There’s a troubling pattern emerging in Samoa’s political arena, and it has little to do with the official opposition.
We’ve noticed a troubling trend. On government Facebook posts, particularly those featuring Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa, there’s a pattern of angry emoji reactions and negative comments. These aren’t just responses to policy. They often appear on any post with her photo, even when the message is neutral or celebratory. Meanwhile, when other Cabinet Ministers are shown launching important initiatives, only a handful of opposing faction supporters react negatively. It’s clear who their target is.
Just this week, after we published a birthday article for the Prime Minister, someone posted a vile and offensive comment directed at her personally. We deleted it immediately and blocked the user. There is a line between free expression and abuse, and that line is being crossed far too often.
And the irony? These attacks aren’t coming from HRPP.
They’re coming from those who once stood with Fiame. Particularly, a breakaway faction within FAST, aligned with Laauli. But they’re not alone. Across Facebook, multiple pop-up livestream channels… from Samoa, New Zealand, Australia, and the US. Are now paddling in opposite directions, often more interested in drama than facts, and in personalities more than policy.
What we’re seeing is a media war of factions, not a marketplace of ideas.
Many of these livestreams aren’t doing journalism. They’re pushing agendas. Opinions are packaged as facts, and commentary is sold as “truth.” Followers of one camp are encouraged to treat disagreement as betrayal. And in extreme cases, even media figures become targets.
One example is Pulotu Canada Alofa McCarthy, host of CTV Media’s Hard Talk from Melbourne. Pulotu was recently assaulted in Auckland by a man known to support the Laauli-aligned faction. The assailant later mocked the attack on livestream, receiving applause instead of condemnation.
Worse still, Pulotu’s own platform is regularly attacked. Not by politicians, but by rival livestreamers who dislike his perspective. What’s telling is that despite strong opinions, Pulotu doesn’t resort to mockery, profanity, or attacks. Especially not toward women, and certainly not toward the Prime Minister.
Disagreeing with leadership is a right. But dehumanising people for having different views is something else entirely.
This is not politics anymore. This is performance dressed as news, and spiritual manipulation disguised as activism.
We are now in a moment where followers treat their preferred media streams like churches. Echo chambers where leaders can’t be questioned, and critics must be shamed. Bible verses are quoted in one breath, followed by insults and threats in the next. The sacred values of faaaloalo, alofa, and le va tapuai are being buried under livestream thumbnails and comment section brawls.
And let’s be clear. This isn’t Samoa’s doing. Most of this chaos is coming from the diaspora, disconnected from daily life in Samoa but eager to dominate the digital narrative.
So why target Fiame?
Because she refuses to play their game. She doesn’t yell. She doesn’t livestream. She doesn’t insult. She governs without theatrics… and that frustrates those who feed on spectacle.
She also happens to be a woman leading with discipline and poise in a political culture still struggling with patriarchal expectations.
Fame, clicks, and monetisation now seem more sacred than truth, respect, or God. We’re watching people livestream their hate in His name, encourage violence in the name of “truth,” and silence others in the name of “freedom.”
What’s really tearing Samoa apart isn’t the opposition. It’s us.
And until we stop, we’ll keep losing the very values that make Samoa, Samoa.
I cried a tear or two thinking of how many times we’ve kept crucifying Christ, with our lying lips.
Please forgive us, for we know not what we do.
