CAIRO:

Police have announced multiple arrests, while prosecutors say at least 10 cases of alleged unlawful financial gains are under investigation. Travel bans, asset freezes, and the confiscation of devices have also been imposed.

Critics argue the crackdown is part of a broader effort to police speech and tighten state control in a country where social media has long served as one of the few alternatives to heavily state-influenced media.

Many of those detained were children during the 2011 uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak. Lawyers say vague indecency laws give authorities wide latitude, allowing them to scour old posts for material deemed unlawful and then charge influencers with financial crimes.

One of the most prominent detainees is 19-year-old Mariam Ayman, known on

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