Experts pin hope on draft law to regulate online fundraising, counter e-begging

AMMAN — The draft fundraising law, recently issued by the Legislation and Opinion Bureau (LOB), can organise electronic fundraising and counter e-begging, according to experts. 

The draft law, published on the LOB website, aims to prevent any charity or non-profit organisation from launching a fundraiser without a permit from the Ministry of Social Development, which can be acquired by submitting an application to the ministry, supported by the necessary documents, at least a month earlier to the fundraiser. 

The permit application must include the duration of the fundraiser, which should not exceed a year, in addition to the collection sites, the persons authorised to collect donations and the entity receiving the donations, according to the draft. 

It also sets a number of conditions for electronic fundraisers, including having a certified electronic website, as well as specifying the bank account linked to the website, the e-payment account allotted to collecting donations and the electronic payment service provider. 

Minister of Social Development Ayman Mufleh said in a statement earlier this month that, “Developing regulations relating to the collection of charitable donations has become urgent to coincide with the technological changes and developments.”

The new draft law aims to “develop clear and explicit provisions on the modern methods of fundraising to set clear procedures and regulations”, he added, noting that it will also address electronic begging and how to counter it. 

He also noted that a committee has been directed to look into electronic fundraisers launched by entities other than civil society organisations, particularly social initiatives. 

Social media expert Khaled Elahmad noted the importance of this form of legislation, especially considering the proliferation of e-begging due to the increasing use of social media websites in recent years. 

Not all ages and categories of society have enough digital awareness, which makes them vulnerable to e-fraud, according to Elhamad. 

“Organising electronic fundraising through specific laws and legislations is an important step, which must be accompanied by an awareness-raising campaign to counter electronic fraud and begging,” he told The Jordan Times. 

Moreover, cooperation between the Ministry of Social Development and social media users, who regularly conduct fundraisers and who are trusted by the public, would also facilitate the ministry’s work, Elhamad added.

“Influencers can help by spreading awareness messages and educating the public on the matter,” he said. 

Deeb Ghanma, another social media expert, said that this type of legislations protects donors and facilitates the work of charities and other entities that need fundraisers. 

“It provides them with credibility and allows them to make use of social media websites for fundraising more effectively,” Ghanma told The Jordan Times.

For example, in order to add the donation button on Facebook, you need to provide proof that you have official approval to conduct a fundraiser in the area where you live, Ghanma continued. 

Jordanian social media users also welcomed the new regulations of the draft law.

Not being sure where the donated money goes, leads to public mistrust and less people donating, so “official oversight is much needed”, Ro’a Bilal, a social media user, told The Jordan Times. 

Aya Saadeh, another social media user, noted that she supports the idea of electronic fundraisers because they allow campaigns to reach a larger number of people who want to donate and support good causes. 

“However, I personally don’t trust fundraiser campaigns because usually there’s no proof of where the donations go and how they’re used, so increasing oversight is definitely an important step,” Saadeh told The Jordan Times.