Protect children from ‘dark side of the web’: Tabuya

The Government’s push to connect more than 46,000 Fijians to the internet has heightened concerns about children being exposed to pornography and other harmful online content.

Minister for Information Lynda Tabuya said the benefits of expanding internet access must be balanced with stronger measures to protect children from the “dark side of the web”.

Her comments followed confirmation by Minister for Policing and Communications Ioane Naivalurua in Parliament that 46,840 Fijians in 311 communities would soon gain internet access under the Government’s nationwide connectivity programme.

Ms Tabuya warned that greater connectivity also meant greater exposure to harmful online content, particularly pornography.

“It does come with the dark side of the web,” Ms Tabuya said.

Referring to the excessive use of pornography and excessive internet use by young children, she said the Government’s anti-pornography task force was already reviewing ways to regulate access to pornography and prevent children from viewing it.

The task force is chaired by the Minister for Communications and the Minister for Women.

Ms Tabuya said the Online Safety Commission would also play an important role in educating newly connected communities about responsible internet use.

She said the focus was not only on providing internet access, but also ensuring people understood how to use it safely and responsibly.

Meanwhile, Mr Naivalurua told Parliament that the 311 communities identified for the next stages of the rollout covered 12,101 households.

“Government has already connected more than 8,200 Fijians across 90 communities, with newly connected areas using 49 terabytes of data in July alone.” Mr Naivalurua said.

The figures reflect strong demand for internet access, but Ms Tabuya said protecting children from its harmful side must also be part of the expansion.