President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi directed the Egyptian government and parliament to study age-based restrictions on children’s use of mobile phones and digital platforms, citing models adopted in Australia and the United Kingdom, during his speech on Saturday, 24 January, at the Police Day celebrations at the Police Academy.
Al-Sisi urged authorities to examine international experiences before moving forward with similar legislation in Egypt. “We need to study how other countries are protecting children until they reach an age where they can handle technology responsibly,” he said, referring to recent measures introduced in Australia and the United Kingdom.
President Sisi’s remarks followed his warning about rapidly developing technology and artificial intelligence that can fabricate or distort reality, posing risks to young people without proper awareness and guidance.
In Australia, lawmakers introduced what is widely described as the world’s first social media minimum age law, requiring platforms to prevent users under the age of 16 years from creating or maintaining accounts. The measure, enacted into law in late 2025, aims to shield young people from harmful online content and addictive features by ensuring they spend more time building digital skills before accessing major platforms.
In the United Kingdom, the government has begun consultations on adopting similar age-based restrictions on social media use, with officials saying no option is “off the table” as it explores ways to better protect young people online.
Al-Sisi called for coordinated efforts across state institutions to strengthen awareness and resilience among young people, describing it as a responsibility necessary to protect future generations and maintain national stability.
The president added that all sectors of society have a role to play in safeguarding youth from destabilising digital content.
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