By Ebi Kesiena
Egypt’s Parliament is considering legislation to regulate children’s access to social media platforms, citing concerns over what lawmakers described as growing “digital chaos,” in line with moves being weighed in several Western countries.
In a statement, the House of Representatives said it would begin work on a law aimed at regulating children’s use of social media in order to curb harmful online influences and safeguard their future.
Lawmakers said they would consult the government and relevant expert bodies to draft legislation designed to “protect Egyptian children from risks that threaten their thinking and behaviour.”
The initiative follows comments by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who on Saturday urged the government and parliament to consider restrictions on children’s social media use until they reach an age where they can “handle it properly.”
In his televised remarks, the president referenced countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom, which are exploring laws to restrict or ban young teenagers from accessing social media platforms.
According to a 2024 report by the National Center for Social and Criminological Research, a government-linked think tank, about half of Egypt’s population under 18 uses social media, where they may be exposed to harmful content, cyberbullying and online abuse.
Globally, similar measures are gaining momentum. Australia in December became the first country to ban social media use for children under 16, sparking intense debate over privacy, technology, child safety and mental health.
In the United Kingdom, the government has said it is considering banning young teenagers from social media while strengthening laws to curb harmful content and excessive screen time. France has also moved in the same direction, with President Emmanuel Macron calling for an accelerated legal process to enforce a ban on social media use by children under 15 from the next school year in September.
