THE Online Safety Commission (OSC) has no legal power to ban TikTok, saying any move to restrict the platform would require parliamentary approval and national consultation.
Online Safety Commissioner Filipe Batiwale confirmed the commission is aware of explicit TikTok videos targeting young Fijian women, specifically disturbing content encouraging applying toothpaste to private areas.
“As a statutory agency, our role is guided strictly by the Online Safety Act. We do not have the authority to enforce platform bans,” Mr Batiwale said.
The videos sparked public outcry, with growing calls to ban the platform.
“The commission said its Online Abuse Response Team ensured the content was taken down in under an hour. A formal complaint over the offending videos was filed through the OSC’s online reporting system, triggering swift action.”
While the OSC leads the civil response to online harm, it does not have criminal enforcement powers.
“We assess complaints, facilitate resolution and promote digital safety.
“Criminal matters are referred to the Fiji Police Force and the Director of Public Prosecutions.”
The OSC works in partnership with the police on serious offences, including the distribution of sexually explicit material and exploitation under the Crimes Act.
“The commission maintains active engagement with key digital platforms including TikTok and Meta.
“These partnerships allow for prompt reporting and removal of harmful content originating within Fiji. We also continue to advocate for stronger moderation practices and localised content policies that reflect our national standards and laws.”
Mr Batiwale said the commission continued to push for tougher content moderation policies that align with Fiji’s national standards and laws.
In response to the rise of harmful digital trends, the OSC is expanding digital literacy campaigns, especially for vulnerable groups such as youth and women.
“Our community and school-based programs are critical in helping young people spot and avoid dangerous content online,” he said.
The OSC’s authority under the Online Safety Act 2018 covers offences such as posting harmful communications (Section 24) and threats to post intimate recordings (Section 25).
