Page 26 - IB MAR 2019

Opinion

Samoa’s leaders grapple the expansion of social media in Samoa,
much like in the rest of the Pacific, is in-
evitable and brings with it a wide range
with social media of implications. There’s a tendency for
Pacific governments and leaders to react
aggressively to these implications, with
per cent of Samoa’s estimated population. threats of blocking social media or with
These estimates are for account holders laws that seek to criminalise certain
with listed ages of 18 toover 65. Over 70 online activity. The risk of taking these
per cent of these active Samoa based ac- reactionary approaches is to compromise
count users are between 18-34 years of free speech and expression, while wrong-
By Jope Tarai age, the ages covered by Samoa’s youth ful arrests or arrests without sufficient
policy. In other words, Samoa’s youth evidence exacerbates the impression of
IN 2017 the Samoan Prime Minister, population constitutes the majority of an Orwellian-like state.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi reintroduced Facebook and online users. Old guards of Pacific leadership are
the Criminal Libel Act to combat online Of the estimated 100,000 to 150,000 now forced to face the brutal realities of
anonymity and ‘ghost writers’ such as the active Facebook accounts, around 52 per globalisation and the digital expression of
infamous ‘Ole Palemia’. their citizens’ frustrations
Reintroduction of the act, “Taking these reactionary approaches is to compromise and outbursts. How this is
which had been abolished free speech and expression, while wrongful arrests handled by Pacific govern-
in 2013, was justified on ments will test how willing
the basis of protecting or arrests without sufficient or reasonable evidence its leaders are to evolve
individuals from false and exacerbates the impression of an Orwellian-like state.” with the changing times
defamatory online allega- and dynamics brought
tions, and in the name of on specifically by social
peace and harmony. cent are listed as accounts for women media. The onslaught of digital technolo-
Then last year the Prime Minister threat- and 48 per cent are listed as accounts for gies is going to force Pacific governments
ened to shut down Facebook completely men. Samoa is somewhat unusual in this to either adopt or adapt to these changes.
in Samoa because of what he termed as regard as in Melanesia for instance, there Reactionary and ill-thought regulations
“gutless anonymous bloggers” and their are more Facebook accounts listed for that risk-free speech and citizen engage-
continued allegations. This threat was men than women. Around 85 per cent of ment, reveal more about the insecurities
criticised by Samoans, with groups such Samoa’s total active accounts are situated of government leaders than any purported
as the Samoa Alliance of Media Practitio- in the capital of Apia. Over 87 per cent of benefit to democracy or peace and har-
ners for Development (SAMPOD) warning Facebook access in Samoa has been facili- mony of a society.
against the implications this could have on tated through mobile devices, especially r jopetarai7@gmail.com
free speech and democracy. through android devices, which indicates
Targets of the PM’s anger include anon- the increasing use and affordability of The author is an academic at the Univer-
ymous blogger/social media poster(s) ‘Ole mobile internet deals and gadgets. sity of the South Pacific but the views here
Palemia’. A woman detained for allegedly These figures ultimately indicate that are his own.
knowing the identity of ‘Ole Palemia’ but
who was then released due to insuffi-
cient evidence, has filed a lawsuit against Samoa social media statistics
Samoa’s Attorney General and police.
Meanwhile in February this year, Aus- As of January 2019, Samoa had:
tralian-based Samoan Paulo Malele, who
is also known online as ‘King Faipopo’,
was arrested when he returned home for 142.6K mobile 100K internet 70K active
his mother’s funeral. He faces charges of subscriptions users (50% of social
making threats on social media against the (72% of the pop) media
Prime Minister. Malele has been released population) users
on bail and will reappear in court in March.
Social media activity has risen dramati- Facebook says Samoa has:
cally in the Pacific with increasing connec-
tivity and affordability of internet access.
This has been aided by the proliferation of
handheld devices providing more conve-
nient access to the Internet and specifically,
to social networking sites. Facebook is the
most prominent social networking site in 100-150,000 Over 70% of 52% are 85% are 87% are
Samoa. Facebook analytics data estimate active these accounts held by situated in accessed
around 100,000 to 150,000 active Face- accounts are held by women Apia via mobile
book accounts in Samoa within a period (6o-70% pop) Samoans aged phones
of a month. Active Facebook accounts in between 18-34
Samoa are comparatively between 60-70 Source: Hootsuite

26 Islands Business, March 2019