EGYPT Law and Practice Contributed by: Mohamed Eldib, Eldib & Co
5.4 Requirements for Use of Social Media Platforms There are no platform-specific regulations in Egypt, but the general rules governing advertising, consumer protection and data privacy apply across all platforms. Social media advertisements targeting Egyptian con - sumers must be in Arabic or include an Arabic trans - lation. Additionally, foreign platforms that allow paid advertising in Egypt may be required to register or obtain licences for financial reporting and tax com - pliance. There are currently no banned platforms, although certain types of content may be restricted by the SCMR. 5.5 Influencer Campaigns and Online Reviews 5.5.1 Special Rules/Regulations on Influencer Campaigns Influencer marketing is increasingly regulated under general advertising principles. Influencers must dis - close their relationship with a brand when posting paid content or receiving any form of compensation, including free products or gifts. Brands are expected to ensure that influencers they engage comply with these rules. Misleading or non-disclosed promotional content may result in liability for both the influencer and the advertiser. Regulatory scrutiny has increased, particularly in sectors such as health, cosmetics and financial services 5.5.2 Advertiser Liability for Influencer Content Advertisers can be held liable for false, misleading or unsubstantiated claims made by influencers acting on their behalf. This includes situations where the brand provides direction, benefits or materials for the pro - motion. Even if the influencer operates independently, the brand has a duty to monitor the content for com - pliance. Failure to do so may result in administrative penalties or civil claims by consumers or competitors. 5.5.3 Consumer Reviews There are no standalone regulations on consumer reviews, but they are governed by general advertising and consumer protection principles. False reviews, fake testimonials or the suppression of negative reviews may be considered deceptive. Businesses that incentivise reviews must disclose this practice. Advertisers are expected to take reasonable steps to monitor the authenticity of reviews they publish or
promote. The use of bots or misleading endorsements can lead to enforcement action or reputational harm.
6. Privacy and Advertising 6.1 Email Marketing
Email marketing in Egypt is regulated by the gen - eral provisions of the Consumer Protection Law and relevant privacy and electronic communication guidelines under Telecommunication Regulation Law No 10 of 2003. Advertisers must obtain the recipi - ent’s prior consent before sending marketing emails. Emails must include a clear opt-out mechanism, and the sender must be identified. The use of mislead - ing subject lines or concealment of sender identity is prohibited. Violations may result in fines, suspension of electronic communication privileges or civil claims. 6.2 Telemarketing Telemarketing is subject to similar requirements. Con - sent must be obtained before making promotional calls, and recipients must be given a clear right to opt out. Callers must identify themselves and disclose the commercial nature of the call. The National Tel - ecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has also issued guidance restricting the use of automated systems without user consent. Non-compliance may result in administrative penalties or legal action under consumer protection laws. 6.3 Text Messaging Marketing via SMS or messaging apps (such as What - sApp) requires the recipient’s prior consent. Promo - tional texts must include a clear identification of the sender and a simple way to opt out. Mass messag - ing services are regulated by the NTRA, and mobile operators are required to monitor compliance. The use of deceptive messaging or failure to respect consumer preferences can lead to sanctions or service suspen - sion. 6.4 Targeted/Interest-Based Advertising There are no comprehensive data protection laws in Egypt yet, although a draft Data Protection Law has been proposed. In practice, the use of consumer data for targeted advertising is expected to comply with general principles of transparency, data minimisation
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