Egypt's telecoms regulator, the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA), has given TikTok a three-month deadline to regulate its content in accordance with the country's social and moral values.
Ahram Online reports that member of parliament (MP) Ahmed Badawi, who also serves on the House of Representatives' Telecommunications Committee, the deadline was set following a high-level meeting last month between TikTok Egypt and North Africa representatives, NTRA head Mohamed Shamrouk, and members of the parliamentary committee.
The decision comes amid mounting public pressure to prohibit the Chinese-owned platform in the North African country, with critics accusing TikTok of disseminating content that "violates societal values" and "defames the reputation of Egyptian women."
According to analysts, Egypt had 41,3 million TikTok users aged 18 and above in early 2025, with 35,8% of the platform’s advert audience being female, whereas 64,2% were male.
Badawi emphasised that, while Egyptian authorities have the legal authority to ban any platform that violates national laws, he feels that stricter regulation and tailored legislation are more beneficial than outright bans.
The MP said the solution is not to prohibit such platforms, but to impose criteria that reflect Egypt's societal fabric.
Furthermore, the Telecommunications and Information Technology Committee, led by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, is currently investigating legal frameworks for regulating digital platforms, with the goal of striking a balance between protecting freedom of expression and maintaining public morality.
"We’ve received numerous complaints from citizens about videos that breach community standards, and there have been widespread social media campaigns urging the complete shutdown of the TikTok app. However, the focus should not be on banning the app but on raising awareness about the risks associated with it,” said Badawi.
He added that these measures are intended to “preserve Egyptian values and identity by promoting content that aligns with societal values and customs.”
Share
