(MENAFN) Papua New Guinea is considering new legislation that would impose age restrictions on social media usage, aiming to tighten control over online activity in the Pacific nation, media reported Friday.

The government plans to introduce the Social Media Policy 2025 to parliament later this month, following Cabinet approval. The policy mandates that users aged 14 and older must register for a SevisPass digital ID to access popular platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and X.

Officials argue these measures target the spread of fake news, online scams, and abuse. “We are in early discussions with Meta on enforcing age verification as a start,” Steven Matainaho, secretary of Papua New Guinea’s information and communications technology department, told media.

Despite these intentions, the policy has sparked public unease over potential restrictions on information access and fears of censorship. Transparency International activist Yuambari Haihuie cautioned against government-imposed limits, saying, “Social media is the modern public space … this thinking needs to change.” He advocated for education and media literacy as the path to safer online environments.

Papua New Guinea’s neighbor Australia took similar action last November by enacting a law barring children 16 and under from using social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and X. These new regulations are scheduled to take effect by the end of this year.

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