The Relationship Between Social Media and Violence in Papua New Guinea

The online sharing of gruesome images and videos showing dead and dismembered bodies on social media is commonplace in Papua New Guinea (PNG). For instance, when a horrific massacre took place in Enga province in February this year, it was images shared on WhatsApp that alerted many to the violence.

Social media in general has also helped proliferate violence, such as in January, when riots erupted in Port Moresby and other cities across PNG. According to many we have spoken with about the riots, social media, particularly Facebook, played a significant role in spreading the violence around the city — and even between cities and towns. In today's social media landscape, there is also a notable proliferation of horrible images, videos and viral narratives surrounding sorcery accusation related violence (SARV), along with justifications for employing violence against those who are accused.