Papua New Guinea
Oceania
Age Verification Compliance Overview
This page provides comprehensive age verification and compliance information for Papua New Guinea. Our research team continuously monitors regulatory changes, enforcement actions, and legal developments to ensure businesses have access to up-to-date compliance intelligence.
Papua New Guinea has implemented a complete prohibition on age-restricted adult content, classified as "Banned". This ban typically includes website blocking, payment processing restrictions, and potential criminal penalties for violations. Businesses should not attempt to operate in this jurisdiction without explicit legal counsel, as enforcement may include criminal prosecution, substantial fines, and reputational damage.
The information below includes regulatory status, legal requirements, enforcement mechanisms, penalties for non-compliance, acceptable verification methods, and relevant regulatory authorities. This data is essential for platforms, content providers, and businesses that need to implement age-appropriate access controls or verify user ages.
Please note: Adult content access is currently prohibited in Papua New Guinea. This ban may affect website accessibility, payment processing, and service availability. Businesses should consult legal counsel before operating in this jurisdiction.
Minimum Age
N/A (Banned)
Content is completely prohibited
Age Gate Required
No
No verification required
Last Verified
10/12/2025
Most recent data update
Regulatory Timeline
Historical changes and upcoming regulatory events
- Banned
Revenge Porn and the Law in PNG: An article reiterates that revenge porn is illegal under the Cybercrime Code Act 2016, carrying heavy fines and jail time, with more serious penalties for child abuse imagery.
- Banned
Social Media Policy Concept Note Finalized: The Ministry for ICT finalized its Social Media Policy Concept Note, proposing to ban underage users from certain social media platforms and require mandatory digital ID (SevisPass) for adults for age verification on certain platforms.
- Banned
Proposed Social Media Policy 2025 Announced: ICT Minister Timothy Masiu announced plans for a new Social Media Policy 2025, proposing age restrictions (under 16 banned, 16+ require digital ID) and local registration for social media companies to foster a safer online space.
- Banned
X-rated Content Blocking Initiated: The ICT Ministry, through NICTA, began filtering and blocking 30,000 IP addresses associated with 'unsuitable content' including explicit sexual content, child pornography, homosexuality, and lesbianism.
- Banned
Safer Internet Day Campaign: The PNG Safer Internet Day Committee, including NICTA, advocated for safer internet use, highlighting risks to vulnerable users from harmful content like pornography.
- Banned
Pornography Illegal, but no online restrictions: An article highlights that pornography is illegal in PNG, but there are no restrictions in place yet to dissuade users from acquiring it online, leading to PNG being identified as a 'pornography-obsessed' nation by Google.
Data Sources
Legal documents and references supporting this data
Showing 5 of 8 sources
nicta.gov.pgsafer-internet-day-2021-activities
biometricupdate.compapua-new-guinea-to-ban-social-media-for-youth-require-age-verification-for-ad...
pngfacts.comsocial-media-overhaul-png-proposes-age-limits-and-digital-id-requirements
postcourier.com.pgrevenge-porn-and-the-law-in-png-what-you-need-to-know
thenational.com.pgx-rated-content-blocked
All sources are evaluated for credibility and relevance. Primary sources indicate official legal documents and government publications. Credibility scores reflect source reliability based on jurisdiction, publication authority, and verification status.
Related Countries
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Regulatory Authorities
Regulator contacts will appear here as they become available.