Praneeta Prakash 
Fiji is planning a study mission to Australia next year to review its new law banning social media use for children under 16.
The law, which comes into effect in December, will require service providers to block or remove accounts belonging to underage users.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Communications Manoa Kamikamica says Fiji is closely monitoring the move as part of efforts to strengthen online safety and child protection.
He says the mission will assess how the ban is enforced, the technology used to verify age, its effects on children, and the supporting legal frameworks.
Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya, while citing Australia as a model, called on Fiji to implement child-protection laws without delay.
“One of the best examples of how it’s actually been dealt with really well is currently Australia. I think one of the issues that we probably need to look at—or the task force needs to look at—is that some laws can be addressed immediately without it being required to go through the whole process before we attend to it, specifically with respect to children.”
Kamikamica says Fiji has formed a national task force, working with UNICEF and the Fiji Police to strengthen capacity and tackle rising cases.
“The three working groups have been meeting, and the members have been progressing in areas of their work. For example, the police have formed an online child sexual exploitation and abuse unit, and we are working together to build the necessary capacity and tools.”
The study mission will be part of a broader review of Fiji’s online safety laws, including proposed amendments to the Online Safety Act 2018, to ensure the legislation remains effective in protecting citizens from emerging digital threats.
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