The Impact of Electronic Publishing Laws on the Freedom of Expression: The Case of Social Media in Jordan 

Social media is an unprecedented and irreplaceable platform for communications and self- expression. It has put tools for effortless interpersonal networking and public sharing of personal data into the hands of the vast majority of people in the world. This places social media in an especially unique position for societies with traditionally restrictive censorship laws. In evaluating several case studies of authoritarian regimes in the Middle East, particularly Jordan, it can be shown that there is a significant cause-effect relationship between the regional growth of social media and reactionary lawmaking by respective governments. The resultant power struggle over rights to speech then fully extends to an ideological level, as all forms of media are curtailed by relevant legislation. Ultimately, there is increasing evidence that these conflicts can serve as a catalyzing factor in the disempowerment and eventual dismantling of the regime. While this process has so far proven reliable, it nonetheless comes at significant cost, as key civil leaders have been made the frequent target of regimes acting in retribution. This thesis provides further analysis, enabling insight into the relationship and result of public social media accessibility in authoritarian regimes.