Shania Shayal Prasad 
Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Information, Eseta Nadakuitavuki, says Fiji can no longer treat digital media literacy as optional, warning that misinformation, cyberbullying and online scams pose real threats to individuals and national stability.
Speaking during the Digital Media Literacy Training in Suva today, Nadakuitavuki says the country is not fully prepared for the rapid growth of social media platforms and the complex risks that followed.
She stresses that mobile phones are no longer just communication tools, they are now newsrooms, marketplaces, classrooms and public forums all in one.
Nadakuitavuki says digital literacy must go beyond knowing how to post or comment online.
“Be the champion to ensure that we don’t misuse this platform. Therefore, these are not just digital problems. They are human problems. They affect real people like you and I, people that have feelings, real families, and real communities.”
She says false narratives, fake accounts, AI-generated and manipulated content and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images are no longer isolated digital problems, but human problems affecting real families and communities.
The Permanent Secretary says that women, young people and vulnerable groups continue to bear the heaviest burden of online abuse.
She emphasizes that it requires critical thinking, verifying information before sharing it, understanding legal responsibilities, and recognizing that freedom of expression carries accountability.
Nadakuitavuki says building a safer digital environment requires a coordinated national effort and citizens must take responsibility for the quality of Fiji’s online space.
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