The Egyptian Parliament is currently studying ways to regulate children's use of social media in order to combat what lawmakers call "digital chaos ," similar to some Western countries that are considering banning young teenagers from accessing social media.
The House of Representatives said in a statement Sunday night that it would work on legislation to regulate children's use of social media and to "end the digital chaos our children face that is negatively impacting their future . "
The lawmakers will consult with the government and specialist bodies to draft a law aimed at "protecting Egyptian children from any risk threatening their thoughts and behavior ," the statement said.
This statement follows President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi 's call on Saturday for his government and lawmakers to consider adopting a law restricting children's use of social media "until they reach an age where they can use it appropriately . "
In his televised comments, the president urged his government to take inspiration from other countries, including Australia and the United Kingdom , which are working on legislation to "restrict or prohibit" children's access to social media.
According to a 2024 report by the National Centre for Social and Criminological Research , a government-linked think tank, approximately 50% of children under 18 in Egypt use social media , where they are likely to be exposed to harmful content, cyberbullying , and abuse.
In December, Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16. This decision sparked heated debates about technology use, privacy, child safety and mental health, and prompted other countries to consider similar measures.
The British government has stated that it will consider banning social media for young teenagers while strengthening laws to protect children from harmful content and excessive screen time.
French President Emmanuel Macron has urged his government to accelerate the legislative process to ensure that the ban on social media for children under 15 can be implemented by the start of the school year in September.
