Papua New Guinea considers age restrictions on social media amid fears voices will be ‘silenced’

Proposed changes to address the spread of harmful content in PNG also include new rules for social media companies and more monitoring

Papua New Guinea is in “early” discussions with Meta on imposing age restrictions to reduce the impact of harmful content, amid criticism of the government’s “heavy-handed” approach so far on social media regulation.

The government expects its proposed Social Media Policy 2025 will be taken to parliament later this month. Under the policy, users aged 14 and over will need a SevisPass digital ID before they can log in to platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and X.

The government said the changes were needed to stop online abuse, fake news and scams. Social media companies will also have to register in PNG and follow local laws, and a new national e-Safety Directorate will be set up to monitor harmful content.

“We are in early discussions with Meta on enforcing age verification as a start,” PNG’s information and communications technology department secretary, Steven Matainaho, told the Guardian.