In 2023, Fiji reported over 3,600 instances of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), as announced by Minister for Communications and Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica in Parliament. These reports were submitted to the United States National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Kamikamica explained that the Cyber Tipline at NCMEC functions as a national clearinghouse for information regarding child sexual exploitation. U.S. electronic service providers are legally required to report suspected incidents of CSAM, which includes grooming and explicit content directed towards children. The majority of cases reported are from electronic service providers like Meta, Google, and TikTok, with only a few coming from the public.
In his speech, he emphasized that the National Taskforce’s establishment is a serious initiative aimed at protecting vulnerable individuals and taking actionable steps against online child exploitation. He noted that the Taskforce’s initial focus will be on addressing online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA).
Kamikamica also urged parents and guardians to be extra cautious regarding the images and videos of their children shared online. He stressed the importance of not posting inappropriate images, as they can be misused by offenders in harmful ways. He called for collective efforts to ensure the safety of children both online and offline.