Egypt ready to block porn websites: Official

Egypt has prepared technologies and equipment to block access to websites with pornographic content, the deputy head of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority Sherif Hashem said.

Egypt has prepared technologies and equipment to block access to websites with pornographic content, the deputy head of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority Sherif Hashem said.

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"Technologies to prevent pornographic content from being shared on the territory of Egypt are fully ready for use," he said Sunday.

Since January, internet service providers have been installing filters to block access to such websites.

Hashem said that his company is now waiting for the country's authorities to lay down a set of rules to determine what websites should be banned.

Egypt Independent, the English-language sister publication of Al-Masry Al-Youm daily, reported Sunday that the ban comes in the wake of the Cairo Administrative Court's May 2009 ruling to ban pornographic websites, because they "help spread vice, which destroys traditions, beliefs and morals, and therefore the country's interests, as well as social and national security".

The website said that experts estimate the cost of the project at almost $3.7 million.