The revelation that the Online Safety Commission has referred more than 30 serious cases involving sextortion, image-based abuse and related offences to the Fiji Police Force for investigation and possible charges since October last year is troubling.
Online Safety Commissioner Filipe Batiwale confirmed that online scams, sextortion and image-based abuse are widespread across Fiji and are increasingly linked to cross-border activity.
Offenders, he explained, often create fake social media profiles, strike up online relationships and gradually gain the trust of their targets. Once intimate images or videos are obtained, victims are threatened with exposure unless money is paid.
These schemes, he noted, frequently target Fijians living or working overseas. Offenders assume that people abroad may have greater financial resources, and that victims may be less likely to report the crime because of embarrassment, fear or concern about reputational damage.
We know that when serious criminal conduct is identified, the Online Safety Commission refers such matters to the Fiji Police Force, particularly the Criminal Investigation Department and the Cybercrime Unit, for investigation and possible prosecution.
While the commission continues to work closely with police, Mr Batiwale acknowledged that both agencies face major challenges. These include limited resources and investigative capacity, especially in cases that require manpower, digital forensic analysis and cooperation across borders.
He said the commission does not yet possess the full investigative powers or the technical forensic capability to conduct complex criminal investigations. As a result, matters that require enforcement action are formally passed on to the police.
Existing laws do provide avenues for prosecution though. These include Section 25 of the Online Safety Act 2018, which deals with the posting of intimate visual recordings without consent, and Section 24, which relates to causing harm through electronic communications. There are also provisions under the Crimes Act 2009 that address obscene publications and extortion.
Cases involving the sharing of intimate recordings without consent are treated seriously because of the emotional and psychological harm they inflict on victims. Mr Batiwale has urged Fijians, particularly those living overseas, to avoid sharing intimate material with people they meet online and to report threats immediately.
In saying that, we also look to users of various online portals to be more responsible. The onus rests on all of us to recognise that the digital space, like any other public space, requires respect, discipline and awareness. We all have our own views and opinions, and online platforms give us the freedom to express them. But that freedom, we say, must be exercised responsibly.
We face a continuing challenge to raise awareness about online safety. People must be vigilant and careful about how they interact in digital spaces. There will always be people intent on discrediting others or exploiting them for personal gain, but we say, greater awareness can reduce the opportunities for such behaviour.
Irresponsible online conduct is damaging and should concern us all. It can destroy reputations, cause emotional distress and leave lasting scars for victims and their families. A moment of poor judgment online can quickly spiral into something far more serious.
Online portals are powerful tools. They connect us, inform us and give us a voice. But when misused, they can also become platforms for abuse, manipulation and harm.
We must think carefully about what we share, who we interact with and how we conduct ourselves online. And when we encounter suspicious or abusive behaviour, we must not remain silent.
Report it. Speak up. Alert the authorities.
A safer online environment depends on strong laws and capable enforcement agencies, and also on responsible citizens who understand the risks and act with care.
