Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya has sounded the alarm in Parliament over what he described as a rising tide of “irresponsibility” on social media ahead of the elections, prompting Government confirmation that amendments to online safety laws are being fast-tracked. Koya questioned Information Minister Lynda Tabuya on whether the Online Safety Act 2018 would be strengthened to curb harmful content and improve regulatory oversight.
Tabuya told MPs that formal discussions are already under way to review and strengthen the 2018 law. She said the Office of the Attorney‑General, the Law Reform Commission and the Online Safety Commission have been directed to work together on proposed reforms, and that commissioners have been appointed to speed up the process. The minister said the Government expects to bring the reforms forward before the end of this year.
Among the most significant changes being sought, Tabuya said, is an appeal to grant prosecutorial powers to the Online Safety Commission. She explained this would help relieve pressure on the Fiji Police Force’s Cybercrime Unit, which is currently handling both investigations and prosecutions and is facing “significant strain.” Giving the commission prosecutorial authority, she argued, would allow faster action against online harms and reduce bottlenecks.
Tabuya emphasised urgency, citing an increasing volume of complaints and delays in removing harmful material as evidence that the status quo is no longer adequate. “We do need to strengthen the law and give the Online Safety Commission more teeth,” she told Parliament, reiterating calls for stronger enforcement mechanisms and clearer mandates for online regulators.
The Government move follows several recent government warnings and enforcement actions that have highlighted the challenges of policing online speech. In September last year, Acting Attorney‑General Siromi Turaga cautioned that social media commentary about ongoing court cases risked undermining the justice system, and police have continued to apply the Online Safety Act in prosecutions for offensive or harmful online posts. Those developments have fed into the present push to revise the legal framework and shore up oversight ahead of a likely increase in election‑related social media activity.
Legal and civil-society stakeholders are likely to scrutinise any proposed changes, since shifting prosecutorial responsibilities and expanding enforcement powers raise questions about the balance between protecting citizens from harm and safeguarding freedom of expression. Tabuya did not provide detail in Parliament on the precise scope of new powers or any safeguards that would accompany them, saying only that the inter-agency review is addressing those complexities.
The next formal step will be drafting the amendments and presenting them for Cabinet and parliamentary consideration. With ministers signalling a target of introducing reforms before year‑end, attention will turn to the content of the proposals and how quickly the Office of the Attorney‑General, the Law Reform Commission and the Online Safety Commission can finalise recommendations for legislative change.