On Sept. 25, a judicial report was issued by the State Commissioners Authority, the advisory body for the State Council, supporting the Ministry of Interior’s decision to monitor social networking sites, follow up on activity on these sites and take all security measures necessary to address any threats to public security to ensure the best interest of the country.
This report stirred the ire of numerous activists and human rights defenders, who saw it as a new tool to intimidate, stifle voices and suppress the freedoms of social media users, especially since social networking sites played a key role in mobilizing young people, fostering protest movements and highlighting the shortcomings of President Hosni Mubarak's regime before the outbreak of the January 25 Revolution in 2011.
