The amount of time young people are spending online can expose them to online risks and it is all-important for us to educate them about it and provide them with the tools they can use as a safeguard.
This was the sentiment of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Cooperatives, SME’s and Communications, Manoa Kamikamica while speaking at the Safer Internet Day 20th anniversary at the Grand Pacific Hotel.
Kamikamica says parents, carers and educators play a vital role in empowering and supporting children and young people to use digital technologies responsibly by equipping them with digital literacy skills and developing their critical thinking skills which empower young people to better navigate through the online world.
The Minister further says young people can become an advocate of SID on social media by sharing their experience of the digital environment and their aspirations for a better internet.
He says the Online Safety Commission was established under the Online Safety Act 2018 to promote online safety and to deter harmful electronic communication and also provides Fijians with a space to resolve concerns with respect to online abuse such as online bullying, internet trolling or image-based abuse.
Kamikamica says research has shown that approximately 2,800 complaints have been lodged with the OSC, and in 2022, the highest percentage of reports received were defamatory comments or posts mostly on Facebook and other issues like harassment, hacking of social media accounts, online scams, family matter and business-related matters.
He says whilst the internet facility has many advantages and has proved to be a milestone in the technical advancement of our societal way of life, it also provides entertainment for its users.
Kamikamica says we can encourage our children to read books and to get involved in a hobby or a sport in order to bring positive changes to our children’s lives to avoid the negative effects of technology.
