Papua New Guinea blocked access to Facebook in what the authorities call a “test” to limit hatred speeches, disinformation and pornography.
The sudden ban, which began on Monday, aroused criticism of opposition deputies and political criticism, who described it as a violation of human rights.
Defending this decision, the Minister of Police Peter Tsimalilili Jr said that the government was not trying to suppress freedom of expression, but that he is “responsible for protecting citizens from harmful content”.
Facebook is the most popular social media platform in Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée, with around 1.3 million users-including many small businesses that count on computer sales.
Social media was also essential to facilitate public discourse in the middle of the drop in press freedom in the country.
Neville Choi, president of the Papuan-Nouvelle-Guinée media council, said that the decision “borders on political autocracy and an abuse of human rights”.
The more worrying fact was the fact that at least two government agencies that supervise communication and technology said they were not aware of the government’s plans, said Choi, despite the fact that the police said that his “test” had been carried out in partnership with these agencies.
“We are now heading for a dangerous territory and everyone is powerless to stop this tyranny,” wrote the opposition deputy Allan Bird on Facebook.
The ban on Monday comes from months after the adoption of new laws against terrorism, which gives government powers to monitor and restrict online communications, among others.
“This is the draconian law designed to remove our freedoms,” wrote Bird, adding that Facebook blocking was “just a first step”.
Despite the ban, many users were able to access Facebook using virtual private networks or VPNs.
John Pora, who chairs the Small and Medium Enterprises Corporation, is more concerned with the thousands of retailers who earn their livelihoods on Facebook.
“We have a few hundred thousand people in the informal sector and they will feel uncertain, so I hope that the systems will return online soon to allow them to trade,” he said.
The authorities of Papua New Guinea have long threatened to take a step against Facebook. In 2018, the country prohibited the platform for a month while the authorities tried to eliminate false profiles. At the time, the authorities spoke of the idea of an alternative managed by the state.
In 2023, Papua Nouvelle-Guinée launched a parliamentary investigation into “false news, bad reports and social networks (platforms)” in the country.
