Egypt Bans Social Media for Kids Under
In a major digital safety initiative, Egyptian regulatory authorities—jointly issued by the Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR) and the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA)—have introduced strict new rules requiring social media platforms to restrict accounts for minors.
Under the newly unveiled framework, platforms are explicitly barred from creating, activating, or maintaining independent personal accounts for children under the age of 13.
The regulations also establish targeted protections for adolescents aged 13 to under 15. While users in this older category are permitted to maintain profiles, platforms are legally mandated to automatically activate a non-disableable “Safe Mode” for them throughout their tenure in this age bracket.
Furthermore, social networks must implement reliable, privacy-compliant age-verification mechanisms to prevent circumvention, while reviewing and adjusting existing accounts to comply with the directive.
Platforms operating in the country have been granted a grace period of up to three months to align their technical and operational infrastructure with the new requirements.
Officials emphasize that these measures aim to strike a balanced approach—protecting children from cyberbullying, harmful content, and digital exploitation while preserving safe and responsible access to technology.
