Digital expansion is essential as this offers potential for both the public and private sector to connect people more quickly, more efficiently and more meaningfully. However, digital expansion comes with its own set of risks.
This was highlighted at the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signing between the Office of Censorship and PNG DataCo Limited last week.
Managing Director for PNG DataCo, Paul Komboi said, “In our expansion. We understand that what we are doing also comes with risks. Risks has been highlighted by the censorship office in their function and role. Illicit or indecent information that is passing through our network. That also cyber security issues and so we are very well aware and alert on this nature of the disadvantage that it brings.”
Komboi added that approaching the Office of Censorship was a step in the right direction and the work started in 2020.
“That is why, in the very beginning we decided to approach censorship and then try to collaborate and see how we can work together to be able to meet our ethical and moral standards in terms of how we behave ourselves, how we conduct ourselves. What we want our children and our family and our people to access and see and develop themselves going into the future,” said Komboi.
Chief Censor Jim Abani expressed that reducing the risks of digital expansion through role of censorship by filtering illicit content is essential, and that can only be achieved through collaboration.
“We need to collaborate with each other. So that we can work together as partners in development of this nation. It’s all about relationship as well as capacity building having technical assistance or procedural capabilities to deal with cyber issues that the censorship office is now embarking,” said Abani.
PNG DtaCo Ltd and the Office of Censorship will be working together to meet the country’s ethical and moral standards. Both entities will be working to tackle illicit and indecent material entering the network whilst ensuring that the restrictions do not deprive other information as they pursue their objective of digitizing the country.