Regulating Digital Misinformation: A Comparative Legal Analysis of Civil Liability for Online Rumors in Jordan and Across Jurisdictions

The rapidity with which rumors can be disseminated through social media poses serious legal challenges, particularly in civil liability. This paper analyzes critically the legal framework for civil liability for spreading rumors in Jordan, noting that there is no specific law to address misinformation in cyberspace. It is contrasted with those in the European Union, the UK, the US, and selected Arab states, and serious gaps in Jordan's legal approach are identified. The research indicates that Jordan relies principally on generic principles of tort and criminal sanctions in Cybercrime Law No. 27 of 2015 but lacks a specific system to compensate victims of online misinformation. Whereas in the EU and UK social media companies are held responsible for regulating offensive content, in Jordan social media companies are not held responsible for failing to regulate false information. Jordan's law is also not effective in addressing originators and disseminators of rumors, and hence no one can be held accountable. Through comparative legal analysis, this research proposes legislative reforms to strengthen Jordan's legal framework by clearly defining civil liability for misinformation, making platforms accountable, and establishing schemes for compensation for victims. This research adds to ongoing discourse on how to balance free speech and regulating misinformation and provides policy guidelines for an improved legal strategy for combating digital rumors.