Sainiani Boila 
The massive use of social media by Fijians, particularly during late-night hours, could soon affect the country’s productivity, according to Fiji Times Editor-in-Chief Fred Wesley.
Speaking at the Cultural Heritage and Tolerance Symposium organized by the Asian Foundation in Suva yesterday, Wesley raised concerns about the growing impact of social media on the nation’s work ethic.
Wesley highlighted the rising trend of people using social media well into the night, often until the early hours of the morning.
“I see that a lot of people across our portals, they actually come in after 9pm and I’m thinking if these people are coming in at 9pm and they are going to sleep at 3am, I wonder what can we see about our productivity in our country very soon. People are going in that time and are going to bed around 1am, 2am, 3am. We have a country that is so encroached on social media and is becoming a problem for us.”
He questioned the deepening influence of social media, which seems to be encroaching into the daily lives of many Fijians.
The editor also expressed frustration over the lack of political will to address the issue of social media regulation and its impact.
Wesley emphasized the urgency of taking action, especially given the rapid pace of online commenting as comments aren’t coming once a week as they’re coming by the minute.
The three-day symposium continues today.
