Spectrum Policy Reforms: Supporting Democracy And Economic Development In Jordan

The true role of new communications technologies in the dramatic events of the "Arab Spring" in 2011 is still under discussion, but wireless communications were certainly used widely by activists and protesters. This article uses events in Jordan as a case study, and the authors argue that reform of that country's spectrum licensing policies and speech laws is essential for future democratic progress and economic development. The authors combine research into Jordan's emergent high-tech industry, and successful and equitable spectrum policies in the United States, to form a series of policy recommendations for the Jordanian government.