Government blocks 24 unlicensed ride-hailing applications

Ministry cites unfair competition as reason behind blocking

By JT - Mar 31,2024 - Last updated at Mar 31,2024

This photo shows hundreds of taxi drivers during a protest in front of Parliament in 2018 denouncing the deterioration in the demand for their services since introduction of ride-hailing apps (Photo by Osama Aqarbeh)

AMMAN — The Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship announced on Friday the blocking of 24 unlicensed ride-hailing applications in Jordan from app stores, in cooperation with international companies such as Google, Apple, and Huawei.

According to a statement from the ministry, the blocking of applications comes due to their unfair competition with licensed applications and their significant social and security impacts on users, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

This step comes within cooperation between the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, the Ministry of Transport, the Land Transport Regulatory Commission, the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, and the Public Security Directorate, to ensure the security and safety of users and operators.

The unlicensed transport applications non-compliance with the required quality standards exposes users to multiple risks, including a lack of liability in the event of accidents.

The ministry pointed out that the illegal operation of these applications undermines fair competition and can lead to a reduction in revenues for licensed companies that comply with the laws, which will negatively affect the local economy.

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