In Fiji, Women, Children, and Social Protection Minister Lynda Tabuya has highlighted pornography as a growing issue, likening its effects on the brain to those of methamphetamine and cocaine. She emphasized the need to address this “new drug” alongside traditional substance abuse.
The Cabinet has authorized the establishment of a pornography task force tasked with examining the negative impacts of pornography, which remains easily accessible online. The initiative aims to combat this issue as part of the government’s commitment to safeguard community welfare.
The task force will be co-chaired by the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection and the Ministry of Communications, which will oversee the relevant digital portal. Ms. Tabuya called for political will, noting that other nations have successfully banned pornography by restricting access through internet portals.
The minister also mentioned an upcoming visit from Elon Musk in October, linking it to the need for responsible internet use education. She noted that platform such as Telegram is being used by young girls to share explicit images, which can be illegal without parental consent.
The Pornography Taskforce will assess the overall use of the internet in Fiji, with Ms. Tabuya suggesting the implementation of a national campaign to promote responsible internet usage as the country becomes increasingly connected globally.