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Egyptian judge urges expansion of a judiciary track at IGF to tackle online harms
Summary
A justice participating in the IGF closing urged that judicial engagement be strengthened so judges can better address misinformation, cybercrime, child exploitation and hate speech in the digital age.
A representative of Egypt’s judiciary, introduced as the vice president of the Court of Cassation, told the IGF closing session that the forum’s judiciary track should be expanded into a core pillar to equip judges with technological expertise and promote international cooperation.
"I firmly believe that the legal dimension and in particular, the active engagement of the judiciary can meaningfully advance the overarching goals of the IGF," the justice said, adding that holding perpetrators of online harms accountable requires “well crafted legislation implemented by judges equipped with sufficient technological expertise.”
The justice highlighted sessions that addressed misinformation, disinformation, cybercrime, exploitation of children and hate speech, and proposed expanding judicial engagement in future forums to promote capacity building and international cooperation.
Why it matters: as countries grapple with online harms, several speakers at the forum emphasized the need for legal frameworks and judicial capacity to investigate and prosecute digital offenses. The proposal to elevate judicial engagement at the IGF would broaden the forum’s remit into legal and capacity‑building domains.
The justice closed by linking digital awareness and human development, referencing a national initiative launched by Egypt—s president to promote human development and public awareness of digital risks and opportunities.
