Social media influencer stirs controversy in Egypt for inciting immorality

CAIRO - 23 April 2020: Prosecutor General Hamada el-Sawy ordered holding social media influencer Hanin Hossam in custody for four days pending investigations over inciting immorality.

Sawy has ordered on April 22 to launch an investigation with Hossam on charges of posting an inappropriate video on the social media application Tiktok.

A student at the Faculty of Archaeology, Hossam has 1.2 million followers on TikTok. She posted a video calling on girls to go live on the application, recording short videos called “likee” to make friends in return for money. The video provoked social media users over the last couple of days.

On his part, Cairo University President Mohamed Othman el-Khosht said he had received several messages that a student in the university was calling upon females to shoot “inappropriate” videos in return for money.

He stressed that the university will impose the maximum penalty on any student who might act against the Egyptian community’s values and traditions.

Hossam has recently become the number one trend in Egypt, not for making cool videos or having a certain talent, but merely for being able to raise controversy.Many people have seen her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and made fun of her photo shopped pictures, her style in clothes and music, and the way she speaks English.

It all started with video, where she explained how an English phrase “My Mine” she used earlier is correct, despite what those who made fun of her on social media were saying.

And within a few hours, celebrities and social media users everywhere used “My Mine” on their pictures to keep up with the trend.

After Hossam's arrest, most of the social media figures stressed that she did promote immorality; some even said that strict measures must be taken against the many people on social media who behave like Hossam.

Hanin Hossam is dangerous to humanity and if it continues to be like this the world or Egypt with its own pleasures will guide it and any one of the followers who imitates it is supposed to control it#حنين_حسام

— Mariam Yahia (@MariamY05181278) April 21, 2020

Meanwhile, others believed that she is free to post whatever she likes on her social media accounts, and that there was no need for her final dismissal from the university.

I think someone should really talk to her and get her to realise what she is doing cos obviously to me she is a naive shallow young girl who doesn't really understand a thing #حنين_حسام

— Lobna Fathi (@LobnaFathi2) April 21, 2020

It is worth noting that Hossam published a video crying in response to her punishment. She said, "Many celebrities go live on TikTok; does that mean that they are promoting immorality?" She added that shameful behavior is usually practiced secretly, not in public.

There is no doubt that the family values in Egyptian society are not commensurate with such actions in addition to that anyone who calls for incitement to debauchery and immorality is a crime.

According to Egyptian law, Article 26 stipulates that " anyone who assaults any of the family principles or values in Egyptian society shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not less than six months or a fine of not less than LE 50,000 and not exceeding one hundred thousand pounds."