Egypt Moves to Ban Social Media Use for Under-16s

Egypt is moving toward banning children and teenagers under the age of 16 from creating accounts or using social media platforms, as authorities accelerate work on a draft law aimed at protecting minors from online risks.

Local media reported that the proposed legislation is designed to shield young users from psychological, social and security threats linked to inappropriate digital content. The bill would prohibit under-16s from accessing social media and messaging platforms and place significant legal responsibility on technology companies operating in Egypt.

According to sources cited by Cairo 24, the draft law includes substantial financial penalties for global platforms that fail to comply. Companies would also be required to implement robust and effective age-verification systems to prevent minors from bypassing restrictions.

The move reflects growing concern within the Egyptian government over the impact of digital platforms on children, including online addiction, exposure to violent or sexual content, cyberbullying, exploitation and negative effects on mental health and academic performance.

The initiative follows a parliamentary question submitted by MP Khaled Tantawy, who urged the government to adopt measures similar to Australia’s nationwide ban on social media for under-16s, which came into force in December 2025. Several major platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Threads and X, have already committed to stricter age controls in other countries.

A report by Egypt’s National Centre for Social and Criminological Research found that nearly 49.8 per cent of Egyptian children and adolescents use social media, highlighting widespread adoption and intensifying concerns among policymakers and families.

Egypt’s proposal comes amid a global push to regulate children’s access to social media. Australia led the trend with a comprehensive ban, followed by countries such as France, Malaysia, Denmark, Norway and other European states that are considering or implementing similar restrictions.

Officials in Cairo view the draft law as part of a broader strategy to safeguard social stability and cultural values, while addressing threats such as cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, harmful content and digital addiction that can hinder healthy psychological and educational development.