Egypt Implements Strict Social Media Ban for Children Under 13 and Mandates Safe Mode for Teens

Egyptian authorities announced a major digital crackdown on Thursday, barring children under the age of 13 from holding independent social media accounts and imposing strict mandatory restrictions on users under 15.

In a joint decree issued by the Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR) and the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA), social media platforms now operate under a tough new mandate designed to shield children and young teenagers from digital risks.

Under the newly unveiled regulations, platforms are strictly forbidden from allowing children under 13 to create or activate independent personal accounts. For young teens aged 13 to under 15, personal accounts remain permitted, but platforms must automatically and mandatorily activate “Safe Mode” on these profiles, a setting that cannot be unilaterally disabled by the underage user.

To ensure compliance, the decree compels tech platforms to deploy effective age-verification protocols and prevent users from manipulating age boundaries. Companies must audit existing accounts and take immediate action against any profile confirmed or suspected to belong to a user under 15, while providing a formal appeals process to correct verification errors.

Officials frame the measures as a direct response to directives from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi aimed at safeguarding youth from social media misuse. Khaled Abdel Aziz, Chairman of the SCMR, emphasized that digital child safety is a shared responsibility, while NTRA Chief Executive Mohamed Shamroukh explained that the framework operates on the principle of age- and risk-proportionate protection.

Tech firms have three months to bring their operations into full compliance and must submit a comprehensive operational blueprint and technical timeline within the next 30 days.