Mosese Raqio 
Online Safety Commissioner Filipe Batiwale has reminded the public that under Section 13 of the Online Safety Act 2018, only individuals can lodge complaints about online abuse or harassment.
This comes after concerns that the Commission was not responding to complaints filed by organisations on behalf of victims.
Batiwale says the law ensures that complaints come directly from those affected so the Commission can assist effectively.
“So, it places us in a very restrictive situation where we are only able to assist with complaints coming from people or individuals.”
He says the Commission cannot accept complaints from companies, schools, or government departments on someone’s behalf.
Batiwale also highlighted the challenges of tackling online abuse that crosses borders, noting that most major platforms are based in the United States.
“So, with the Fiji Police Force, if they were to present a search warrant or a subpoena, the United States government and META do not recognise that. So, that’s one of the biggest challenges that we face.”
The Online Safety Commission continues to work with the public, police, and international partners to safeguard Fijians online and is urging individuals to report online abuse promptly and responsibly.
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