Regulating online expression and political participation: the effects of Jordan’s 2023 Cybercrime Law Amendments on social media communication

The digital environment in Jordan has witnessed significant legal shifts with the enactment of the 2023 amendments to the Cybercrime Law, which sparked widespread debate about the limits of freedom of expression &political participation on social media. This study aims to analyze the legal and media implications of these amendments on digital expression practices & political participation by examining their impact on users of social media platforms and digital media. It also seeks to provide a critical understanding of the relationship between the legal regulation of the digital space and the future of media freedoms in Jordan. A sample of 500 individuals was surveyed in order to gather data. According to the study, a significant proportion of the participants believe that the modifications made to the Cybercrime Law (2023) have resulted in a decline in engagement on social media platforms, albeit to different extents. The results also showed that the ‘like’ button was the most used form of expression for interaction on social media among the study sample. The most prominent attitudes of the respondents towards the impact of the Cybercrime Law amendments (2023) on freedom of expression were summarized in the statement, ‘The recent amendments to the Cybercrime Law have contributed to limiting individuals’ freedom of expression.’ The most significant emotional impact was fear of criminalizing the study sample or one of their family members due to the recent amendments to the Cybercrime Law 2023. Meanwhile, the statement ‘I now read posts carefully before interacting with them for fear of committing a cybercrime’ was highlighted as the most significant impact on the behavioral component.