Skip to content
World Watch

Online safety & content laws in Lebanon (2026)

Online safety rules in Lebanon: partial.

Lebanon lacks a comprehensive online safety law comparable to the EU DSA or UK OSA, relying instead on scattered provisions within Law No. 81/2018, the Penal Code, and a contested Cybercrime Bureau under the Internal Security Forces (ISF). Content blocking occurs through court orders executed via the Ministry of Telecommunications and state operator OGERO, while online speech by journalists and activists is frequently prosecuted under the Penal Code. Freedom House rated Lebanon 'Partly Free' with a score of 50/100 in its 2025 Freedom on the Net report.

Last verified Official sources first · MethodologyCompare Lebanon with other countries

Legal framework

Law No. 81/2018 on Electronic Transactions and Personal Data; Penal Code (social media speech); ISF Cybercrime and Intellectual Property Rights Bureau; Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA)

Key points: internet & online safety in Lebanon

  1. Law No. 81/2018, Core Instrument

    Enacted October 2018, Law No. 81 on Electronic Transactions and Personal Data is Lebanon's primary digital law. Articles 125-126 authorise courts to order website blocking and account suspension for offences including terrorism, child pornography, gambling, fraud, and money laundering; the public prosecutor may also suspend services for up to 30 days.

    smex.org dig.watch

  2. Cybercrime Bureau, Contested Legality

    The ISF Cybercrime and Intellectual Property Rights Bureau, established by a 2006 internal memorandum (not by law or decree), investigates online offences and executes blocking orders. Its ambiguous legal basis has drawn criticism from civil society as enabling extrajudicial censorship and targeting of journalists, bloggers, and activists.

    english.legal-agenda.com coe.int

  3. Social Media Speech Under Penal Code

    A 2016 Court of Cassation ruling placed speech on social media under the jurisdiction of the Penal Code rather than the Publications Law, exposing online expression to broader criminal liability. Journalists, activists, and ordinary users continue to be summoned and prosecuted for posts critical of political or religious figures.

    freedomhouse.org state.gov

  4. Website & App Blocking Practice

    Blocking is executed through OGERO (the state fixed-line operator) upon Ministry of Telecommunications orders following court rulings. Sites and apps blocked at various points include Grindr, pornographic content, Wix (a 2018 court order still in force), and WhatsApp (temporarily). LGBTQ+ platforms face particular targeting.

    freedomhouse.org today.lorientlejour.com

  5. No Platform-Liability or Age-Verification Regime

    Lebanon has no dedicated platform-liability framework, no mandatory content-moderation obligations on online platforms, and no enacted age-verification legislation for online services. A comprehensive data protection authority also remains un-established despite the 2018 law envisaging one.

    privacyinternational.org dataguidance.com

  6. Infrastructure Damage & Freedom House Rating

    The 2024-2025 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah caused significant damage to Lebanon's telecommunications infrastructure, disrupting internet access for large portions of the population. Freedom House scored Lebanon 50/100 ('Partly Free') in Freedom on the Net 2025, citing crackdowns on critics, disinformation by political actors, and spyware targeting journalists.

    freedomhouse.org freedomhouse.org

Sources

  1. freedomhouse.org/country/lebanon/freedom-net/2025
  2. freedomhouse.org/country/lebanon/freedom-net/2024
  3. smex.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/E-transaction-law-Lebanon-Official-Gazette
  4. dig.watch/resource/electronic-transactions-and-personal-data-law-law-no-81-of-l
  5. english.legal-agenda.com/lebanons-cybercrime-bureau-a-license-to-censor/
  6. coe.int/en/web/octopus/-/lebanon
  7. privacyinternational.org/state-privacy/1081/state-privacy-lebanon
  8. state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/lebanon/
  9. tra.gov.lb/Cybersecurity-in-Lebanon
  10. dataguidance.com/notes/lebanon-data-protection-overview
  11. today.lorientlejour.com/article/1149839/blocking-wix-in-lebanon-the-knowns-and-the-unknowns.h
  12. freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2025-11/Freedom_on_the_Net_2025_Digital.pdf

Next for Lebanon: CybersecuritySectoral rules

Next topic

Orientation, not legal advice: verify against the primary sources linked above. Last verified 24 May 2026. Methodology & how to cite · State of Technology Regulation 2026