This study investigates the impact of Arab governmental restrictions on journalists’ use of ChatGPT, a leading Generative AI chatbot. Through interviews with 30 journalists from Syria, Libya, Jordan, and Egypt, the research reveals how journalists utilize ChatGPT and face severe censorship. These journalists perceive such censorship as violating their constitutional rights. The findings suggest that current digital legislation enables governments to exert greater control over information dissemination, undermining media independence. The study concludes that government actions to block ChatGPT access constitute a form of indirect or “soft” censorship within existing legal frameworks.