Government Regulations Papua New Guinea seeks feedback on digital ID overhaul and new laws August 12, 2026 Share By SC Staff (Adobe Stock) As reported by Biometric Update, Papua New Guinea is seeking stakeholder feedback on a suite of proposed legislation aimed at transforming the nation's digital identity system. The three bills are designed to solidify the national ID and digital wallet, establish new regulatory bodies, and implement policies to facilitate digital government services, expand the digital economy, and enforce age restrictions on social media. The country is also expanding its digital ID system with the introduction of new credentials for daily activities, accessible through the SevisWallet. Users can now obtain credentials from the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, and MiBank. A new Police Clearance Verifiable Credential is now available for storage in the national digital ID wallet, developed by Tech5. Over the next six months, the digital ID system is expected to onboard civil servants, mobile driver's licenses, land titles, permits, and educational credentials. The proposed Data Governance and Data Protection Bill 2026 aims to provide a legal framework for data protection, with heightened security for biometric data, including encryption at capture and strict limitations on its use and sharing. Fines for non-compliance could reach one million Papua New Guinean Kina. The Cybersecurity Bill 2026 includes provisions for age verification for social media use, requiring alternative methods beyond government ID submission. The Verifiable Credential & Trust Services Bill 2026 establishes the legal foundation for the SevisPass digital ID system and related services, including a Digital Identity Sustainability Fund and a new regulator. Public consultations for all three bills are open until August 19, 2026. Source: Biometric Update SC Staff Related Audits (External, Internal) How to Evaluate Cyber Risk Quantification and GRC Reporting Platforms SC Editorial Intelligence , expert reviewed August 12, 2026 Consider the Decision Chain, Not the Dashboard Government Regulations China reviews Palo Alto Networks products, citing security concerns SC Staff August 7, 2026 A spokesperson for Palo Alto Networks affirmed the company's commitment to high standards of business conduct and security, stating that the review has no impact on their ability to support customers or deliver services in the region. Privacy UK data watchdog criticizes Metropolitan Police for data handling failures SC Staff August 6, 2026 The UK's data protection regulator criticized the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) for significant data handling failures, including sharing a stalking victim's new contact details with her abuser and a separate incident exposing the email addresses of 18 individuals connected to Parliament. Get daily email updates SC Media's daily must-read of the most current and pressing daily news Business Email By clicking the Subscribe button below, you agree to SC Media Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . Subscribe Related Terms Business Impact Analysis (BIA) British Standard 7799 Chain of Custody Competitive Intelligence Data Custodian Due Care Due Diligence You can skip this ad in 5 seconds