2016 Cybercrime Act

The Council, in its last meeting last Friday before its AGM next month, agreed that legal opinion should be sought on the impact that the August 2016 legislation will have on the ability of ordinary Papua New Guineans to express themselves through various communication platforms, and whether the law hinders the ability of the PNG media to report without fear or favour.

Sections 10 (on data espionage), 21 (defamatory publication), 25

The IXP is a physical location where internet service providers (ISPs) connect to exchange local data traffic with each other via a network switch.

It addresses the issue of high retail internet costs and the quality of service in PNG.

Koni says PNG is moving in the right direction with the new legislation and with the recently launched IXP facility.

The Cybercrime Code Bill 2016 was passed by Parliament on 11 August 2016 and lays the foundation for the investigation and prosecution of offences committed using electronic systems and devices.

“We are having the workshop, in partnership with APNIC to (discuss ways on how to) reduce cost and increase penetration rate of internet services (in PNG),” NICTA chief executive officer Charles Punaha said.

APNIC is the Regional Internet Registry administering IP addresses for the Asia Pacific.

Punaha earlier stated that the workshop will be an avenue to create awareness of the 2016 Cybercrime Act to all the participants.