The Online Safety Commission is urging Fijians to take immediate action against Facebook pages and chat groups that are spreading hate, including racially charged and divisive content. The Commission confirms it has received multiple complaints and is working with Meta to investigate, with action to be taken under the Online Safety Act 2018.
While investigations proceed, the Commission stresses that harmful material must not continue circulating. Members of the public are encouraged to block these pages, leave groups that promote hate, and use Facebook’s reporting tools to flag abusive content. The Commission says collective action reduces harm by removing the audience and platform that fuel division, and it thanks the public for supporting safer online spaces.
Recent context and guidance
– The Commission has previously cautioned that resharing or reposting harmful material can amplify harm and may carry legal consequences. Formal investigations under the Online Safety Act begin after a complaint is lodged using the Commission’s complaint form.
– Reports of online abuse have risen in recent months, with defamatory remarks and image-based abuse among the most common complaints. Women, children, and young adults are frequently affected, especially on Facebook.
– Under current law, the Commission cannot unilaterally remove posts or shut down groups on foreign-owned platforms; cooperation with platforms like Meta is therefore essential. A review of the Online Safety Act is underway with the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Fiji Law Reform Commission to strengthen protections and explore measures such as a duty of care for platforms and service providers.
– Because harmful content often crosses borders, the Commission is coordinating with partners in Australia and New Zealand to address imported and exported online harms.
What you can do now
– Do not engage with or reshare harmful posts. Avoid circulating screenshots that could further spread abuse.
– Leave and block groups or pages that promote hate.
– Use Facebook’s in-app reporting tools to flag abusive content and accounts.
– If you need to make a formal complaint, contact the Online Safety Commission; for those under 18, parental or school consent is required to lodge a complaint.
– Support victims by sharing helpline information privately and encouraging them to report through official channels.
Contact the Online Safety Commission for confidential assistance or to lodge a complaint: 9980242 or 2296609.
Additional comments
– Blocking and reporting are effective because they reduce visibility and signal to platforms that enforcement action is needed, particularly important while the Commission’s powers are being strengthened.
– Community vigilance is making a difference. Responsible digital citizenship—choosing not to engage, not to share, and to report instead—helps protect vulnerable people and reduces the reach of harmful actors.
Summary: Fiji’s Online Safety Commission is investigating hate content on Facebook and urges the public to block, leave, and report offending groups and pages while avoiding resharing harmful material. Cooperation with Meta is underway under the Online Safety Act 2018, with broader legal reforms in progress to strengthen protections. Complaints can be made confidentially via 9980242 or 2296609.
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