Riya Mala 
Online safety concerns for families and children are rising in the digital era.
Online Safety Commissioner Filipe Batiwale states issues go beyond cyberbullying to include harassment, sextortion scams, child sexual abuse material, and gender-based violence.
He adds that stigma in communities makes it hard for victims to get help.
Batiwale notes there is also a rise in online misinformation causing real-world harm.
“Child sexual abuse material, cyberbullying and harassment, sextortion scams targeting youths and the older population, and technologically facilitated gender-based violence. There has also been a significant increase in online misinformation with potential offline harms.”
The Commission is consulting the National Anti-Pornography Task Force because many cases involve sharing intimate images.
Communications Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica points out the importance of stronger laws and more awareness.
“One of the main priorities is reviewing legislative changes. It’s very clear that our current laws are not fit for purpose, so that’s one of the key areas we’re focusing on. Additionally, we need to do much more awareness work, especially among students, to promote responsible social media behavior.”
The government, Kamikamica said was working on reforms to better handle online safety, cybercrime, and non-consensual image sharing.
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