CAIRO — More Egyptian families of low-income and working‐class backgrounds have discovered video-sharing platforms such as YouTube and TikTok as a means of income. While adhering to stay-at-home guidance to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, amateur content creators have been producing short videos of their daily routines.
In this most populous Arab country, around 32.5% of the population lives in conditions of extreme poverty, according to the statistical institution CAMPAS. Many low-income households have found salvation in video blogs. By using basic and accessible tools — a mobile phone camera and a good internet connection — they have been able to tap into the advertising revenue of video-streaming platforms.