A Get Safe Online Tongan Website has been launched in Tongan language for Tonga and Tongans globally who have access to the internet.
The Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC) will administrate the new website.
CEO for MEIDECC, Paula Ma’u said the ministry was pleased to launch the English version of the website for Tonga in August 2020 to assist in its endeavour to protect Tongan businesses and citizens online.
“We requested if it was possible to have these valuable content available in the Tongan language so that it can reach and be useful to a wider range of audience in Tonga and we are thankful that this request has materialised. We are also happy that the borderless nature of the Internet can be utilised to counter the risks of being online as Tongans who reside overseas can also access these information to keep themselves, their families and their businesses safe and secure online”.
Get Safe Online Head of International Relations, Jenny Thornton said they are thrilled to be launching the local language website.
“We see these sites as the natural evolution of our efforts to share online safety and security messages with the people of the Pacific. When we launched the local language version of the Rwanda website in Africa just before Christmas, we received an amazing response. We’re hoping for the same excitement here in the Pacific.”
The Get Safe Online websites provide simple, helpful tips on a wide range of online security issues. From password protection to ensuring that financial transactions are safe, the nine Pacific island websites have been extremely popular and are visited by a wide range of users – from business owners to students and fishermen.
The British High Commission in Tonga supports the launch of the Tongan language site.
Get Safe Online Pacific is a project of the UK-based organisation Get Safe Online, which has been successfully promoting online safety in the United Kingdom for 14 years. For the past eight months, websites in English have been operating in nine Pacific Island countries who are members of the Commonwealth of Nations. The service is completely free to users.