15 Jan 2019

American Samoa village to counter Facebook abuse with fines

4:09 pm on 15 January 2019

A village in American Samoa is threatening families with hefty fees if they abuse village chiefs on Facebook.

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Photo: AFP

Samoa News reported Fagasa village is mulling penalties of $US5,000 for residents, who will also have to pay for the abuse of off-island relatives.

In what's reported to be the first such action in American Samoa, several Fagasa villagers were fined between $US1,000 and $US2,000 for abuse late last year.

Those fined were also reportedly stripped of positions in the local church, and their children banned from attending services.

Several villages in Samoa also imposed fines for Facebook abuse last year in a bid to crackdown on the rampant practice.