A critical issue has emerged in Somalia, affecting prominent public figures, including ministers, senior governments officials,journalists, civil society activists and. Several Facebook profiles have been unjustly disabled or memorialized following a targeted campaign involving false death reports. This coordinated attack has compromised vital communication channels essential for public engagement and transparency in a nation already in a fragile state.
Opposition groups initially accused the government of suppressing critical voices, condemning what they see as deliberate targeting of political opponents. The issue has raised serious concerns regarding social cohesion and political stability within the country.
The campaign has even impacted senior government officials, such as the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of National Security. “Imagine seeing the supposed death of the Minister of National Security on Facebook. How would this impact national interests? It only fuels Al-Shabaab’s propaganda, making it appear they succeeded in a false assassination,” commented Osman, a member of Somali civil society.
In a press statement on Monday, Deputy Minister of Information, Mr. Abdirahman Yusuf (known as Al-Cadaala), addressed the media to clarify that the government is not involved in these incidents. “This issue affects both the government and the opposition alike,” Mr. Yusuf stated, emphasizing that the government will conduct a thorough investigation. He assured the public that further developments would be addressed transparently.
Facebook, owned by Meta, has been criticized for what some perceive as a disregard for the unique challenges faced by African countries, particularly fragile states like Somalia. Mustafa Sheikh, Somalia’s Director General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), stated, “We are fully aware of the issue. It’s becoming widespread and has impacted senior officials, journalists, and ministers. This is a clear vulnerability in Facebook’s communication policies, and we have reached out to urge Meta to enhance its regulations to prevent misuse.”
Sheikh emphasized that the NCA has formally escalated the issue with Facebook, providing reference numbers for affected cases, and stressed that they will use all available regulatory and escalation channels to protect national interests. “We have informed them of the need to set up additional safeguards to prevent future misuse of Facebook’s reporting mechanisms, which could otherwise erode public trust in Facebook.”
This urgent appeal underscores the importance of Facebook’s role in safeguarding communication channels in Somalia. Reliable communication with the public is essential to counter misinformation and ensure continued stability in fragile states. The Somali government hopes for swift action and cooperation from Meta to resolve this critical issue.
