Facebook access restored in Papua New Guinea after 'counter-terror' operation

Police chief says Facebook and Messenger were taken down as authorities tackled criminals abusing the social network

The Facebook app is shown on a smart phone in Surfside, Fla. (AP Photo / Wilfredo Lee)

Authorities in Papua New Guinea on Wednesday said they had unblocked Facebook after cutting off access in the Pacific nation due to a “counter-terrorism” operation.

Facebook and its Messenger platform had been inaccessible since going offline on Monday.

Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili initially said Papua New Guinea had blocked the sites as a “test” aimed at limiting hate speech, misinformation, and adult content.

On Wednesday, the country's police commissioner David Manning said Facebook had been taken down as his officers tackled criminals abusing the social network.

“A counter-terrorism operation is under way to apprehend two men connected to attempts to incite an act of terrorism,” he said, adding police had reduced the immediate threat to the community.

“Temporary restrictions on the Facebook social media platform have been removed,” the police chief added.

The sudden ban had sparked backlash from opposition MPs and journalists, who said it undermined human rights and democratic freedoms.

Defending the decision, Mr Tsiamalili said the government was not seeking to suppress free speech but had a “responsibility to protect citizens from harmful content.”

The country’s regulator, the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (Nicta), denied taking part in the exercise.

Facebook is the country’s most widely used social media platform, with an estimated 1.4 million users, according to the World Population Review.

The ban comes amid concerns over declining press freedom in PNG, where social media has increasingly become a vital space for public discourse.

Neville Choi, president of the National Media Council, said the move “borders on political autocracy and an abuse of human rights”.

He also noted that at least two communications-related government agencies appeared unaware of the plan, despite police claims of co-ordination.

Opposition MP Allan Bird described the ban as “just step one,” warning: “We are now heading into dangerous territory, and everyone is powerless to stop this tyranny,” he said in a Facebook post.

His comments come months after the passage of sweeping counter-terrorism laws that grant the government broader powers to monitor and restrict online communications.

Despite the ban, many Papua New Guineans are reportedly bypassing restrictions using virtual private networks (VPNs).

This is not the first time authorities have acted against Facebook. In 2018, the platform was banned for a month as officials sought to identify and remove fake accounts.

A parliamentary inquiry launched in 2023 has also scrutinised “fake news, bad news reporting, and social media platforms” in the country.

PNG is not the only country to restrict access to Facebook. The platform remains banned in China, where it has been blocked since 2009, and North Korea, where access to most global social media platforms is prohibited.

In Iran, Facebook is also blocked, although many users access it through VPNs. Russia has restricted Facebook access since 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine, and countries like Vietnam and Turkey have implemented temporary blocks during periods of political unrest or protests.