Sharjah: An emoji, a few letters or a joke shared in a group chat might seem harmless to parents. But in the rapidly changing language of social media, even the simplest expressions can carry meanings that adults may not recognise.
The Child Safety Organisation, part of the Sharjah Family and Community Council, has urged parents to become more familiar with the digital language their children use, warning that unfamiliar slang, emojis and online trends can sometimes conceal bullying, inappropriate behaviour or other risks.
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The warning comes as children spend an increasing amount of time online, often communicating through expressions that may be unfamiliar to older generations.
Figures presented by UAE authorities in January 2026 showed that 97 per cent of children aged seven and above regularly use digital devices, while one in three had been contacted by strangers online.
The UAE has also introduced a Child Digital Safety Law and stepped up oversight of more than 4,000 digital platforms in efforts to strengthen protection against harmful content and online exploitation.
Why parents need to understand online slang
The Child Safety Organisation said parents should take an active interest in the language their children use online, including emerging abbreviations, viral jokes and trends that spread rapidly across social media platforms.
Understanding those expressions can help adults recognise when an otherwise ordinary conversation may involve bullying, manipulation or attempts to persuade children to conceal information from their families.
But the organisation cautioned against treating every unfamiliar emoji or abbreviation as a warning sign.
The meaning of a symbol can change depending on the platform, the conversation and the relationship between the people using it. A seemingly suspicious expression may be entirely innocent when understood in context.
Parents were therefore encouraged to look beyond individual words or symbols and pay attention to the broader conversation and their child's behaviour.
The organisation also advised families to become familiar with the platforms their children use, the content they watch and the people they interact with.
Age ratings for video games should be checked regularly to ensure they are appropriate for children's ages and developmental stages.
Understanding, not excessive monitoring
Dr Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, Director General of the Child Safety Organisation, stressed that protecting children online begins with understanding how they communicate.
"We cannot protect our children from risks we do not recognise, and we cannot recognise them unless we understand their digital world," she said.
Parents must be willing to learn the language their children use, even when the expressions seem strange or unfamiliar, she added.
The organisation emphasised that digital awareness should help build trust between parents and children rather than become a justification for excessive surveillance.
Children should feel comfortable discussing uncomfortable or troubling online experiences without fearing blame or punishment.
Parents were also encouraged to consult reliable online safety resources, discuss unfamiliar expressions with their children and keep up with new trends rather than waiting for a problem to arise.
The organisation warned that conversations involving secrecy, manipulation, bullying or inappropriate requests deserve particular attention.
It called on parents, teachers and caregivers to make digital literacy a regular part of family discussions, stressing that keeping children safe online increasingly depends on adults understanding the digital environments in which they spend their time.