The Department of Internal Affairs

The Department of Internal Affairs

Te Tari Taiwhenua

Building a safe, prosperous and respected nation

 

Services › Censorship Compliance › Internet and Website Filter (known as the Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System)

An internet and website filtering system to block websites that host child sexual abuse images is being made available voluntarily to New Zealand Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

This internet filtering system is called the Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System will focus solely on websites offering clearly objectionable images of child sexual abuse, which is a serious offence for anyone in New Zealand to access.

For more information please read our media release: Web filter will focus soley on child sex abuse images (16.07.09)


Internet Service Providers using the filter

The Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System is operated by the Department in partnership with the following New Zealand ISPs. Joining the filtering programme is voluntary.

Image: Airnet logo

Airnet
www.airnet.net.nz		Image: Maxnet logo

Maxnet
www.maxnet.co.nz		Image: Telecom logo

Telecom
www.telecom.co.nz
Image: TelstraClear logo

Telstra Clear
www.telstraclear.co.nz		Image: Vodaphone logo

Vodafone
www.vodafone.co.nz		Image: Watchdog logo

Watchdog
www.watchdog.net.nz
Image: Xtreme Networks logo

Xtreme Networks
www.xtreme.net.nz		Image: 2 Degrees logo

2 Degrees
www.2degreesmobile.co.nz
Note: Inclusion of links to third party sites does not imply any endorsement of the linked website or its content or provider.

See also: Letter to Internet Service Providers advising them of the filter's availability (PDF, 79K)*


Code of Practice

The Department of Internal Affairs has a Code of Practice for the operation of the website filtering system to prevent access to websites containing images of child sexual abuse. The Code of Practice provides assurance that only website pages containing images of child sexual abuse will be filtered and the privacy of ISP customers is maintained. The filter will not cover email, file sharing or borderline material.

It is a living document and the Department welcomes comments at any stage.

For more information please read our media release: Web filter Code of Practice available (25.08.09)


Independent Reference Group

The Department established an Independent Reference Group, the membership of which is representative of enforcement agencies, the Office of Film and Literature Classification, Internet Service Providers, Internet users, and agencies and community groups with an interest in the welfare of children.

The general function of the Independent Reference Group is to maintain oversight of the operation of the Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System to ensure it is operated with integrity and adheres to the principles set down in the Code of Practice.

Membership

Nic McCully Deputy Chief Censor, Office of Film & Literature Classification
Nicola Atwool Office of the Children's Commissioner
Steve O’Brien Manager, Censorship Compliance Unit, Department of Internal Affairs
Mark Harris Technology Research & Consulting
Andrew Bowater Government Relations Manager, Telecom
Seeking a replacement Netguide
David Stone Chief Executive Officer, Telecommunication Carriers Forum

Meeting Minutes and Briefings

December 2012

April 2012

December 2011

August 2011

April 2011

March 2011

October 2010

February 2010

Explanatory Statement

The expansion of the Internet has led to many positive developments. However, the fact remains that criminals, individuals as well as organised groups, are also using this technology as a means of producing, collecting and distributing images of child sexual abuse.

Child sexual abuse images are not “just images” but evidence of actual criminal activity. The possession and distribution of this material creates an international market that supports and encourages further abuse. The children who are victims of this activity sometimes suffer the psychological effects of their abuse for many years after the physical offending has ended. Images that are distributed on the Internet never go away. With each download the person involved is re-victimised.

The Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System is designed to assist in combating the trade in child sexual abuse images by making it more difficult for persons with a sexual interest in children to access that material. The Filtering System will complement the enforcement activity undertaken by the Censorship Compliance Unit of the Department of Internal Affairs. This activity includes online investigations into the trading of objectionable images on peer to peer networks and the prosecution of offenders.

Website filtering is only partially effective in combating the trade in child sexual abuse images. In particular website filtering is effective only after the fact and does not prevent the creation of illegal material nor, in the case of images of child sexual abuse, the exploitation of children. The system also will not remove illegal content from its location on the Internet, nor prosecute the creators or intentional consumers of this material.

The focus of international enforcement will continue to be the identification and rescue of victims, and ensuring that these websites are quickly shutdown and their owners prosecuted. However, not every legal system recognises the distribution of child abuse images as a serious crime, and few enforcement agencies around the world have the resources and training to carry out online investigations and the forensic examination of computers.

For more information please read the Public Information Pack (PDF, 139K)*


Common Questions and Answers

New Zealand is opposed to making, publishing, viewing and trading images of child sexual abuse. Nothing provides the total solution to people abusing children in this way but in New Zealand, we do what we can to reduce demand, identify offenders, and protect children.

The Department has entered into a partnership with ECPAT New Zealand, part of a global organisation the purpose of which is the elimination of child prostitution and child pornography and trafficking of children for sexual purposes.

ECPAT is operating a hotline through its website (www.childalert.org.nz) so that members of the public can report suspect sites, not already identified by the Department.

The Department is also working in partnership with NZ Internet Service Providers by offering them the Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System to protect their customers from accessing these illegal websites inadvertently or otherwise.

The filter has caused debate in the media and the blogosphere, including some quite misleading and ill-informed claims about its purpose.

The Department has received many questions about the filter. The Code of Practice provides information about the operation of the filter and, in the interests of ensuring informed discussion, we will publish our responses to common questions on this page:

Current Legislation

The Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 deems a publication to be objectionable if it promotes or supports, or tends to promote or support the exploitation of children, or young persons, or both, for sexual purposes (section 3(2)(a)).

The Act provides that possession of an objectionable publication with knowledge or reason to believe it is objectionable is a serious offence carrying a term of imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $50,000.

The offence of distributing an objectionable publication, including over the Internet, with knowledge that the publication is objectionable carries a maximum term of imprisonment of up to 10 years. Distributing includes making a publication available for others to access, such as on a website or through file sharing.

New Zealand law contains no provision that specifically authorises the operation of a website filtering system or to require ISPs to connect to such a system. Participation in the Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System by ISPs is therefore voluntary.


Useful Links
*You need Adobe Reader installed on your computer to view these files. If you are unable to open the files we recommend you get the latest version of Adobe Reader. You can download and install Acrobat Reader for free from the Adobe website.