AFTE examines how Egypt's media regulator exploits the fight against fake news to stifle independent journalism and restrict access to vital information, calling for urgent reforms in line with international human rights standards.
This statement was originally published on afteeegypt.org on 17 February 2025. Prepared by: Rahma Samy, a researcher at AFTE
The international standards not only protect freedom of expression, but also emphasize the need to strike a balance between this right and the protection of society from fake news that may threaten public security.
Executive summary
The Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR), an independent body under Egypt’s constitution, has adopted a policy that restricts media freedom. The policy is based on expanding media restrictions and penalties under the pretext of countering rumors, while failing to protect media freedom and enable journalists to access information held by official authorities.
The SCMR cannot continue to expand accusations of spreading fake news and include critical media reports in these accusations without being bound by a specific definition. Therefore, it should change its policy and focus on supporting media freedom and access to information instead of levelling these broad accusations against journalists and media outlets.
A new policy in this regard would help promote media freedom on the one hand, and ensure that citizens can access information on the other, while avoiding the dissemination of fake news in accordance with objective international standards.
Introduction
The SCMR has recently targeted more than one media outlet, especially independent news websites, for publishing critical reports. For example, the editor-in-chief and legal officer of the Zat Masr website were summoned[1] for investigation on charges of spreading false and inflammatory news that contradicts journalistic and media codes of conduct, according to a statement issued by the SCMR on 5 January 2024.
In another incident, the SCMR decided on 15 October 2024 to refer those in charge of Mada Masr website[2] to investigation, while notifying the Public Prosecutor if the violations are proven. The website was accused of publishing inflammatory reports that harm national security, citing sources that the SCMR described as “fake and unidentified”, while stressing the need to adhere to documented government statements. In another statement[3] in August 2024, the SCMR noted that some websites and social media accounts published “tendentious” reports about an incident in Taba, and that legal action was taken against them. It stressed the need to seek reliable sources and not to report news from instigating or unknown sources.
These are some examples of how the SCMR classifies some critical reports as fake news, reflecting its policy toward what it deems to be contrary to the standards it sets. On the other hand, the SCMR does not pay attention to the availability of official information in the absence of a law on access to information and the authorities’ failure to disclose information in advance. This is evident from interviews conducted by AFTE with a number of editors-in-chief of some independent newspapers who were affected by the SCMR’s policy.
Background
International standards for combating fake news are based on the premise that the media should not be a tool for misleading the public. UNESCO defines fake news[4] as “information deliberately fabricated and published with the intention to deceive and mislead others into believing falsehoods or doubting verifiable facts”.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression concluded that “with technological and digital advances, the ability of fake news to influence has increased, often leading authorities to restrict freedom of expression and undermine democratic governance principles. The spread of fake news is linked to freedom of expression, which makes it possible to address it through restrictions on the access to information, especially in times of crises, when the curtailment of freedom becomes justified by society as a means of confronting the threat of fake news, which poses great challenges to democracy”.
It should also be noted that acting in an organized and strategic manner to spread false or misleading information is considered disinformation[5] and must be confronted. To counter this, the authorities should protect freedom of expression, support independent media, and ensure the publication and prior disclosure of official information, and political influences in dealing with critical media should be avoided.
Transparency and access to information are key to countering the spread of fake news and ensuring the public’s right to know the truth. In this context, providing official platforms to periodically and proactively disseminate reliable information is one of the effective tools to combat disinformation. Enhancing transparency also requires the establishment of legal mechanisms that guarantee the right of journalists and citizens to obtain information from official sources without hindrance. These policies enhance trust between the public and institutions, and reduce reliance on unreliable sources, which contributes to building a healthy media environment that supports freedom of expression and access to information.
Current policy towards countering fake news
Despite SCMR’s efforts to combat fake news, there is criticism of the lack of accurate definition of fake news, as news reports critical of government policies are sometimes considered fake news. This has restricted freedom of the press and independent media in Egypt. For example, independent news websites such as Mada Masr and Zat Masr reported negative effects as a result of blocking their content, with critical articles having been classified as fake news even though they were based on facts and professional verification. This raises questions about the integrity of the measures taken and their consistency with the principles of transparency and media freedom.
For example, the SCMR announced “media codes” that aim to set professional and ethical standards for covering sensitive issues, such as elections and combating fake news. In addition, it sought to train media cadres, and repeatedly stressed the importance of relying on reliable sources and providing official statements to the public in order to curb the spread of rumors. The SCMR also launched awareness campaigns for the public and media professionals on the importance of combating fake news and enhancing credibility in the media, which reflects attempts to improve the media environment despite criticisms related to the application of these policies selectively at times.
Despite these efforts, the SCMR has made no effort to adopt proactive mechanisms for the dissemination and availability of official information. In November 2024, it launched an initiative[6] under the title “Catch a faker”, which aims to confront fake accounts that impersonate public figures, and educate the public about the importance of verifying information before sharing it. The initiative emphasized the role of the media in combating rumors by spreading true news and supporting freedom of access to information to ensure transparency and provide reliable information to the public.
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