Court orders barring Moroccan influencers from posting on social media for years have opened a legal and rights debate over the basis, scope and proportionality of such restrictions.
Abdelaziz Khalil, a lawyer and legal researcher, said public social media platforms can be treated as extensions of public space. Courts may restrict online activity when it forms part of conduct found to constitute a criminal offense, he said.
Khalil rejected suggestions that the rulings reflected a campaign against social media. The judiciary addresses criminal conduct regardless of where it occurs, he said, adding that prison sentences may be accompanied by restrictions on the activity through which an offense was committed.
He described posting bans as measures intended to prevent repeat violations and protect public order. Such restrictions fall within judges’ discretionary powers, he said, although their terms depend on the offense and judgment.
Youssef Farid, a member of the Moroccan Forum for Citizenship and Human Rights, said social media hosts useful initiatives and should not be blamed for conduct reflecting social conditions. Treating platforms solely as a source of harmful content risks overlooking their role in communication and education, he said.
Farid argued that penalties alone would not curb harmful content. Public institutions, civil society groups, users and content creators should also promote digital responsibility and media awareness, he said.
He called for education campaigns aimed at creators and audiences, alongside enforcement of existing laws. Building a culture that rejects abusive material while supporting useful content would produce a more balanced digital environment, he added.
The debate follows judgments against Moroccan influencers that combined penalties with time-limited bans on publishing or appearing on social media. The rulings have raised questions about how such bans are justified, monitored and enforced, and how courts balance public-order concerns with freedom of expression.
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