The Somali National Communications Agency has started an investigation into the sudden disappearance of Facebook accounts belonging to individuals critical of the government. The incident has raised concerns about government involvement, although officials have denied the claims.
Mustafa Sheikh, Director General of the NCA, said that the problem is widespread, and it has affected the Heads of Regional Governments, journalists, and ministers.
“We are fully aware of the issue. It is becoming widespread and has affected state presidents, journalists, and ministers. “We are in talks with the company Meta about how to improve the rules on Facebook to prevent misuse of social media,” said the director of communications.
“With nearly 5 million Facebook users in Somalia, we are aware of the need to put in place safeguards to prevent future abuse of Facebook’s reporting systems, which could otherwise undermine public trust in Facebook. ” said Mustafa.
Facebook remains one of the most popular platforms in Somalia, with users mostly among the media, civil rights groups, and the general public.
A few days ago, some of the famous people on social media, including journalists, politicians and state presidents, were banned from their Facebook accounts, although some of them have returned to the air.
