Facebook to be banned in Papua New Guinea for a month

Facebook will be banned for one month in Papua New Guinea. During the period of the ban, the country will identify fake Facebook profiles and consider the website's effect on the country.



Communication minister Sam Basil said users posting pornography and false information would be identified. He also suggested the country could set up its own social network to compete with Facebook.

The government of Papua New Guinea aims to use the month-long ban to analyze how Facebook is being used and prosecute those breaching the country's 2016 cyber-crime law.

Mr Basil told the country's Post-Courier: "The time will allow information to be collected to identify users that hide behind fake accounts, users that upload pornographic images, users that post false and misleading information."

He added: "We can also look at the possibility of creating a new social network site for PNG citizens to use with genuine profiles as well.

"If need be then we can gather our local applications developers to create a site that is more conducive for Papua New Guineans to communicate within the country and abroad as well."