Fijians are dedicating a significant amount of time to viewing pornography, as discussed in Parliament recently. It was reported that within a span of three months, Fijians accessed pornographic websites, consuming approximately 626.13 terabytes (TB) of data. This figure is comparable to the amount of information contained in 100 million books over the same timeframe.
Manoa Kamikamica, the Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of the National Taskforce to Address Pornography, described pornography as a “silent epidemic” significantly affecting Fiji’s digital landscape and the lives of many individuals. He noted that in the past year alone, over 3,600 instances of child sexual abuse material were reported to the U.S. National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Mr. Kamikamica further highlighted the substantial data usage associated with adult content, indicating that one network provider’s data traffic from pornographic sites placed it among the top ten uses. To illustrate the enormity of 626.13TB, he compared it to having a movie collection that would require over 150 years of continuous viewing if one watched a movie every day.
He emphasized the pervasive nature of adult content on the internet, pointing out the overwhelming demand, despite the challenges in quantifying the exact proportion of adult material online. “It’s a silent epidemic, shaping our digital world and impacting countless lives,” he stated.
This issue is not limited to Fiji but is part of a broader global challenge. In 2022, 245 electronic service providers reported more than 35 million suspected cases of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). Data from INHOPE in 2023 revealed that 83% of the child abuse victims documented were aged between three and thirteen. Additionally, statistics from Interpol indicated that in 2018, 65% of unidentified victims were girls, with 93% of visual offenses involving male perpetrators.
Mr. Kamikamica expressed that the formation of the national taskforce represents a significant commitment from the Coalition Government to address these issues effectively. He described it as a crucial measure to protect communities and safeguard vulnerable individuals.