The Darkside of Technology: A Digitally Repressive Egypt

By Nicholas Sturos

There is no doubt that technological advancements have had profound benefits for humans.[1] However, technology in the wrong hands can truly be disastrous.[2] The current Egyptian government mirrors regimes in dystopian novels by using technology to squash political opponents and censor the speech of ordinary citizens.[3]

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was a military leader that became Egypt’s de facto president after a coup in 2013.[4] He became the nation’s leader after mass protests regarding inter alia Egypt’s deteriorating economy.[5] The protests came to a head when the nation’s military ousted the former democratically-elected president, Mohammad Morsi.[6] While President Sisi led a major effort to return Egypt to stability against extremist groups, his reign has been under scrutiny for excessive suppression of opposing political viewpoints.[7] Under President Sisi’s leadership, both political opponents and ordinary citizens have been arrested and tortured for sharing dissenting viewpoints against the government.[8] President Sisi’s government has begun using technology to repress and control Egypt.[9] The use of smart cities and the surveillance of the internet are a couple of examples of the digital tactics Egypt uses against its citizens.[10] The restrictions employed against citizen’s speech have been questioned as violating human rights.[11] International standards of human rights protect the freedom of speech and privacy.[12] President Sisi’s use of technology hampers these human rights.[13]

Technology that was once thought unattainable and only existed in science fiction stories are presently available. President Sisi’s New Administrative Capital is a smart city which utilizes Wi-Fi hotspots, key card building access, and 6,000 cameras to watch over its 6.5 million citizens.[14] Smart cities, like the name suggests, are cities that use various forms of technologies and sensors to collect, track, and relay citizen data to the government.[15] Smart cities are double edged swords. On one side, these cities provide effective governance such as controlling crime; however, on the flip side, these cities also pose concerns of privacy and control.[16] Some citizens find comfort in the advanced city, believing the new technology will make life easier and safer.[17] Other citizens and human rights experts are concerned that the New Administrative Capital will be used to further suppress free speech in Egypt.[18] The New Administrative Capital is one of several new smart city projects being developed in Egypt.[19] Even beyond the total smart cities, in 2019, Egypt passed a bill that forces public shops to install surveillance cameras, in essence, creating a total country under governmental observation.[20]

With the rise in technology, there comes a risk of unregulated control and surveillance upon non-consenting citizens.[21] Likewise, surveillance practices in Egypt are largely unregulated.[22] Coupling excessive camera observation with powerful new technology, such as facial recognition and machine learning, can mean a new era of authoritative control and political suppression.[23]

Image of a glitch. Image courtesy of Michael Dziedzic via Unsplash.

The internet is such a monumental step in human connectivity that a world without it seems almost barren. For Egyptian citizens, the internet has become a place of governmental observation and suppression.[24] Recently, Egyptian leadership has obtained an Open-Source Intelligence platform from an Israeli company, which gives the Egyptian government greater ability to monitor internet communications.[25] The Open-Source Intelligence collects, classifies, and analyzes public information on the internet like photos, social media posts, articles, and blog posts.[26] The intelligence can also provide the government with citizens’ IP addresses and geographical locations.[27] Egypt has also obtained similar technologies from the United States and France in past years, which allows the government to monitor private communications and track political opponents.[28] Mass surveillance by the governments is a form of censorship since individuals that are aware of the monitoring will refuse to share their opinions online in fear of retaliation.[29]

In 2020, Egypt introduced a data protection law in line with EU data laws to regulate and protect citizen data.[30] This law aimed to regulate companies that process and control Egyptian citizens’ private internet data.[31] Additionally, in 2021, President Sisi claimed to take steps to promote human rights in Egypt, including focusing on civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights.[32] However, such efforts have not stippled the government from arresting citizens for posting anti-government messages online.[33] Under Egypt’s Information Technology Crime Law, telecommunication companies are obligated to save and store customer usage data which the government can monitor.[34] Moreover, contrary to the President’s alleged humanitarian steps, Egyptian Public Prosecution has been ordered to target oppositional posts on social media.[35] Even subtle posts addressing Egyptian living standards can get a person arrested.[36] Further, in 2018, Egypt passed legislation allowing the government to block website access under the guise of national security.[37] An independent Egyptian human rights organization noted the government has blocked nearly 600 websites.[38] Among a number of websites and social media accounts blocked were some human rights websites, including Human Rights Watch.[39]

While technology itself is not a problem per se, it can become a tool of great oppression in unchecked hands.[40] Through persistent camera observation to prevent protests, and repression of speech criticizing the government, Egypt’s smart cities and private internet monitoring violates standards of international human rights for privacy and free speech.[41] Problems of human rights violations and censorship go deeper than simple technology regulations; no panacea can address complex political issues.[42] However, creating enforceable technology regulations and holding countries accountable for human rights violations can be a step towards fighting oppressive leaderships that choose to use powerful technology against their citizens.[43]

[1] See generally Stefan Ellerbeck, 5 Innovations that are Revolutionizing Global Healthcare, World Economic Forum (Feb. 22, 2023), https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/02/health-future-innovation-technology/; Tom Swallow, Top Ten Green Technology Innovations, Sustainability (July 1, 2022), https://sustainabilitymag.com/top10/top-10-green-technology-innovations.

[2] See generally Dave Johnson, Scientists Reveal the 13 Dark Technology Scenarios that Keep Them Up at Night, Buss. Insider (Oct. 30, 2019), https://www.businessinsider.com/scary-technology-scenarios-scientists-drones-robots-ai-deepfakes-2019-10#self-driving-cars-can-be-hacked-and-remotely-controlled-5; Kelsey Piper, How Technological Progress is Making it Likelier Than Ever that Humans Will Destroy Ourselves, Vox (Nov. 19, 2018), https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2018/11/19/18097663/nick-bostrom-vulnerable-world-global-catastrophic-risks.

[3] Joey Shea, Global Tech and Domestic Tactics: Egypt’s Multifaceted Regime of Information Controls, Tahrir Institute (Jan. 31, 2020), https://timep.org/2020/01/31/global-tech-and-domestic-tactics-egypts-multifaceted-regime-of-information-controls/.

[4] See Abdel Fattah al-Sisi President of Egypt, Britannica (last updated Jan. 28, 2024),  https://www.britannica.com/biography/Abdel-Fattah-al-Sisi; Jon Hoffman, Ten Years After Coup, the U.S. Still Supports Tyranny in Egypt, CATO Institute (July 3, 2023), https://www.cato.org/commentary/ten-years-after-coup-us-still-supports-tyranny-egypt.

[5] Jon Hoffman, supra note 4.

[6] See Abdel Fattah al-Sisi President of Egypt, supra note 4.

[7] See id.

[8] Egypt: No End to Systematic Repression, Human Rights Watch (Jan. 13, 2022), https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/01/13/egypt-no-end-systematic-repression.

[9] Joey Shea, Global Tech and Domestic Tactics: Egypt’s Multifaceted Regime of Information Controls, Tahrir Institute (Jan. 31, 2020), https://timep.org/2020/01/31/global-tech-and-domestic-tactics-egypts-multifaceted-regime-of-information-controls/.

[10] See FEATURE-CCTV Cameras Will Watch Over Egyptians in New High-Tech Capital, Reuters (Jan. 4, 2023: 10:30), https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL8N33I0DO/; Heightened Digital Oppression in Egypt, ifex (Jan. 30, 2023), https://ifex.org/heightened-digital-oppression-in-egypt/.

[11] See Heightened Digital Oppression in Egypt, supra note 10; FEATURE-CCTV Cameras Will Watch Over Egyptians in New High-Tech Capital, supra note 10.

[12] G.A. Res. 2200A (XXI), at Art. 17 (Dec. 16, 1966); G.A. Res. 217A, at Art. 19 (Dec. 10, 1948).

[13] See infra text accompanying notes 14-39.

[14] FEATURE-CCTV Cameras Will Watch Over Egyptians in New High-Tech Capital, supra note 10.

[15] Sharon Shea, Smart City, TechTarget (last updated July 2020), https://www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/definition/smart-city.

[16] FEATURE-CCTV Cameras Will Watch Over Egyptians in New High-Tech Capital, supra note 10.

[17] Id.

[18] Id.

[19] Id.

[20] Ahmed Youness, Egypt’s Activists Fear New Law on Mounting Cameras in Public Spaces, Al-Monitor (Jan. 22, 2019), https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2019/01/egypt-regime-surveillance-cameras-restaurants-opposition.html.

[21] FEATURE-CCTV Cameras Will Watch Over Egyptians in New High-Tech Capital, supra note 10.

[22] Id.

[23] Mosha Borak, Inside Safe City, Moscow’s AI Surveillance Dystopia, Wired (Feb. 6, 2023), https://www.wired.com/story/moscow-safe-city-ntechlab/.

[24] Mahmound Hassan, The Means of Communication in Egypt: More Restrictions and Censorship, https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230711-the-means-of-communication-in-egypt-more-restrictions-and-censorship/.

[25] Id.

[26] Id.

[27] Id.

[28] Id.

[29] Protecting Human Rights on the Internet, Amnesty Int’l (March 10, 2017), https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/03/fighting-back-against-cyber-censorship/.

[30] Ghada El Ehwany, Egypt: Government Issues New Data Protection Law, Baker McKenzie (Sep. 28, 2020), https://insightplus.bakermckenzie.com/bm/data-technology/egypt-and-united-arab-emirates-egypt-issues-new-data-protection-law.

[31] Id.

[32] Heightened Digital Oppression in Egypt, supra note 10.

[33] Id.

[34] Mahmound Hassan, supra note 24.

[35] Heightened Digital Oppression in Egypt, supra note 10.

[36] Id.

[37] Id.

[38] Egypt Blocks 12 Websites, Electronic Accounts, and YouTube Channels, Alarby (April 20, 2022), https://www.alaraby.co.uk/entertainment_media/%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AC%D8%A8-12-%D9%85%D9%88%D9%82%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%8B-%D9%88%D8%AD%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%8B-%D8%A5%D9%84%D9%83%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%8B-%D9%88%D9%82%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%22%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%AA%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%A8%22 (translated in Google).

[39] The Guardian: Egypt Blocks Human Rights and News Websites During Climate Summit, Arabi21 (Nov. 7, 2022), https://arabi21.com/story/1472956/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AC%D8%A8-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%B9-%D8%AD%D9%82%D9%88%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%A5%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%82%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%AE (translated in Google).

[40] Mosha Borak, supra note 23.

[41] See supra text accompanying notes 14-39.

[42] Preventing Human Rights Violations, United Nations, https://www.ohchr.org/en/prevention-and-early-warning/preventing-human-rights-violations, (last visited Feb. 3, 2024).

[43] Id.