Egypt's State Information Service has launched an aggressive counter-campaign to combat online rumors, particularly those propagated by the Muslim Brotherhood. According to Egyptian authorities, these coordinated digital efforts aim to destabilize the nation and incite civil unrest. The Muslim Brotherhood, which has been designated as a terrorist organization in Egypt for more than a decade, remains a primary concern for security officials.
Recent weeks have witnessed the widespread circulation of historical protest footage across social media platforms. The content distributors, some identifying themselves as members of the Syrian opposition or Houthi supporters from Yemen, have been sharing archival videos showing Egyptian citizens removing pro-President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi signage and crowds chanting the revolutionary slogan "The people want to topple the regime." This governmental response comes at a particularly sensitive time, as Cairo monitors potential regional ripple effects in the wake of the collapse of Assad's regime in Syria.
Diaa Rashwan, chief of the State Information Service, emphasized that the campaign's primary objective is to enhance public awareness and resilience against "purveyors of rumors and falsehoods who seek to undermine national stability, social cohesion, and public trust in state institutions." He stressed that the initiative aims to reach every Egyptian citizen through strategic social media engagement.
The state campaign, already operational under the banner "Verify it before you believe it," focuses on elevating public consciousness about social media misinformation. Rashwan outlined a comprehensive approach targeting all demographic segments of Egyptian society, promoting critical information verification practices before sharing content, and emphasizing the paramount importance of consulting official, authorized sources for accurate information.
