Egyptian MP Essam Diab seeks to ban TikTok for 'spreading debauchery'

Egyptian MP Essam Diab officially called on Prime Minster Mostafa Madbouly and Communications and Information Minister Amr Talaat to ban TikTok from the country for violating societal and family values, reviving an already ongoing debate in the Arab World's most populous country. 

In a statement posted on his official Facebook page on Wednesday evening, Diab said he had submitted a briefing request to both Madbouly and Talaat, urging them to block the application indefinitely for "spreading debauchery and obscenity among young people."

Diab further argued that the content on TikTok poses a threat to the identity and ethics of Egyptian society.

Egypt has been recently ranked 11th country among the countries with the most TikTok users in the world, with about 37 million of them, according to We Are Social.

According to a 2023 survey by the cabinet's Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC), TikTok came the third among the most-used social media platforms, after Facebook and Instagram.

Appearing in an interview with talk show host Tamer Amin on Al Nahar TV later that same day, the parliamentarian further explained that TikTok should be restricted in Egypt at least "until being legalised or regulated in a way that abide by the Egyptian customs and traditions."

Diab expressed concerns towards possible threats to national security, as well as the immense profit TikTokers make through their video segments that have garnered thousands or millions of views.    

Diab's request may have contradicted earlier statements by his colleague, the lower-house of the parliament's head of Communications Committee, Ahmed Badawi, who had denied in remarks to reporters in earlier August any intention to ban the Chinese video app.

Badawi said the committee recommended that the National Telecom Regulatory Authority may only censor TikTok clips and live content that violates modesty, social, or religious values. He did not elaborate further on the expected action plan or technical details.

The Egyptian government has enacted strict measures to control social media content as stringent laws enacted in this regard. Several TikTokers, mostly women, were arrested and charged with "violating family values" under Egypt's anti-cybercrime law ratified in 2018, which allows authorities to monitor internet content and users. 

TikTok, launched by the Chinese technology company ByteDance in 2016, has triggered security concerns worldwide in recent years.  In April this year, outgoing US President Joe Biden signed a bill that could ban TikTok in the country until the Chinese patent company ByteDance sells the video app within 270 days.

Operating in more than 150 countries, TikTok has been banned in 19 countries, whether fully or partially, including India, Iran, and North Korea. Countries, such as the UK, France, Canada and Australia, have only restricted its usage on government devices due to privacy and security concerns.