification.

Depending on location and content being accessed, users may be asked to verify their age through:

• Government-issued ID
• Credit card verification
• Google account information

Australia’s new law specifically includes YouTube among platforms covered by the under-16 ban after regulators concluded it functions as a social platform rather than simply a video service.

Snapchat: Parent-first approach

Snapchat has introduced Family Centre, allowing parents to:

• Monitor friend lists
• View communication history
• Report safety concerns

The company also performs additional age checks on Snapchat where required by local law, but has generally focused more on parental supervision than mandatory identity verification.

Roblox

The gaming platform has introduced one of the industry’s most comprehensive age assurance systems. Users can verify their age through facial age estimation using a video selfie, government-issued ID or parent-linked accounts.

Roblox automatically assigns younger users to age-based account types.

Communication features are also restricted based on verified age, with younger users prevented from chatting with significantly older players.

X and Reddit

X and Reddit continue to rely primarily on user-declared ages across many markets.

However, both companies have begun introducing stronger verification where national laws require it, particularly in Australia and parts of Europe.

Industry observers expect these verification systems to expand as more countries introduce mandatory age restrictions.

Early impact

Australia has provided the first real-world test of the new approach.

Within days of the law taking effect, Meta said it had removed nearly 550,000 underage accounts across Facebook, Instagram and Threads. Other platforms also began rolling out age checks and account removals.

Researchers caution that determined teenagers continue to find workarounds, including using VPNs, borrowed identities and alternative sites that remain outside current regulations.

Parents are largely supportive, but debate remains

Public reaction has been sharply divided.

Many parents have welcomed stronger protections against cyberbullying, damaging content, online predators and excess screen time.

Governments have cited growing evidence linking heavy social media use with anxiety, sleep disruption and mental health problems among children.

Technology companies, meanwhile, have argued that blanket bans risk pushing teenagers towards less regulated corners of the internet. Privacy advocates have also questioned whether widespread age verification would require users to share more personal data than before.

As more countries prepare similar laws, the next battleground will be less about legislation and more about technology: whether platforms can accurately determine who is really behind the screen without violating user privacy.

GN