Alarmingly, between 1,800 to 8,000 reports on child sexual abuse material linked to Fiji are flagged every year to international authorities, and to address the threats, the Online Safety Commission is reviewing the Online Safety Act to pursue a critical new power to restrict access to platforms that are designed for harm and refuse to cooperate.
This has been confirmed by the Online Safety Commissioner, Filipe Batiwale while speaking during the Cyber Crime and Online Safety Challenges in Fiji and the Pacific conference at the Suvavou House.
He says 1,226 complaints of online harm have been received by the Online Safety Commission so far this year, compared to 1,377 complaints whole of last year.
Batiwale says a new and vicious form of abuse is on the rise, such as sextortion driven by the need to generate income, where some people, especially youth, are forming online relationships with people overseas.
He stresses that if a person in the image is under 13, it is legally classified as child sexual abuse material and there are no exceptions.
The Commissioner says if a person is under the age of 16, which is the age of consent in Fiji, producing or sharing a sexually explicit image of them is a serious crime, and it doesn't matter if they consented, as the law protects them because they are children.
He says a young person thinking that they are making a choice doesn't change that a crime has been committed, as they are not just being exploited, they are being used to traffic in child abuse material.
Batiwale says in response, the Online Safety Commission has become Fiji's digital first responder, where they have referred 19 serious cases for prosecution, used international partnerships to remove child sexual abuse material in six to eight hours, and have also reached nearly 14,000 students with online safety education.
He says, however, they are stretched thin by the volume and complexity of the cases, as they lack advanced forensic technology, they face frustrating delays from international platforms, and our laws are struggling to keep pace.
He says that is why the Commission is leading a comprehensive review of the Online Safety Act, where they are studying the world-leading frameworks, pursuing a critical, new power, the ability, through a responsible and safeguarded process, to restrict access to platforms that are designed for harm and refuse to cooperate.
Batiwale highlights that this is not about censorship but about safety and creating a digital environment where children can learn and explore without being preyed upon.
The Commissioner also highlighted a case where a 17-year-old girl had her intimate photos shared on the Telegram app, and within 48 hours, their team coordinated with police to seize the device and protect her.
In another case, a 16-year-old boy was bullied relentlessly on TikTok, and through the Commission's intervention, police acted and charges were laid.
He says there is a need to fast-track law reform and invest in their capacity, equip them with the tools they need to fight this fight.
Batiwale has also stressed to tech platforms that the era of delayed responses and empty promises is over.
