‘Draconian’ Pacific nation says goodbye to Facebook

It’s hard to imagine life before Facebook’s little blue icon became a fixture on our screens, isn't it? We've watched it woven into the fabric of our daily routines, connecting us with family, friends, and communities near and far.

It's become the digital town square, where we share news, celebrate milestones, and stay in touch with those we might otherwise lose contact with.

Now, in a move that has sparked widespread controversy and concern, a government in the Pacific region has banned this social media platform.


Papua New Guinea (PNG) has implemented a nationwide block on Facebook, leaving 1.3 million users disconnected from the popular social media platform.

The decision, which the nation's police department announced, has been described by critics as 'draconian' and has raised serious questions about freedom of expression and digital governance in the Pacific nation.

Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili justified the ban as a 'test' to safeguard citizens from 'harmful content'.


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Papua New Guinea's government has blocked Facebook nationwide, disconnecting 1.3 million users and drawing criticism for restricting freedom of expression. Credit: Thought Catalog/Pexels


Citing the nation's anti-terrorism laws, Tsiamalili explained, ‘The government has the responsibility to protect its citizens from harmful content and the spread of misinformation. This was a necessary step to evaluate our capabilities in maintaining public order.’

‘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,’ he said in a statement.

The abrupt nature of the ban and the lack of transparency surrounding its implementation have drawn sharp criticism. PNG's National Information and Communication Technology Authority (NICTA), the regulatory body responsible for overseeing digital policy, was notably kept in the dark.


NICTA Chief Executive Kila Gulo-Vui expressed concern over the lack of collaboration and communication, stressing the importance of transparency and consistency in online regulation.

‘Public confidence in our digital governance relies on transparency and consistency in how we approach online regulation,’ he said.

‘It is essential that all key stakeholders, including NICTA, law enforcement, telecommunications providers, and government agencies, collaborate closely to ensure that any actions taken are well-understood and properly executed.’

The public's reaction has been equally critical, with many turning to virtual private networks to circumvent the block and access Facebook.
The sentiment online is one of frustration and apprehension. One social media user likened the government's actions to those of authoritarian regimes, saying, ‘Blackout, blanket suppression. This is stuff dictators do.’


East Sepik Province Governor Allan Bird has been vocal in his opposition to the block, labeling it as 'draconian'.

‘During the debate on the anti-terrorism bill in parliament, I pointed out that the law was too broad and could be used against innocent people,’ he said.

‘There is no limit to the powers the Minister of Police can exercise under this new law. We are now heading into dangerous territory, and everyone is powerless to stop this tyranny.’

Bird's concerns, echoed by many, highlight the delicate balance between national security and civil liberties—a balance that many feel PNG is currently tipping in the wrong direction.

Key Takeaways
  • Papua New Guinea banned Facebook nationwide, citing concerns over harmful content and misinformation.
  • The decision was made without consulting the country’s digital regulators, raising transparency concerns.
  • Many citizens criticised the move, with some using VPNs to bypass the restriction.
  • Critics, including a provincial governor, warned that the law enabling the ban grants excessive government control.

Have you ever experienced internet censorship or disruptions to digital services? How do you think governments should balance the need for security with the rights to freedom of expression and access to information? Join the conversation in the comments below.
 

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So you are saying this site has scams and hurtful misleading information just like facebook?? Maybe as you can't seem to work out what is what, you should Google it, as that seems to be the "go to" instead of thinking for yourself to find out everything. I would keep up with the times if it had anything worth keeping up with
There are still things on here that pop up from time to time.
For awhile we were flooded will call girls.

Bullies
, there are a few on here.

Misleading articles, we have also seen those on here.

I chose to use instagram rather than FB. Which not only do I stay in touch with friends I also add recipes including videos. I have never had a problem with it.

If the government banned fb then what will come next.

Controlling people is not ok
 
Let's close down Facebook for six months and see what happens. Young people don't use it. They have WhatsApp and other apps, so their parents and grandparents don't know what they post.
 
To me it smacks of Chinese influence Banned in China but the citizens soon found alternative ways to access. Communism disguised as looking after its citizens.
 
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Get rid of X or Twitter or whatever today's moniker is.

Musk, Trump, Putin, Potato Head Dutton are all tarred with the same brush.

Proudly brought to you by Dulux.

In the form of mission brown....the human version....
 
I have to say that the PNG Government has definitely not done the wrong thing, but perhaps they could have toned it down to limited usage. I think that would be in line with protecting people's freedom of speech, etc.
 
Like everything Facebook needs to be an asset to rather than using it to disadvantage. Everything in moderation. I like using it and have found friends and gained information from it. But there will always be people who are negative and use it to achieve negative ends. But at the end of the day it is freedom of information and I believe this is an important aspect of our daily lives. But we should value this and only use it for good.
 
I agree we have to move with the times.
Its a pity though that it is turning people into zombies.
One recent trip to visit my family in NSW
I actually wondered why I had bothered as most of the time my son, daughter in law and grand kids were either on their phones, tablets etc or gaming on the TV.
Not only could you not get any conversation out of them you couldn't even amuse yourself by watching a movie.

I kept myself busy with the four cats and five dogs. Which was a good thing because I fed them all a n d then late at night they would be asking each other
whose turn it was to feed the animsls.
They hadn't even noticed me doing it.

School mornings are like a circus as everyone is so disorganised. Cutting lunches they'd forgotten to do the night before.
They can't find their bags, shoes, car keys etc. They would have their heads in their phones while having breakfast all the while yelling to hurry up they are going to be late.
It was hardly worth the cost and the very tiring trip across the country. I actually wondered why I bothered.
They don't even seem to meet up with friends, just send messages.
Oh dear, I actually would have confronted them.
When you let your phone or computer take over your life then it's a problem.

I'm guilty of sending messages . I have friends that when we are on the phone it's for hours. I speak to my mother twice a week sometimes more and it ends up over an hour , it's the same with my aunty.
I actually hate talking on the phone.

We have a family what's app group and and pictures are shared every day and daily news is posted . Love it !
 
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I read more into this story and I think it's the government trying to stop people turning against them and being influenced. So they ARE taking away their freedom of speech

Papua New Guinea (PNG) has temporarily blocked access to Facebook in a surprise move it calls a “test” to curb hate speech, misinformation, and explicit content. The shutdown, enforced under anti-terrorism laws, began Monday and left the platform’s 1.3 million users—half of PNG’s internet population—unable to log in. Authorities claim the action aims to protect citizens from harmful online content, but critics call it an authoritarian power grab that stifles free speech.
 
Oh dear, I actually would have confronted them.
When you let your phone or computer take over your life then it's a problem.

I'm guilty of sending messages . I have friends that when we are on the phone it's for hours. I speak to my mother twice a week sometimes more and it ends up over an hour , it's the same with my aunty.
I actually hate talking on the phone.

We have a family what's app group and and pictures are shared every day and daily news is posted . Love it !
I know what you mean about phone calls. I have just finished a 90 minute conversation with my best friend. We talk every day and it's always at least an hour. My husband used to say he didnt know what on earth we found to talk about. .
I have another friend also who I chat with probably every two or three day's and those calls tend to stretch out a bit also.
I don't like sending messages. I have long nails and keep hitting the wrong keys. It takes me ages. Lol
 
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I know what you mean about phone calls. I have just finished a 90 minute conversation with my best friend. We talk every day and it's always at least an hour. My husband used to say he didnt know what on earth we found to talk about. .
I have another friend also who I chat with probably every two or three day's and those calls tend to stretch out a bit also.
I don't like sending messages. I have long nails and keep hitting the wrong keys. It takes me ages. Lol
I'm always busy and one thing I hate is when I answer the phone only to have to say I'm busy can I call you back ! I can guarantee 90% off the time it takes me days to call back.
Most of the time I have my phone on silent and if someone needs me urgently they call hubby's phone.
 
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Facebook launched in 2004 and before that we all had our freedom, so how is that taken away. All that fb has done is made a few people very very rich, and those same people don't care how much damage they have done with allowing false and misleading information to run rampant on fb. Good on PNG for taking this step to protect it's citizens from misinformation and scams
It's up to the individual to work out whether something is false and misleading, if something doesn't come from a reputable news site then as far as i'm concerned it's fake news. As for scams, I can spot one in the first two sentences and stay well away. If we were to pay for the platform then things might be different and we could make them accountable but as it's free then they can do or say as they like. If people don't like that then stay away!
 
I found my late fathers 'other' family on fb. What a Lovely family they are, so happy to meet them. Without fb I wouldn't have found them.
I found a half brother I never knew I had and a whole new family in England. He came out to Australia to visit us and our mother which was a magic experience for us all. I also found my mothers brothers and sisters on there and we have become very close. Without Facebook i'd be the same as you, I never would have found them or knew I had a brother because our mother never mentioned him.
 
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