While child sexual abuse material is already illegal in Fiji, the use and circulation of AI-generated nude images of children is not specifically prohibited under current laws.
Speaking on The Lens@177, Online Safety Commissioner Filipe Batiwale said the growing use of artificial intelligence to create and share manipulated images of children was a major concern for the commission.
Mr Batiwale said existing laws cover child sexual abuse material (CSAM), but there was no specific provision dealing with AI-generated child sexual abuse content.
“So we have AI that is already covered under the Act but there is no specific provision for children that are subjected to AI CSAM,” he said.
“It is very generally classed under the Crimes Act as an obscene material but there is no specific provision to make it illegal.
“That is a really concerning issue like I’ve shared earlier, children bullying in school, using naked photos or removing clothes from other students.”
Mr Batiwale said there was a need to consider banning such practices because of the harm they could cause.
He said while some children may view the manipulation of images as a joke, the consequences could be serious and long-lasting.
According to Mr Batiwale, victims can experience significant shame and psychological distress, while the impact often extends to parents and family members.
“The trauma caused by the circulation of manipulated nude images can affect victims for the rest of their lives and so there is a need for stronger protections to address the issue.”
