This week, activists participated in a blackout to protest ICT censorship in Jordan, a move aimed to prevent two amendments from passing which would impose stringent limits on businesses’ internet access and content going forward.

As Jordanian entrepreneurs organize against this legislation that they believe could seriously harm their ability to do business, we reflect upon the need for governments to enable entrepreneurship and innovation to create an environment that allows the free flow of ideas and innovation.

Habib Haddad, CEO of Wamda, describes the optimal business environment when he says, “The best ecosystems are the ones with the right structures to lower the cost of creativity, but are free and loose enough to allow innovation to happen outside of its boundaries.”

Innovation, by definition, challenges what is thought to be possible by creating ideas and strategies to address emerging needs and problems. By enabling this creativity, governments can build an attractive atmosphere for business creativity and growth while boosting their entire economy. It is indeed a careful balance to strike between structure and freedom, but innovation always thrives where it has the tools and capacity to freely craft effective ideas and solutions.