RADIO PERSONA SHARES VIEWS ON FB TEMPORARY SHUTDOWN

By Lethisa KOLOKOL

Monday 24th March, 2025 started with a controversial topic, with the complete inaccessibility of the Facebook, the Meta social media app in the country.

With many people expressing their view on the matter, this newsroom had an interview with FM100 broadcaster and media personality, Jivahnnah Thavala.

Jivahnnah shared that, as a radio broadcaster, it’s quite challenging to bring out information and she usually uses Facebook to advocate on issues or promote any event, product or service.

“So, I’m usually full-on Facebook to advocate on issues or probably to promoting any event or any product or service. So that’s how I utilize Facebook as a radio broadcaster” Jivahnnah said

On Monday 24th March 2025, Jivannah was among the many Papua New Guineans who had trouble accessing facebook.

“The first time I found out about the closure of Facebook was, probably two years ago in which, Prime Minister had to state that, due to all of these, keyboard warriors and, cyberbullying and all of that, we will soon, shut down the social media platform, which is Facebook. So, yesterday when I got home, I didn’t care to check my Facebook account until this morning, in which my account kept glitching,” she said

Then she came across the press release by National Information, Communication and Technology Authority (NICTA) on “Call for Collaboration on Sensitive Cyber Matters”.

As a radio broadcaster, she said a disseminator of information, the closure of facebook has affected her follow credible sources, news links that help me provide information, especially during her broadcast especially in terms of content.

Jivahnnah says the government should make a proper appeal to the people calling on the people to use the app responsibly instead of an abrupt closure of the app, as it is an app that provides the avenues for content creators such as herself and SMEs in the country for marketing.