The proposed cybercrime law in Jordan is causing concern among activists, civil societies, and journalists, as it threatens internet freedoms and digital rights in the country. The bill aims to tackle disinformation, hate speech, and online defamation but contains broad language and vaguely defined terms that could be used to suppress freedom of expression.
One of the worrying aspects of the proposed law is the criminalization of the use of VPN services in certain scenarios. While downloading and using a VPN won’t be illegal per se, utilizing it to access foreign media or protect one’s online anonymity could lead to punishment, potentially targeting journalists, political dissidents, and truth-seekers.
The lack of independence in Jordan’s judicial system also raises concerns, as it has been used in the past to prosecute human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and political opponents. With the new cybercrime law, there are fears that the government will have even more power to punish individuals for expressing their opinions or seeking information online.
Digital rights advocates and the US government have expressed their concerns about the potential impact of this law on free speech and the growth of Jordan’s technology sector. The draft legislation, if implemented, could seriously undermine digital rights and limit the open and free nature of the internet in Jordan.