This is not a news article but rather an urgent news bulletin we feel people should be aware of. Egyptian authorities are actively targeting members of the gay community using apps like Grindr. Cops are essentially catfishing gay men using fake profiles to entrap and lure them into arrest or worse.
It appears they are also confiscating cell phones and in turn posing as those they arrest using the phone of the person arrested. This sort of goes without saying lock your phone down.
IT APPEARS users in the country are subjected to arrests; harassment, or potentially indefinite detainment if captured by the authorities. Non-locals are advised to avoid the app in the country and it is probably safest not to disclose to anyone that you may be LGBTQ+ (if you must you should probably exercise complete discretion.)
Bazaar Daily was able to confirm a national warning issued by Grindr that shows up on people’s cell phones once they open the app inside the country.
“We have been alerted that Egyptian police is actively making arrests of gay, bi, and trans people on digital platforms. They are using fake accounts and have also taken over accounts from real community members who have already been arrested and had their phones taken. Please take extra caution online and offline, including with accounts that may have seemed legitimate in the past.”