CAIRO, August 18, 2018 - President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Saturday signed off Law No. 175/2018 for combatting cybercrimes, The Official Gazette reported. The law stipulates that the providers of communications and IT services should be committed to preserving and storing IT system record for 180 consecutive days. It also states that the service provider should offer to the users or any governmental body concerned the data and information related to its name and address besides the data licence to determine the party which it will be submitted to its supervision. The law stipulates punishing those who commit crimes of violating the safety of networks and IT systems besides using without right communications and IT services. The law allows authorities, through a judge, to order the blocking of websites that "constitute a threat" to Egypt's national security or economy. Those who administer or visit such websites, intentionally or "in error without a valid reason", can now face jail time and fines. Such decisions can be appealed, according to Law No. 175/2018 Last month, the lawmakers last month approved another bill that grants the state's Supreme Council for Media Regulations the right to monitor social media users. Under that legislation, which President Sisi has yet to approve, people whose social media accounts have more than 5,000 followers could be placed under supervision. The council would be authorised to suspend or block any personal account, which publishes or broadcasts fake news or anything (information) inciting violating the law, violence or hatred".
