According to the U.S. Department of State, in practice there are significant restrictions in place curtailing the free operation of the media.
Any criticism or defamation of the king or royal family is prohibited, as well as anything deemed to harm "the state’s reputation and dignity."
The government has used tactics such as the threat of fines, prosecution, and detention to intimidate journalists and encourage self-censorship.
However, King Abdullah recently issued a statement outlawing imprisonment of journalists,[citation needed] an act praised by human rights groups.
[1] Despite these myriad restrictions, Jordan remains more open and tolerant of its domestic media than most of its neighbors.