Will Egypt start charging citizens to use Facebook?
Egypt's parliament is considering a bill to control the use of social media platforms such as Facebook in the name of fighting terrorism and tracking cybercrime.
CAIRO — Egyptian parliamentarian Riyad Abdul Sattar proposed a bill on on April 18 to control usage of social media platforms like Facebook by linking account access to the user’s national ID number and charging registration fees, at least in its first draft. Parliament member Mohammad Komi went a step further on April 21, announcing he would submit another bill to establish an Egyptian version of Facebook.
The two bills aim to deter the usage of social media to criticize state figures like President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and institutions like the judiciary and military, as well as to track users who support terrorism.
The bills set off a wave of sarcasm on social media, as Facebook is free to use and not owned by the Egyptian government. The government cannot impose a registration fee or force users to link their accounts to their national ID numbers. Many users objected to the idea of a monitored Egyptian social media platform, while others defended the bill, saying social media platforms threaten Egypt’s national security and must be brought under control.
Abdul Sattar, defending the move, told Al-Monitor, “People around the world have different cultures, and their freedom varies depending on their ability to bear responsibilities. A country like Egypt with a high illiteracy rate cannot be put on par with the US and Europe.”
