Khaberni - A well-informed government source in the digital economy sector, recently revealed that the government is seriously studying the imposition of restrictions to determine the ages of social media platform users among younger age groups, as part of an initiative to protect the youth generation from psychological and social harms of the digital world.
The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed that the authority has completed a detailed comparative study that included international and regional experiences to examine the best practices in protecting the digital space and various social media platforms, which have about 6.5 million Jordanian accounts.
The source explained that the study showed a variation in the international handling of this issue; some countries have opted for a "total ban" on social media for those under a certain age, while other countries have preferred to focus on "selective filtering" by blocking only violent and pornographic content without fully restricting access to the platforms.
In a related context, the source stated that the government is seeking, in coordination with the global companies that oversee social media platforms, to reach technical solutions that allow the blocking of unethical or fraudulent advertisements that appear within local communication applications.
The source further explained that the authority faces complex technical challenges regarding "embedded content" and advertisements, as it is technically difficult to block unethical or fraudulent advertisements that appear to users within social media applications through local Internet service providers.
This is due to the fact that these platforms use encryption protocols that prevent local telecom companies from accessing or controlling the internal content, making the local option of blocking these advertisements technically unavailable at present.
In the face of this technical obstacle, the authority has started a series of meetings and encounters with representatives of global technology companies, aiming to reach technical agreements that allow the blocking of non-compliant content and misleading advertisements from the "source" (parent company), so as to prevent their appearance geographically to users inside Jordan, according to security standards and local laws.
The government's approach to study regulating these two topics (age restrictions, and blocking unethical ads on social media platforms), follows the implementation of a decision to block pornographic sites in Jordan, which internet service providers in the kingdom have started implementing, preceded by a decision to completely block Chat Rooms in the game "Roblox" within the kingdom, as studies revealed that the chat rooms within the game constitute a dangerous environment allowing attempts to exploit children and promote unsafe behaviors, alongside spreading inappropriate content.
The source clarified that regarding the decision to block pornographic sites, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority believes that the blocking process is a periodic and routine measure aimed at enforcing Jordanian legislation, characterized by several features:
The scope of the blocking is not limited to pornographic sites only, but extends to include all offensive sites, or those that promote violence, or violate effective laws.
Continuous updating; since the authority regularly updates the blocking lists, due to the changing technical nature, and the use of technical means by the banned sites to avoid blocking.
Initiative and reporting; where the authority welcomes the lists and comments submitted by citizens, government, or private companies, to be studied and to update the blocking systems based on them.
Countries like Australia, France, China, and the United States lead the global scene in enacting stringent laws aimed at curbing digital chaos faced by teenagers, with measures ranging from setting a minimum age starting from 16 years old and defining daily usage hours.
These movements are driven by medical and educational reports warning of the exacerbation of the mental health crisis among youth, and the increase in anxiety and depression rates linked to screen addiction, in addition to the effort to protect minors from cyberbullying and inappropriate content that threatens their psychological and social stability.
In the context of this international trend, responsibility is no longer solely on the shoulders of families, but new laws now require large technology companies to develop advanced systems for age verification and data privacy protection.
This global legal movement aims to provide a safe digital environment that restores balance to the lives of teenagers, imposing hefty fines on platforms that fail to comply with these standards, reflecting the governments' desire to regain control over cyberspace and protect future generations from the dangers of social isolation and technology dependence.
