The government of Papua New Guinea recently announced a temporary ban on Facebook, officially calling it a "test" aimed at curbing the spread of hate speech, misinformation, and pornography on the platform. This ban, which began on Monday, has drawn strong criticism from opposition lawmakers and political commentators, who argue that it infringes on human rights.
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03-30, 2025In response to the criticism, Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr. argued that the government is not attempting to suppress freedom of speech, but rather has a "responsibility to protect citizens from harmful content." He emphasized that the government's aim is to maintain social order and ensure the healthy development of the online environment.
Facebook is the most popular social media platform in Papua New Guinea, with approximately 1.3 million users. Many small businesses rely on the platform for sales, and social media plays a crucial role in facilitating public discussion, especially against the backdrop of declining press freedom in the country. Neville Choi, chairman of the Papua New Guinea Media Council, believes that this move "borders on political dictatorship and is a violation of human rights." More concerningly, at least two government agencies responsible for overseeing communications and technology stated that they were not informed of the government's plan beforehand, despite police claims that the "test" was conducted in cooperation with these agencies.
Opposition MP Allan Bird wrote on Facebook: "We are now heading down a dangerous path where everyone is powerless to stop this tyranny." He added that blocking Facebook is "just the first step," and pointed out that the new counter-terrorism law passed months ago grants the government the power to monitor and restrict online communications, which is a "draconian law designed to take away our freedoms."
Despite the ban, many users are still able to access Facebook through virtual private networks (VPNs). John Pora, chairman of the Small to Medium Enterprise Corporation, is more concerned about the thousands of retailers who rely on Facebook for their livelihoods. He said: "We have hundreds of thousands of people in the informal sector and they will be uneasy, so I hope the system is restored online as soon as possible so they can transact." Papua New Guinean authorities have long threatened to take action against Facebook. As early as 2018, the country [blocked the platform for a month](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-44290012) when authorities attempted to remove fake profiles. At the time, authorities also proposed the idea of establishing a state-owned alternative platform. In 2023, Papua New Guinea launched a parliamentary inquiry into "fake news, bad reporting and social media platforms" in the country.
