A recently launched marriage application in Egypt, promoted through social media campaigns, has raised concerns about the potential leakage of data and images of young men and women seeking companionship and marriage, with a risk of exploitation and blackmail. The app claims to connect individuals interested in marriage and functions similarly to a matchmaker, but in the digital realm, assuring users of the confidentiality of their data, images, and personal information.
The fears were exacerbated by the app's requirement for participants to answer numerous potentially embarrassing questions about their sect, religion, educational classification, and more, emphasizing the necessity of responding to these inquiries.
Another concerning requirement involved participants having to upload a personal photo without sunglasses, dismissing cartoonish or group images, and mandating the use of a camera to verify that the uploaded image matches the user's true appearance.
Further queries included questions about height, complexion, ethnicity, whether there is an interest in a relationship, commitment, or marriage, and the timeframe for these desires. Other inquiries touched on religious practices, clothing types, willingness to wear a hijab or niqab, and further questions related to prayer habits, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
Commenting from a legal perspective, Dr. Mustafa Al-Saadawi, a professor of criminal law at Minya University, stated that the app's terms and conditions violate Law No. 175 of 2018 concerning digital information technology and Law No. 151 of 2020 regarding personal data protection, particularly Article 14, which prohibits transferring personal data collected for processing to a foreign country or storing and sharing it without adequate protection levels as specified by the law.
He emphasized that the personal data requested by the app could be exposed in other countries, potentially leading to various crimes, including blackmail or hacking. The Egyptian criminal law professor noted that Egyptian legislators have established special protections for personal data, and such applications could pose risks to individuals, particularly women, exposing them to harassment or legal issues. He called for awareness against these applications and the necessity of exercising caution and addressing them both legally and digitally.
