There is also message being tossed around that WhatsApp will be next to go.

Even our educational and very busy Chimbu History page is affected. It is a great sadness that I cannot access it now.

So, my friends in Australia and elsewhere, this message from me i.s to alert you about these developments.

KEITH COMMENTS….

Keith Jackson: "The government's action was over-reach to deal with longlong man blo ol haus pik who pollute the internet with hate speech"

NOOSA - PNG government sources were today bragging that they had “successfully tested technology to block social media platforms, particularly Facebook” for much of Monday.

The police minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr said the so-called test was undertaken within the context of the Anti-Terrorism Act passed by parliament just last year.

It seemed to be over-reach to deal with those longlong man blo ol haus pik who pollute the internet with hate speech, misinformation and other harmful content. And I place the US president in this category of offender.  Musk too.

Is the PNG government ready to deal with the guys who run America now thinking that PNG’s leaders are ‘woke’?

"We are not attempting to suppress free speech or restrict our citizens from expressing their viewpoints," police minister Peter Tsiamalili said.

Sounds like it to me.

So, in trying to rid the internet of its worst elements, Pete and his wantoks have got rid of its best people -  folks like Peter Kranz in Australia and Mathias up there in the misty mountains.

Surely they didn’t have to cut down the tree because of a rotten branch?

The wild axe-swinging measures took PNG’s technocrats by surprise.

“Public confidence in our digital governance relies on transparency and consistency in how we approach online regulation,” said a Kilakupa Gulo-Vui, CEO of the National Information and Communications Technology Authority.

“It’s essential that NICTA, law enforcement, telecommunications providers and government agencies collaborate closely to ensure action is well-understood and properly executed.

“While maintaining national security is a priority, the balance between safety and digital freedom must be carefully managed.”

Mr Gulo-Vui is a wise man and should be consulted before such heavy-handed behaviour is contemplated in future.

The problem of idiots online needs to be solved not displaced. Within a few hours of Facebook disappearing from government controlled infrastructure, the smart guys had estabishedl virtual local area networks, a system that groups devices into the same physical network

Meanwhile, East Sepik governor Allan Bird said this afternoon that the Marape government “"is heading into dangerous territory and everyone is powerless to stop this tyranny.”

Bird said the country's anti-terrorism law could target anyone because "the definition of a terrorist is left to the Police Minister to decide.

“During the debate on the anti-terrorism bill in parliament, I pointed out that the law was too broad and it could be used against innocent people," he said.

"There is no limit to the powers the police minister can exercise under this new law. It is a draconian law designed to take away our freedoms.”

Grass roots citizens were also saying the government has done the wrong thing. “Where is PNG headed?” Lucas Kiap asked. “If the government continues down this path, it risks trading democracy for control.

“In combating hate speech and exploitation, the approach risks paving way for authoritarian overreach.”

It certainly does. Athough the next national election is not due until 2027, there is every good reason why .

With the much deferred local government elections now scheduled for June and the issue of Bougainville independence beginning to bubble over, there are plenty of reasons why Marape and his offsiders would want to control social media in the weeks and months ahead.

And anyway, we want our Chimbu History page back.