Source: Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand
From bullying and racism to deepfakes, scams, and livestreamed violence, harmful online content is spreading unchecked. Organisers say this is the result of a design flaw: platforms are built to maximise engagement, even when that means amplifying harmful material.
“Presentations to the Education and Workforce Select Committee this week showed the chilling depth of harm occurring”, says Jacqui Dillon, Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand. “The nature of this harm requires solutions that go to the heart of the problem – where platforms are being designed to promote high engagement content regardless of the harm.”
“It’s time to hold online platforms responsible for the harm they knowingly cause through the design of their platforms, and in the way content is promoted or censored”, says Anjum Rahman, Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono. “They are monetising our content, and we need to ensure that the burden of dealing with these issues doesn’t fall on communities. They need to be transparent about the impact of algorithms, machine learning and use of AI.”
This campaign urges the Government to introduce a legal framework for online safety, including transparency and accountability, a duty of care, independent oversight, and penalties for non-compliance.
Organisers also emphasise that regulation must be developed in partnership with Māori, in line with Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and warn that Aotearoa New Zealand is falling behind countries such as Australia, the UK, and the EU that already have online safety laws.
A website and resources to support campaigning launched on Thursday 11 September. People are encouraged to take action by contacting MPs, writing to Minister Erica Stanford, and raising awareness in their communities.
