Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection Lynda Tabuya says it is vital that awareness sessions be carried out in communities with regard to the responsible use of social media.

Tabuya says that the increase in high-speed connectivity, can potentially give rise to access to pornography sites, and for this awareness is needed.

Tabuya states that pornography can have significant effects on both adults and children, impacting mental health, relationships, and overall well-being.

She adds that the pornography task force working groups have convened, and their next meeting of the anti-porn task force is scheduled for December.

Tabuya says one of the key programs that the Ministry will be advocating for is to ban the app Telegram, as many underage children in Fiji are uploading nude pictures without fully understanding the consequences.

“At their age, they are just trying things for fun, but it’s not fun once they are being bullied or cyberbullied. And so they aren’t also at the age of consent, so that is breaking the law for them to be putting up these pictures and these images. So, you know, banning the Telegram app is one of the first things that we’d like to do as a task force.”

Tabuya adds that the emergence of Starlink and other providers is likely to increase the risk of online bullying and give children greater access to pornographic content, making it essential to raise awareness about these issues.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Manoa Kamikamica, says banning pornography is a complex issue due to its implications for freedom of speech and expression. As a result, the anti-pornography task force will explore legal avenues that comply with the Constitution.

“Yeah, like I said, we have to be careful with access to freedom, you know, freedom of expression, the right to, you know, do whatever in a free society.”

By fostering informed conversations, communities can better equip individuals, especially youth, to engage with technology healthily and responsibly.