UniFiji Approaches Online Safety Commission For Constitutional Clarity On Free Speech After Being Trolled

In response to online defamation, the University of Fiji reached out to the Online Safety Commission in reference to its Vice Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem as well as the University.

This prompted them to ask the commission for help regarding the constitutional limits to freedom of speech.

As per Professor Shameem, these were instigated by a senior worker from a rival institution, spam emails, and even Instagram posts were aimed at the 184 individuals comprising of academicians, media, and even religious faiths.

Publications regarding the likes of controversy surrounding Student Assessment Factors or those damaging to the credibility of the University of Fiji were allegedly sent through email, and these was directed towards potential students with the aim of gaining maximum control over their admissions game.

According to Professor Shaista passing around hate speech or anything meant with malicious intent is still covered under Freedom on Speech’s Section 17 of Fiji’s Constitution.

Legal measures to tackle the issue will follow after the guidance from the Online Safety Commission is received by the UniFiji.