Papua New Guinea shuts down Facebook in test to stop ‘pornography, misinformation, hate speech’

Papua New Guinea’s government has shut down social media platform Facebook, in what it describes as a “test” to mitigate hate speech, misinformation, pornography and “other detrimental content”.   

The test, conducted under the country’s anti-terrorism laws, began on Monday morning and has extended into Tuesday. 

Facebook users in the country have been unable to log-in to the platform and it is unclear how long the ban will go on for.  

The government’s move was not flagged ahead of the “test” on Monday — a move opposition MPs and media leaders have described as “tyranny” and an “abuse of human rights”. 

In a statement, PNG’s Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili said the initiative was to ensure “responsible usage” of social media platforms like Facebook while keeping “harmful content” out of public discourse.

“However, the unchecked proliferation of fake news, hate speech, pornography, child exploitation, and incitement to violence on platforms such as Facebook is unacceptable.

“These challenges increasingly threaten the safety, dignity, and well-being of our populace.”

Facebook is by far the most popular social media platform in the country, with an estimated 1.3 million users, or about half of the country’s estimated 2.6 million internet users. 

In comparison, Instagram has about 106,000 users. 

Loading…

The platform is a critical tool for public discourse in the country, with many highly active forums used to discuss PNG politics and social issues. 

Yet, the government has been highly critical of Facebook with the platform often blamed for helping spread misinformation, particularly in light of a recent spate of tribal killings in the country.

It has long threatened a move against Facebook, after announcing a parliamentary inquiry into “media disinformation” in 2023.

Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has been contacted for comment. 

‘Heading into dangerous territory’ 

The ban has sparked a heated response in PNG, with Media Council of PNG president Neville Choi telling local newspaper the Post-Courier that the move “borders on politically autocracy, and an abuse of human rights”. 

While PNG opposition MP Allan Bird described the move as “draconian”. 

“Yesterday, the police minister used the anti terrorism act to shut down Facebook, [that] was just a test, that was step one,” he said. 

“There is no limit to the powers the minister of police can exercise under this new law. It is draconian law designed to take away our freedoms.

“We are now heading into dangerous territory and everyone is powerless to stop this tyranny.”

PNG’s Small and Medium Enterprise Corporation chairman John Pora said parts of the business community were in shock. 

“The informal sector will be the ones effected, people like car sellers and online consumer to consumer sellers,” he said.

“We have a couple of hundred thousand people in the informal sector and they’ll be feeling uncertain, so I’m hoping the systems come back online soon to allow them to trade.’

In a further complication, PNG’s National Information and Communications Technology Authority revealed last night it was unaware of the government’s plans, despite the police minister’s assertion that the department backed the move. 

Papua New Guinea is not the first Pacific country to move down the path of a Facebook ban. In 2021, neighbouring Solomon Islands — under the leadership of former prime minister Mannaseh Sogavare — introduced plans to ban Facebook, but later backed down after a public outcry.