Strict Measures to Combat Hate Speech in Jordan in 2024: A New Step Towards Social Harmony

In its efforts to promote social harmony and combat discrimination, the Jordanian government has announced strict measures to tackle hate speech in 2024. This move comes in response to the increasing spread of incitement on social media platforms, which threatens Jordan’s social fabric.

Key Measures:

1. Tightened Monitoring of Social Media Platforms:
   • The government is collaborating with major tech companies like Facebook and Twitter to track and remove inflammatory content.
   • Using artificial intelligence technologies to detect hate speech more quickly.
2. Legal Amendments:
   • Amendments have been introduced to the Cybercrime Law to impose stricter penalties on those promoting hate speech.
   • Fines of up to thousands of dinars and even imprisonment in cases of repeated offenses.
3. Awareness Campaigns:
   • Launching media campaigns to educate citizens about the dangers of hate speech and its negative impact on society.
   • Encouraging citizens to report any incitement through dedicated platforms.

Objectives of the Measures:

• Protecting Jordan’s social fabric from fragmentation due to incitement.
• Promoting values of tolerance and coexistence among different segments of society.
• Reducing the spread of rumors and misinformation that exacerbate social tensions.

Reactions:

• Human rights organizations welcomed the measures but called for ensuring that these laws are not used to restrict freedom of expression.
• The government emphasized that the measures target only incitement and do not infringe on citizens’ rights to express their opinions.