Morocco is drafting a new legal framework to regulate social media and digital platforms, aiming to address the risks posed by unregulated online content without compromising freedom of expression, Minister of Culture, Youth and Communication Mehdi Bensaïd said Wednesday.
Presenting to the House of Representatives’ Committee on Culture, Education and Communication, Bensaïd said the rapid growth of digital platforms threatens social cohesion and requires legal oversight to protect public values. “This framework is designed to align with technological shifts while reinforcing societal safeguards,” he said.
The proposed law would expand the powers of the High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HACA), granting it oversight over digital platforms — even those without physical presence in Morocco — as long as their content targets Moroccan users or generates revenue from the national advertising market.
Key provisions of the framework include:
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Mandated content moderation systems using automated algorithms to detect illegal content such as hate speech, fake news, and material harmful to minors;
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Legal responsibility for digital platforms to appoint a national legal representative who will serve as the official point of contact with Moroccan authorities;
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Periodic reporting requirements on moderation systems, user complaint handling, and removed or disputed content;
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Financial transparency obligations, including tax declarations and cooperation with fiscal authorities like the Tax Directorate, Bank Al-Maghrib, and the Foreign Exchange Office.
The law will also empower HACA to request content removal, enforce restrictions, and penalize platforms that fail to comply. “This will close the legislative vacuum currently exploited by foreign digital platforms,” Bensaïd said.
Inspired by the EU Digital Services Act, which came into effect in 2023, Morocco’s approach would define “digital platform services” and impose legal responsibilities to structure the relationship between the state and global platforms operating in its territory.
The framework emphasizes protecting minors by requiring content classification by age, parental control tools, and restrictions on ads targeting children or promoting harmful products.
“Digital platforms must assume preventive responsibility,” Bensaïd said, calling for quicker responses to online threats and stronger protections for the public. The initiative, he added, aims to curb the spread of disinformation, incitement to violence, and content that undermines public trust.
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