THE Online Safety Bill is intended to scare online users rather than try to develop capacity for ‘responsible online behaviour and online safety’.When making her personal submissions on the Online Safety Bill to the Standing Committee today, Lenora Qereqeretabua said there was a need for the involvement of the Ministry of Education (MOE) specified in the Bill.
“The Bill instead of explaining in detail how it will promote online behaviour and online safety, a very necessary exercise, the Bill goes no further than to mention education twice and instead jumps straight to punishment, fines and imprisonment,” she said.
“How important is teaching young children about online safety when there is no mention and therefore convincing commitment in the Bill to satisfy the inclusion of MOE in the objective to promote responsible behaviour and online safety.”
Ms Qereqeretabua said she strongly believes that if the Bill genuinely seeks to promote responsible online behaviour and online safety, then there must be at the very least, a clearly worded commitment within the language of the Bill, including MOE and other stakeholders to promote and encourage of responsible behaviour.
