Egypt introduces new social media regulations for children

The Egyptian government has introduced new regulations aimed at protecting children and adolescents from the risks and potential misuse associated with social media platforms. Following directives from President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the Cabinet announced that social media platforms will be prohibited from creating, activating, or providing access to independent personal accounts for children under the age of 13.

For users aged between 13 and 15, the new rules mandate the automatic and compulsory activation of a ‘Safe Mode’ upon account creation. To enforce these measures, platforms will be required to implement age verification processes, prevent attempts to bypass age limits, and ensure that personal data collected during verification is kept to a minimum.

Social media companies have been granted a three-month period to implement these regulations and must submit a technical and operational implementation plan within 30 days of being notified of the decision.