The Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission has received complaints and concerns from Fijians who have been subjected to vile debasement on TikTok with bloggers resorting to attacks on the basis of gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and marital status.
Director Ashwin Raj says relevant agencies need to seriously consider the emotional violence that these platforms perpetuate without any accountability or remedy for those whose human dignity and their right to private and family life has been under constant attack.
Raj says the social media platform is saturated with videos which openly call for violent sexual attacks on LGBTI individuals as well making fun of those with psychosocial disabilities and physical infirmities.
The Director says women are often subjected to vulgarity and there is a very serious concern that online bullying can push people into depression and suicidal tendencies.
Raj says while the Commission understands that many turn to TikTok for entertainment as well as creative expression, there are those that use this platform to malign, discriminate and encourage hatred.
He says this needs to end and the onus is on the TikTok users to use the platform responsibly.
The Commission expresses grave concern over the display of racist, sexist, misogynistic and homophobic attacks often in vernacular on TikTok and is in discussion with the Cybercrime Unit of Fiji Police Force and Online Safety Commission in relation to this issue.
