Social media users are being urged to report the upload and sale of intimate videos and photos of other people online, especially on Facebook.
Online Safety Commission’s (OSC) acting executive director Tajeshwari Devi said the commission was aware of people posting screenshots of pornographic materials on Facebook.
Responding to this newspaper’s queries regarding the issue, she said those doing this would be taken to task if the uploads were classified as image-based abuse.
“The posting of such intimate materials that contain other people is classified as image-based abuse by the OSC,” Ms Devi said.
“The OSC will only be able to take action in getting the image-based abuse content removed from social media platforms after a formal complaint has been lodged by the victims featured in the content.”
Ms Devi said the commission was advising members of the public that “if you are being subjected to image-based abuse, you are not alone, and we are here to assist you”.
“The OSC will first analyse the complaint and discuss it with the victim, and then we’ll contact the concerned social media platform and request the removal of the content.”
Minister for Communications Manoa Kamikamica shared the same sentiments.
“I encourage the public who are seeing these disgusting practices to immediately report to the OSC,” Mr Kamikamica said.
