A National Taskforce focused on combating pornography in Fiji held its inaugural meeting, chaired by Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica and Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection Lynda Tabuya.
The Taskforce, approved by Cabinet earlier this year, convened with key representatives from the government, private sector, civil society, and faith-based organizations to address the increasing prevalence of pornographic material and its societal ramifications, as well as the urgent issue of online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
During the meeting, Tabuya emphasized the necessity of a collaborative approach in the battle against online exploitation, describing the gathering as a significant milestone in their pledge to protect children from the threats posed by online pornography.
Mereseini Rakuita, Principal Strategic Lead – Pacific Women and Girls at SPC, noted the importance of government, regulation, and policy roles in tackling pornography in Fiji and potentially throughout the Pacific.
The global revenue of the porn industry is approximately $97 billion. Rakuita mentioned that Fiji ranks among the top 10 countries for internet searches related to pornography, revealing that an unnamed internet provider reported 626.13 terabytes of online traffic for pornographic content in Fiji during the third quarter of 2023. This amount of data is equivalent to that stored in 100 million books.
The NTAP Fiji meeting aimed to unite stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to devise comprehensive strategies to mitigate the effects of pornography and illegal content, especially in safeguarding children in digital environments. Additionally, the taskforce will explore effective methods to promote responsible internet and social media use.
Through collaborative efforts, this taskforce aims to foster a nationwide initiative dedicated to enhancing the well-being of all Fijians and nurturing a healthier society.