Government is considering new measures to make service providers responsible in cross-border criminal investigations and to allow the blocking, filtering and take-down of illegal internet content.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Communications Manoa Kamikamica told Parliament the review of the Telecommunications Act 2008 would ensure Fiji’s laws kept pace with emerging technologies and close gaps being exploited online.
The reforms form part of a wider overhaul also covering the Online Safety Act, Cybercrime Act and new privacy laws.
“We will benchmark Fiji’s revised framework against international standards to ensure it meets global good practice,” Mr Kamikamica said.
The Telecommunications Act 2008, Mr Kamikamica said was designed for “a different era” and must now cover 5G, satellite infrastructure, submarine cables and over-the-top (OTT) services.
“The breadth of technologies and challenges we face today has evolved.
“As part of the law reform process, we intend to focus on several key areas arising from the rapidly evolving digital landscape.”
Government has partnered with the International Telecommunication Union to align reforms with global standards.
Consultations will also be held with operators, consumer groups and industry stakeholders before amendments are tabled.
Mr Kamikamica said the updated law would strengthen consumer protection, improve the regulator’s ability to respond to emerging threats, and address cross-border issues such as blocking and filtering illegal internet content.
