Egyptian authorities have been rounding up teenage TikTok influencers with millions of followers, detaining dozens in recent weeks on a range of charges, from violating family values to money laundering.
Critics argue this escalation is part of a broader state effort to police speech and codify conduct. In a country where traditional media is largely controlled by the state, social media has long served as one of the few alternative platforms for expression. Many of the young people being targeted today were just children when social media was used to mobilize the 2011 protests that toppled long-serving president Hosni Mubarak.
Vague Laws and Arbitrary Enforcement
The crackdown relies on a broadly worded article in a 2018 cybercrime law that criminalizes infringing on “any of the principles or family values in Egyptian society.” Lawyers and human rights groups, such as the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), say these laws are vague and arbitrarily applied.
- Financial Crimes: Authorities can review a TikTok creator’s entire history of posts. If they find even a single post they consider “indecent,” they can declare the creator’s income illegal and charge them with financial crimes.
- Case of Mariam Ayman: One prominent example is Mariam Ayman, a 19-year-old with 9.4 million followers, who has been jailed since August 2. She faces charges of distributing indecent content and laundering 15 million pounds (approximately $300,000). Her lawyer notes that indecency laws are being applied inconsistently and that clear rules are needed across all platforms.
- Broader Campaign: The EIPR has tracked at least 151 people charged under this law over the past five years. The organization claims the campaign has expanded beyond targeting female TikTok users to include individuals with dissenting religious views or those who are part of the LGBTQ+ community.
State-Driven Campaign
The government has actively encouraged this crackdown. Prosecutors have urged citizens to report “objectionable content,” and the Interior Ministry has its own TikTok account, which it uses to comment on videos, urging creators to adhere to moral standards. This has led to an increase in online accusations against TikTok creators, including unfounded claims, such as influencers running an organ trafficking network.
Experts point out the contradiction in charging content creators with financial crimes, noting that legitimate income from social media can be significant in a low-wage country like Egypt. Financial analysts suggest that if the state’s true concern is illegal financial flows, they should be investigating companies rather than individual performers.
