The live streamed March 2019 Christchurch attacks and the more recent synagogue attack in Germany remind us that hate speech and the use of social media platforms to propagate hatred is not going away any time soon.
There is however some positive news. The New Zealand government has just announced that it will be investing NZ$17 million over four years to boost New Zealand’s ability to effectively and quickly identify and close down violent and extremist online content. A new 17 strong team will be set up within the Department of Internal Affairs. It will be dedicated to addressing this growing menace and have wide forensic and investigative powers. The new department will also have powers to prosecute those committing offences. It will be tasked with working with international organisations to coordinate their efforts.
As Jacinda Adern said in a statement announcing the initiative: “Our online world must be a force for good where we can exchange ideas, share technology, and maintain civil liberties, while protecting New Zealanders from objectionable content,”.
