CAIRO — Egypt wants its citizens to report on the news media. To prevent that, the government and local media — which is dominated by el-Sissi supporters — are urging people to head to the polls. Pro-government media frequently portray negative coverage as part of foreign plots to sow chaos, and sometimes accuse foreign media of promoting a negative image of the country. Parliament is meanwhile considering legislation that would criminalize the “abuse” or “misuse” of social media. Analysts pointed out that the latest measure, the call to report on media outlets, could have unintended consequences, allowing individuals to settle scores or make fake or exaggerated complaints.

Source: National Post March 13, 2018 09:57 UTC