1. Introduction to Cyberbullying
• Definition and types of cyberbullying: Explain what cyberbullying is, its common forms (insults, threats, public humiliation, etc.).
With the technological evolution that the world is experiencing, it is obvious that, despite the many advantages it provides, its negative effects continue to increase. Among these harmful effects, one of the most worrying phenomena is that of cyberbullying.
According to UNICEF, cyberbullying is "harassment using digital technologies. It can occur on social networks, messaging platforms, gaming platforms and mobile phones. It is a repeated behavior, aimed at frightening, angering or humiliating the targeted people1."
Cyberbullying can take different forms such as:
• Insults and threats: This involves sending hurtful, abusive or threatening messages, images or videos via messaging platforms.
• Public humiliation: This can be done by spreading lies or posting embarrassing photos or videos of someone on social media.
• Online sexual harassment: Sending unsolicited sexual communications or hateful comments related to sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
At the national level, Egyptian Law No. 185 for the year 2023 amending the Egyptian Penal Code in its art. 306 bis specifies that a harasser is: “any person who attacks another, in a public or private or frequented place, by sexual or pornographic acts, suggestions, or insinuations, whether by gestures, words, or actions, by any means, including wired, wireless, or electronic means of communication, or any other technological means.”
• Global and local context: Provide an overview of the phenomenon globally and in Egypt.
Cyberbullying is not only a regional phenomenon, but also a global one, as proven by various studies.
According to a 2024 WHO study of school-aged children, approximately 1 in 6 adolescents (15%) have experienced cyberbullying, with the rate being 15% for boys and 16% for girls. This figure represents an increase from 2018.
"In addition, a 2019 UNICEF survey found that 1 in 3 young people in 30 countries have experienced cyberbullying, and 1 in 5 reported avoiding school because of cyberbullying and violence.
Focusing on Egypt, a study was conducted among 6,740 students of all levels and faculties at Beni-Suef University. Nearly half of the students (48.2%) reported experiencing cyberbullying in the past 6 months. Harassment was the type of violence most commonly reported by women (79.8%), while online insults (flaming) were frequently reported by men (51.8%)5.
A second study conducted in 2017 on a sample of secondary school students in Minya Governorate found that the rate of cyberbullying among the sample was 58.9 %6.
However, in a third study conducted mainly among Egyptian women, approximately 41.6% of participants reported experiencing online violence in 2021, and 45.3% reported multiple incidents of exposure.7
• Impact on victims: Discuss the psychological, social, and legal effects of cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying affects individuals in many ways: victims may become socially isolated and feel unsafe. It can lead to emotional and physical harm, loss of self-esteem, feelings of shame and anxiety, and
than difficulties in concentration and learning. In the most serious cases, it can push some people, especially young people, to suicide." From a legal perspective, the Egyptian Penal Code was amended by Law No. 185 of 2023 to strengthen the penalties for perpetrators of cyberbullying.
According to Art. 306 bis of the Egyptian Penal Code, the harasser can be punished with imprisonment for a period of 2 to 4 years and/or a fine of 100 thousand to 200 thousand LE.
The Egyptian Legal Framework to Combat Cyberbullying
Egypt has established a legal framework to combat cyberbullying, based on both constitutional provisions and specific legislation. Although these laws provide a solid basis for combating online harassment, challenges remain in their implementation and strengthening.
Main legal provisions:
• Egyptian Constitution, Article 57: This article guarantees the privacy of individuals, including electronic communications. It is a fundamental principle underlying protection against cyberbullying.
• Law No. 175 of 2018 on Combating Information Technology Crimes:
o Articles 24 and 25: These articles criminalize creating fake accounts, sharing private information without consent, and sending harassing messages.
o Articles 14, 15, and 16: These articles cover hacking, data breaches, and other cybercrimes that can be used to perpetrate cyberbullying.
• Penal Code (Law No. 58 of 1937, as amended by Law No. 185 of 2023):
o Articles 302, 303, 306 and 308: These articles deal with defamation, slander and insult, which can be applied to online harassment, especially when it involves the dissemination of false information or malicious content.
o Article 306 bis: This article, added by Law No. 185 of 2023, specifically targets cyberbullying, defining penalties for electronic harassment.
Challenges and solutions to combat cyberbullying
Cyberbullying presents several challenges, including the need for a clear definition for its legal application, rapid technological developments, the cross-border nature of cybercrimes, resource constraints of authorities, victims’ reluctance to report incidents, and cultural and social influences.
Solutions to address these include:
• Establishing clear legal definitions covering various forms of online harassment.
• Strengthening laws and training authorities to investigate and prosecute effectively.
• Strengthening support for victims, including counseling, legal aid, and reporting assistance.
• Increasing international cooperation to address cross-border cases.
• Awareness campaigns to educate the public about the dangers and consequences of cyberbullying.
• Exploring technological solutions to detect and prevent these acts.
- The impact of social networks and digital platforms:
1. Role of online platforms (Analyze the role of social networks in cyberbullying; Facebook - Twitter/X - Instagram, etc.)
2. Responsibility of digital companies; Discuss the legal responsibilities of companies that operate these platforms in terms of security and content moderation.
3. Measures taken by companies to prevent cyberbullying; Present the policies put in place by companies to counter the phenomenon.
1] Role of Online Platforms:
→ As social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and others continue to grow in popularity, teens are spending more time online navigating a complex virtual world. When teens are online, they adapt to a different set of social norms than when interacting with their counterparts in person. They are often more aggressive or critical on social media because of the anonymity they enjoy online and their ability to avoid retaliation. Additionally, cyberbullies may feel less remorse or empathy when engaging in these behaviors because they cannot see the direct impact of their actions. Teens who are addicted to social media are more likely to engage in cyberbullying, as are those who spend more time online.
2] Digital Business Responsibility:
→ Cybersecurity is a valuable ally in the fight against cyberbullying, offering both protective and preventative solutions that help individuals avoid falling prey to bullies or being exploited online. That is why protective measures are taken by collaborating with cybersecurity companies to combat cyberbullying. An integrated approach combining cybersecurity, education, and regulatory action offers the most effective protection against cyberbullying. Check Point Software suggests the following concrete methods that can prevent or mitigate cyberbullying and its effects:
1. Enhanced Privacy Settings: Encourage individuals to use privacy settings on social media platforms to control who can view and interact with their content.
2. Multi-Factor Authentication: Implement multi-factor authentication on all accounts to prevent unauthorized access, making it difficult for cyberbullies to hack personal profiles.
3. Legal Remedies and Reporting: Strengthen cyberbullying laws and ensure reporting mechanisms are easily accessible to victims, with clear pathways to hold perpetrators accountable.
4. Digital Literacy Education: Teach young users how to recognise cyberbullying, report it and adopt safe online behaviour to reduce their risks.
5. International Collaboration: Given the cross-border nature of cyberbullying, fostering international partnerships can help enforce laws across jurisdictions and bring perpetrators to justice.
3] Steps companies are taking to prevent cyberbullying:
→ Each social platform offers different tools (see examples below) that allow you to restrict who can comment on or see your posts or who can automatically connect as a friend, and report instances of bullying. Many of these involve simple steps to block, mute or report cyberbullying.
→ Examples of safeguards put in place by digital companies:
For Instagram and Facebook:
- You can block people, including any existing and new accounts they may create.
- You can deactivate an account and that account will not be notified.
- You can moderate comments on your own posts.
- You can change your settings so that only people you follow can send you a direct message.
- They automatically filter comments and message requests that do not go against their community guidelines but may be considered inappropriate or offensive. You can also create your own custom list of emojis, words or phrases that you do not want to see.
For Twitter/X:
- Choose who can reply to your messages: either everyone, only people you follow or only people you mention.
- Report – file a report of abusive behavior.
- Safe Mode – a feature that temporarily blocks accounts that use potentially harmful language or send repetitive and unsolicited replies or mentions.
Cyberbullying (cyberbullying) is considered one of the types of online crimes, and Egyptian law allows victims to report any abusive behavior they encounter on social media platforms.
Many countries, including Egypt, expect social media platforms to take necessary measures to combat online crimes, including cyberbullying.
This includes monitoring the types of content shared on these platforms and controlling content that is inappropriate or does not comply with community guidelines and standards. Platforms do this by removing posts that violate policies against harassment, bullying, or hate speech, or by restricting inappropriate content. In addition, platforms must provide effective reporting mechanisms that allow victims of online crimes to easily report any offensive content to facilitate the resolution of their concerns.
The legal framework for combating online crimes in Egypt is composed of several laws and regulations. One of the most important is Article 57 of the Egyptian Constitution, which emphasizes respect for the privacy of individuals, even in electronic communications and messages. The Cybercrime and Information Technology Law (Law No. 175 of 2018) is the main law in Egypt to combat different types of online crimes, including cyberbullying, which it considers a punishable offense.
In addition, the Egyptian Penal Code (Law No. 58 of 1937), amended by Law No. 141 of 2021, contains articles related to defamation, insult, and harmful behavior online, including cyberbullying. It provides for a penalty of at least six months in prison and a fine of between ten thousand and thirty thousand Egyptian pounds, or both, for those found guilty of cyberbullying.
The Egyptian government provides citizens with means to contact cybercrime investigation authorities. Citizens can contact the "General Directorate of Information Technology" at the numbers "0224065052 - 0224065051" or via the emergency line "108" of the Directorate for Combating Computer Crimes.
The main office of this directorate is located at the headquarters of the Ministry of Interior in the First Sector, New Cairo; while the Central Complaints Reception Unit is located at the Human Development Institute in Abbasiya, Cairo. The status of complaints regarding online crimes can also be checked via the Ministry of Interior website at https://moi.gov.eg.
It is important to report to the cybercrime investigation authorities promptly and avoid waiting more than three months after the incident. It is necessary to provide physical evidence of online harassment to establish the incident, such as text messages, emails, photos, videos, and screenshots. Evidence may include call logs, video or audio recordings, and other available documents.
Apart from the legal efforts in Egypt to combat cyberbullying, the government also undertakes an institutional effort in a multi-sectoral and collaborative approach.
Combating online threats and cyberbullying requires a coordinated effort between the government, international organizations, the private sector, the technology industry, families, and guardians.
On the government side, the Ministries of Social Solidarity, Health and Education are working together to raise public awareness of the risks of cyberbullying and to implement preventive measures, through clear policies and dedicated resources. In addition, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology launched an ambitious program in 2007 to ensure the safety of children online. This program aims to protect them from digital exploitation, harassment and child pornography, as well as to prevent extremism and solicitations for sexual purposes. As part of the national strategy, a Child Protection Action Plan has been developed to end violence (including cyberbullying) against children, focusing on:
• School-based interventions: Social workers are present in schools and are qualified to deal with these cases of cyberbullying, they are trained to identify the signs of cyberbullying, support children and encourage open communication with parents.
• Nurses and educators play an active role in preventing cyberbullying by advising parents to remain vigilant about their children’s online behaviour.
• Support lines: The Children’s Helpline 16000 and the Family Counselling Line 16021 provide support to victims of violence, including those facing online bullying. The government has strengthened the role of child protection committees and case management units by training them to respond to parents’ requests. The training workshops for helpline staff are part of a broader programme funded by the European Union (EU) in partnership with UNICEF to reduce violence against children in Egypt; within the framework of this program and under the leadership of the Ministry of Social Solidarity (National Strategic Framework to End Violence against Children in Egypt, February 2018, Learn more: https://nccm.gov.eg )
All this is done in collaboration with several NGOs, international organizations and national organizations with which they have also launched several media campaigns against violence and harassment directed at children, while promoting concepts of positive parenting:
In 2018, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM) and UNICEF launched an anti-bullying campaign called "I am against bullying", in partnership
with the Ministry of Education and funded by the European Union, which subsequently contributed to the issuance of a law criminalizing bullying (Source: https://idsc.gov.eg/upload/DocumentLibraryIssues/AttachmentA/8631/Egypt's%20Anti-Bullying%20E<orts%20Overview.pdf)
In 2020, an anti-bullying campaign #ChooseWordsWisely was launched to combat cyberbullying in Egypt, as part of government initiatives that combined the efforts of the National Council for Women (NCW), NCCM (https://sschr.gov.eg/media/xo1gotsb/english-2021child.pdf , Report on National Efforts to Improve Children's Rights on the Occasion of Universal Children's Day)
In addition, Egypt joined the Safer Internet campaign that was launched on the digital platforms of NCCM, the Ministry of Education, UNICEF and the EU, providing informative content for two weeks on the subject.
It can therefore be clearly seen that the collaboration between the government and NGOs is essential in preventing cyberbullying and raising awareness, with their real efforts for child protection. These awareness and prevention efforts therefore push the legislator to take action.
In addition, UNICEF Egypt also raises awareness about cyberbullying by posting online safety guidelines on how to avoid online scams and threats, how to create strong passwords, how to share content and communicate responsibly online and, most importantly, how to be proactive and fight against cyberbullying (by not sharing it, reporting it, supporting its victims, etc.) (See: https://www.unicef.org/egypt/protecting-children-cyberbullying)
This awareness helps to recognize cyberbullying itself, because today cyberbullying takes di<erent forms and people tend to normalize it, especially in Egypt, by not even being aware that it is a form of bullying. In addition, raising awareness about this topic helps parents, guardians and teachers to address this issue and understand its psychological aspects as well as ways to respond to it (online and legal measures to take).
https://www.unicef.org/egypt/media/806/file/Cyberbullying-Leaflet-EN.pdf This guide, prepared by UNICEF, provides a summary of the most important information that parents and teachers need to know and teach children about cyberbullying and how to stop it.
Apart from UNICEF, Instagram has developed a guide explaining to parents how to keep their children's Instagram photos safe and private (here: https://about.instagram.com/community/parents ) and also the Meta hub that provides support on this topic (link: https://about.meta.com/actions/safety/topics/bullying- harassment ). And Interland, an online adventure developed by Google that puts key digital safety lessons into practice with four challenging games for kids (link: https://storage.googleapis.com/gweb-interland.appsp and for more resources from Google on cyberbullying here: https://beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com/en_us and https://storage.googleapis.com/gweb-interland.appsp ).
Above all, it is a community eJort: the role of social welfare and family support services is essential to provide guidance to families on how to address online safety and prevent harm.
According to research by professors of sociology and childcare at Egyptian universities: the intervention of schools, guardians and parents has a significant impact on cyberbullying on a psychological level. Parents should maintain open communication with their children and be alert to signs of online victimization. This is why awareness campaigns targeting adolescents and parents focus on emotional safety, understanding why children may engage in cyberbullying, and how to prevent such behavior.
Suggestions to optimize protection and prevention practices:
1. Data collection and research: Prioritize the collection of indicators on cyberbullying to guide future policies and interventions.
2. Strengthening legal protections: Improve laws on cyberbullying and their enforcement by authorities.
3. Responsibility of technology companies: Develop tools to protect children, facilitate reporting, and promote digital literacy.
4. Government initiatives: As part of Egypt Vision 2030, strengthen surveillance systems and responses to digital crimes.
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