The United States National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) reported receiving 3,638 suspected child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) reports from Fiji in 2023.
Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica disclosed this information during a recent parliamentary session while providing an update on the National Taskforce to Address Pornography. He explained that the NCMEC Cyber Tip Line functions as the U.S. national clearinghouse for leads on child exploitation. U.S. electronic service providers are legally obligated to report such criminal activity.
The majority of these reports are forwarded to law enforcement for further action, with 99 percent of the cyber tips originating from electronic service providers like Meta, Google, and TikTok, alongside a smaller number submitted by the public.
Mr. Kamikamica emphasized that in 2023, “NCMEC received 3,638 suspected CSEM reports from Fiji.” He stated that a crucial step involves local law enforcement investigating these cyber tip reports, with ongoing discussions taking place between NCMEC and the Fiji Police Force, supported by the U.S. Government for training purposes.
He added that this initiative builds on previous training sessions already conducted. Additionally, Mr. Kamikamica urged parents, guardians, and communities to be cautious about sharing images and videos of children online, underlining the importance of not posting pictures where children are inadequately dressed.
He warned that once such images are uploaded, they can be misused by offenders in harmful ways. He called for a collective effort to protect children in both physical and digital environments.