The government is taking steps to address the use of fake identities on online platforms, following a growing trend of digital impersonation, cyberbullying, and online abuse—especially on social media platforms like Facebook.

In response to these rising issues, the government is proposing a bill to amend the Harmful Digital Communications Act of 2024.

The proposed amendment aims to address critical areas of online harm, particularly focusing on digital impersonation—where a person uses another individual’s identity to cause harm or spread false information online.

Under the proposed changes:

• A person found guilty of using a fake identity to harm another individual or spread false information online could face a fine of up to 2,000,000 Vatu or imprisonment for up to three years.
• In the case of a group or organization committing such offenses, the penalty could rise to 5,000,000 Vatu.

The amendment is part of the government’s broader digital transformation efforts, aimed at strengthening protections for citizens in the face of increasing harmful activities online.