Papua New Guinea May Ban Facebook

Papua New Guinea is considering banning Facebook for a month, as it explores the social media platform’s effects on its population.

Papua New Guinea’s government may ban Facebook for a month as it explores the effects on its users and attempts to weed out illegal activities.

“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 on Facebook to be filtered and removed,” Communications Minister Sam Basil told the Post-Courier. “This will allow genuine people with real identities to use the social network responsibly.”

Basil also told press that the country is considering setting up its own social media platform that will allow Papua New Guineans to communicate within the country and abroad as well.

Facebook has come under increased scrutiny of late due to the so-called “fake news” being promoted on the platform. The social media network has taken steps to remove itself from the world of publishing, tweaking its algorithm so it favors stories from users rather than those posted by publishers.

But the recent Cambridge Analytica scandal, which revealed that the British company was collecting Facebook users’ data and using it influence politics and more, has further eroded the trust in the social media platform.

Papua New Guinea is not the first country to ban Facebook, and certainly isn’t the largest. Facebook has been banned in China since 2009, following the Ürümqi riots, as Xinjiang independence activists were using the site for communication.

Facebook is also permanently banned in North Korea and Iran. The social network was banned in Sri Lanka earlier in the year for a week after the government claimed it was being used to fuel communal violence. The Indian government banned Facebook in the Kashmir Valley during 2017, and Egypt censored the site for a few days during protests in 2011. Despite this, Facebook had 2.19 billion monthly active users as of the first quarter of 2018.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.