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Less than a week after Australia’s age-based social media ban passed into law, the head of Papua New Guinea’s Department of Information and Communications Technology has said the country will do the same – and more.
Australia may have become the first country in the world to pass into law legislation banning children from accessing social media, but it’s looking like it may be far from the last, as Papua New Guinea (PNG) appears to be following down the same path.
Steven Matainaho, the Secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, made the announcement earlier this week in a post to LinkedIn after the department committed to the ban.
“For years, the Department of ICT has worked with various social media platforms to address cyber safety issues. However, with the concerning rise in fraud, illegal goods distribution, human trafficking, disinformation, and cyber harassment, it’s clear that hard action is necessary,” Matainaho said.
“It has been announced by the Ministry for ICT yesterday, and I reaffirm that we are finalising a Social Media Policy Concept Note to tackle these challenges.”
However, PNG’s plan goes a step further than Australia’s ban, as it will also require a mandatory digital ID for all adults if they want to interact with certain social media platforms. Further, any social media platform “intending to benefit from our people” will need to be registered in PNG.
Matainaho expects a first draft of the policy to be ready by January 2025, followed by a period of consultation.
“Social media is not just a platform – it’s a PLACE where many illegal and unethical activities frequently converge. Should we continue allowing full access for our children and vulnerable populations to such places?” Matainaho said.
“It’s time to build a safer online community for all Papua New Guineans.”
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.
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