Egypt Bans Social Media Accounts for Children Under 13 - Sarmad

Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation and the National Telecom Regulatory Authority issued a joint decision requiring social media platforms to take measures to protect users under the age of 15 and provide them with a safer digital environment.

The decision divides age groups into two categories. The first covers children under 13, for whom the creation or activation of independent personal accounts is prohibited. The second covers those aged 13 to under 15, allowing account creation only if a safe usage mode is automatically and mandatorily enabled. Platforms must also implement effective age-verification measures to prevent circumvention of age limits, while ensuring the protection of personal data.

The decision further obligates platforms to review existing accounts and take necessary steps to rectify the status of accounts that are proven or likely to belong to users under 15. A clear mechanism for appeals and age correction must be provided in case of errors.