Egyptians using the internet will undergo “limited surveillance” for national security reasons, the interior minister has said.

The administrative court in Cairo ruled in favour of authorities implementing the new surveillance project, entitled “Security risks of social media platforms“.

Active social media users will then have their accounts monitored by domestic spy chiefs scouting out users who “could pose harm to society”, the New Arab reported.

Pages on social media that incite hatred “against the Egyptian state and institutions” would pose a threat to Egypt’s national security and those that are vetted would be expected to “play its role” in calling out anti-government posts or pro-Muslim Brotherhood support.

In April, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) condemned the arrest of Khaled El-Balshy, undersecretary of Egypt’s Journalists’ Syndicate and head of its Freedoms Committee, on charges of inciting protests and disturbing public peace through social media networks. Evidence that was brought to prosecutors included screenshots of his Facebook and Twitter posts.