Papua New Guinea tackles AI, identity under digital reform

Papua New Guinea‘s digital transformation takes on another level as authorities bare new regulations on cybersecurity, efforts to broaden tech integration, and a new partnership with an Australian institution for a citizen-focused digital government.

Prime Minister James Marape’s administration this week announced its plans to revamp the Cybercrime Code Act to further safeguard citizens from crimes related to the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

The Cybercrime Code Act is Papua New Guinea’s primary legislation that was enacted in 2016 to govern digital offenses, including hacking, fraud, intellectual property infringement, and cyberbullying.

The move to re-examine the regulation comes at a time when the country’s access to the internet breached 2.57 million, and concerns over the skyrocketing cybercrime across Asia and the South Pacific mount, with Interpol recording over 6.5 billion cyber threats in 2024 alone.

Under fresh regulations, individuals who will be found using AI for deepfakes, voice cloning, and digital impersonation will be criminalized.

Acting Information and Communications Technology Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr. added that individuals who upload, share, or monetize illegal AI material will not be spared, while digital platforms and AI service providers will be held accountable.

While stringent measures will be put in place for AI use, Tsiamalili assured a balanced approach to integrating the tech across various industries.

Currently, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is working with the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) in crafting the final guidelines for the reform, which is expected to be introduced in November.

Bolstering identity assurance

Meanwhile, local telecommunications networks have joined forces to reinforce identity assurance across the economy by launching a workshop in the capital, Port Moresby.

The initiative was spearheaded by the DICT with participation from major local telco companies like Digicel, Vodafone, Telikom, and NICTA, and intends to integrate the country’s digital ID, the SevisPass, into SIM self-registration.

DICT Secretary Steven Matainaho said this would help unify standards to avoid inconsistent data and promote operational efficiency, enabling telcos to align with the government’s digital pivot.

While telcos are crafting implementation timelines and vendor support guidelines in preparation for the rollout of self-registration services tied to SevisPass, a legal framework for verifiable credentials, trusted digital transactions, and data exchange is being drafted by the government.

From policy to implementation

While the Marape administration is more than capable of transforming Papua New Guinea’s digital economy, it remains open to countries and institutions that offer support in realizing its vision.

Recently, the government entered into an agreement with Australia’s Queensland University of Technology (QUT) to create a framework for innovation and research, and to strengthen the Pacific state’s digital workforce.

The partnership will mainly focus on expanding SevisPass and developing digital solutions that would cater to the needs of Papua New Guineans.

Tsiamalili said that all projects under the collaboration will still require government approvals and adherence to local regulations.

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