Criminal liability for spreading fake news: a study of Jordanian law in light of international standards

This research investigates the criminalization of fake news under the 2023 Jordanian Cybercrime Law, evaluating its implementation within the broader global canon of fake news law analyses. Adopting a qualitative research design that integrates doctrinal content analysis with comparative legal assessment, the study examines how Jordan's regulatory framework navigates the tension between international human rights standards, specifically Article 19 of the ICCPR and domestic security logics. The analysis identifies a shift toward the securitization of digital speech, characterized by: (i) the use of imprecise legal definitions that allow for the criminalization of political criticism; (ii) the imposition of penalties that prioritize state security over individual expression; and (iii) a state-centric interpretation of digital sovereignty. Through analyzing judicial precedents such as Court of Cassation Decision No. 6280/2022, the paper demonstrates how hybrid regimes utilize legalistic justifications to manage digital dissent. The paper concludes by positioning Jordan's legislative evolution as a case of Coordinated Digital Governance, offering a nuanced understanding of how Global South legal systems negotiate international norms against the backdrop of regional political pressures.