New York Magazine Takes a Look at Egypt’s Prohibitions on “Fake News”

In New York magazine, a discussion of Egyptian laws that forbid “fake news,” and how the government uses them to tamp down dissent and criticism. Notes the magazine, “Under the Egyptian legislation, social-media accounts and blogs with over 5,000 followers are officially considered media companies and are subject to stricter censorship requirements. By treating anyone with a blog and modest following the same as a larger media company, the Egyptian government is effectively quashing criticism from any citizen possessing cultural sway. Using “fake news” as a stand-in for censorship, the Egyptian government is also weaponizing legitimate concerns of misinformation toward speech it finds unfavorable to state leaders. It sounds dishearteningly familiar.”