Egypt Issues Joint Regulatory Mandate Banning Independent Social Media Accounts for Under 13s and Enforcing Safe Mode Below Age 15
CAIRO — The Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR) and the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) have issued a binding joint decree compelling all social media platforms operating in Egypt to implement strict technical and operational safeguards protecting children and adolescents from digital exploitation and harmful content.
Enacted pursuant to presidential directives issued by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, the regulatory framework establishes a risk tiered model for users below fifteen years of age, dividing young audiences into two primary demographic classifications:
The first category covers children under the age of 13. Under the decree, social platforms are strictly prohibited from creating, activating, or maintaining independent personal user accounts for individuals belonging to this age bracket.
The second category encompasses adolescents aged 13 to under 15. Platforms are permitted to host accounts for this cohort only under the condition that an automated, mandatory Safe Mode is activated by default. The regulations dictate that underage users cannot unilaterally disable or bypass Safe Mode settings throughout the duration of their tenure within this age bracket. Furthermore, tech companies must enforce proportionate, effective age verification mechanisms, eliminate circumvention pathways, and strictly adhere to data minimization principles to safeguard personal user privacy during identity validation.
The joint resolution also obligates digital platforms to audit existing accounts and regularize the status of any profiles identified or suspected through reliable technical heuristics to belong to users under 15, while maintaining transparent appeal channels for age correction errors.
Khaled Abdel Aziz, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, underscored that child protection across digital environments represents a joint institutional responsibility shared between the state, families, civic society, and technology networks. He affirmed that the measures do not seek to isolate youth from technological advancements, but rather to ensure safe, responsible interaction free from cyberbullying, harassment, extortion, and age inappropriate material.
Mohamed Shamroukh, Chief Executive Officer of the NTRA, stated that the telecom regulator is converting state policy into an enforceable technical paradigm that balances child welfare with user privacy rights. Shamroukh added that the framework relies on risk proportionate protection rather than a single uniform model, adapting technical friction according to age tiers and platform specific risks.
Under the transitional terms, global and local social media platforms are granted a strict timeline of not more than three months to achieve full operational compliance. Platforms must formally submit a detailed technical execution roadmap and compliance timetable within 30 days of notification.
