EXCLUSIVE: Dear Netsafe – you can censor The Daily Blog the day you take the keyboard from my cold dead hands

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I have to be honest with you all, when the Harmful Digital Communications Act passed, I didn’t take a hell of a lot of notice of the fine print.

On the surface, the Act seemed reasonable. Human beings have a terrible ability to be cruel to one another and when they can be anonymous online that ability manages to become infinite, so I like many NZers probably nodded in agreement at legislation to combat online bullying in a cultural landscape that includes social media.

Oh how wrong was I.

Two days ago I was contacted by Netsafe who requested that under the powers given them from the Harmful Digital Communications Act that I censor The Daily Blog.

It gets so much worse than that though.

Not only am I not allowed to tell you, the readership of The Daily Blog, that I have been contacted by Netsafe to censor the blog, I am not allowed to tell you the content they wish to censor and I am not allowed to tell you if the blog has been censored.

Over the last 48 hours I have been shocked to learn the huge powers that have been handed over to a jumped up NGO who is merely deputised by the Ministry of Justice to manage the Harmful Digital Communications Act.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

This law was effectively set up to stop teenagers bullying each other on bloody Facebook, what the hell are they doing trying to censor a political blog?

If The Daily Blog has published something that is a falsehood about you as an individual you have the right to contact me as the editor and request a right of reply and if we have over stepped the mark, an apology from the blog – failing that, you can always sue us for defamation.

I’ve been in this game since 1995, and in my 23 years (despite being banned from Radio NZ for life for supposedly defaming John Key), I’ve never been sued for defamation. I know the law, I sail pretty close to it at times, but I don’t over step it and I’ve got almost a quarter of a century of experience to back that up.

We have reviewed the blogs that Netsafe have asked to be censored and there is NOTHING defamatory in those blogs. If NZers knew what blogs Netsafe wanted censored, there would be  outrage at the obvious political influences at work here.

Netsafe demanded that I respond within 48 hours as to whether or not I would comply with their requests for censorship, so let me respond publicly to Netsafe.

You can censor The Daily Blog the day you take the keyboard from my cold dead hands. The content you have asked to be censored is not defamatory and allowing secret censorship of political blogs is the most dangerous and disturbing part of your powers.

This blog ain’t for turning 

My advice to Netsafe is that they pause, take a long deep breath and consider the Public backlash at this type of censorship. You were given these powers to stop cyber bullying, you sure as Christ weren’t given them to censor political blogs. This is an outrageous abuse of power and I won’t acquiesce to it.

Any incoming new Government in September has to urgently check the powers that have been given Netsafe, because I can’t imagine anyone who voted for the Harmful Digital Communications Act thought for one second it would be used against legitimate political comment online.

If Netsafe continue this action against The Daily Blog, I will ensure you our readers know about it.

104 COMMENTS

  1. Interesting. And disturbing.

    I would love to know what Netsafe wanted censored.

    Considering that TDB has its own moderator(s) and seems willing to remove the most offensive or pointless comments, what is it that Netsafe objects to?

    I’ll be curious to know if Netsafe contacts me over my own blog.

    • Don’t cave in Frank and Martin, stand your ground. You have plenty of ground support watching your back!

    • “I’ll be curious to know if Netsafe contacts me over my own blog.”

      Could well be the case Frank. Seems the media tool of government is doing the rounds contacting alternative media sites.

      Wonder if Whale Oil will also be contacted by Netsafe?

      • I Think what Frank was saying is he is concerned about his Blog Fmackasy.wordpress.com maybe censored and that has consequenses for hundreds of other political kiwi blogs so sharpen up

    • Frank I also would like Netsafe to give us reasons and the entire list of those who have allowed Netsafe to be the sensor!!!!

      Bet they wont show their list?

  2. ” This law was effectively set up to stop teenagers bullying each other on bloody Facebook, what the hell are they doing trying to censor a political blog? ”

    ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

    ” This law was effectively set up to stop teenagers bullying each other on bloody Facebook, what the hell are they doing trying to censor a political blog? ”

    ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

    ” This law was effectively set up to stop teenagers bullying each other on bloody Facebook, what the hell are they doing trying to censor a political blog? ”

    ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

    ” This law was effectively set up to stop teenagers bullying each other on bloody Facebook, what the hell are they doing trying to censor a political blog? ”

    ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

    ” This law was effectively set up to stop teenagers bullying each other on bloody Facebook, what the hell are they doing trying to censor a political blog? ”

    ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

    NETSAFE – PISS OFF ! – THIS IS NOT STALINGRAD AND THIS IS NOT THE McCARTHY ERA.

    NETSAFE – PISS OFF ! – THIS IS NOT STALINGRAD AND THIS IS NOT THE McCARTHY ERA.

    NETSAFE – PISS OFF ! – THIS IS NOT STALINGRAD AND THIS IS NOT THE McCARTHY ERA.

    NETSAFE – PISS OFF ! – THIS IS NOT STALINGRAD AND THIS IS NOT THE McCARTHY ERA

    NETSAFE – PISS OFF ! – THIS IS NOT STALINGRAD AND THIS IS NOT THE McCARTHY ERA

    • +100…and the McCarthyist Democrats want to take RT off line because they say it undermines USA democracy and ruined Hillary’s chances

      …actually Clinton’s corruption ruined her own chances…the American working class and most women saw through her…the Democrat lady can lie and spin it all she likes

      ‘US Senator comparing RT, Sputnik to Nazi propaganda is absurd smear campaign’

      https://www.rt.com/op-edge/383598-propaganda-rt-senator-us-nazi/

      “The anti-Russia tirades going on in parts of the US government and media are aimed at weakening or hurting the Trump presidency. Experts say the Democrats are not happy with the election result and are trying to pin the loss on Russia.
      US Senator Jeanne Shaheen on Tuesday singled out Russian news sources RT and Sputnik comparing them to Nazi propaganda.

      Shaheen was speaking in the Senate to lobby for the bill she is proposing in response to Russia’s alleged meddling in last year’s US presidential election.

      “Our bill will give the Department of Justice new and necessary authority to investigate potential violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act by RT America,” Shaheen said. “This act was passed in the late 1930s in response to concerns about Nazi propaganda being disseminated in the United States without people knowing what it was. Well, this, I think, is absolutely appropriate today for us to take a look at what Russia and other countries may be doing to our news.”…

      ( exactly who are the Nazis?!…exactly who are peddling fascism and thought control and censorship and free debate?…the USA oligarchy and the Democrats?)

      ‘Bullhorns: Eavesdropping’

      https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/383172-russiagate-story-steam-eavesdropping/

      “Is the Russiagate story losing steam – is it being replaced with who bugged whom, when and why? Is the shoe now on the other foot?

      CrossTalking with Mark Sleboda, Dmitry Babich, and Marcus Papadopoulos.”

      …and more intelligent discussion from RT ( which they would love to censor):

      ‘Unhinged intel’

      https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/383541-russian-phantoms-obama-administration/

      “It’s being called bigger than Watergate – much bigger. While Democrats and the corporate media chase Russian phantoms, there is mounting evidence the Obama administration did spy on Donald Trump and his team. Is the intelligence community unhinged and out of control?

      CrossTalking with James Jatras, John Kiriakou, and Annie Machon.”

  3. This is why the Green Party caucus was split over supporting the Act. It was pretty obvious it was a trojan horse for censoring the Internet, the only media not controlled by or supportive of the Government.

    • About time we get rid of these National party fascist’s by stealth and have that law amended, then.

      And as a punishment for collaboration and trying it on , axe a few contracts – starting with Netsafe.

      I’m sure they can always relocate offshore and find a few anti democratic banana republics to conduct their scurrilous business in.

  4. The same thing happened at The Standard a few days ago.

    Is some rightie lodging spurious complaints? Or is it a witch-hunt?

    Netsafe failed to comply with its own rules when issuing the notification according to lprent.

    That complaint started with “Hi there” and ended with a sign-off that was a single name only. Not very professional.

    If they are trying to improve the general tone of the internet there are a few sites connected to Dirty Politics that should be receiving notices.

    • ” If they are trying to improve the general tone of the internet there are a few sites connected to Dirty Politics that should be receiving notices.”

      ——————————————

      Excellent point.

      And I wonder if they have received a little ‘ Hi there ‘ from Netsafe as well,..

      Or are they just being a selective and precious as to who they are targeting…

    • Netsafe trying to bully Iprent over censorship??
      Thats like the fashion police questioning the Nazis commitment to Uniform Standards.

      • “Netsafe trying to bully Iprent over censorship??
        Thats like the fashion police questioning the Nazis commitment to Uniform Standards.”

        SIOBHAN

        It was a mistake.

        Netsafe are so politically ignorant that they mistook the Centrist website ‘The Standard’ for the Leftist ‘Daily Blog’.

        You probably think I am joking.

        “…..Unfortunately the content wasn’t on our site. I am also pretty sure that the content was actually released in 2014 as part of a massive dump which predates the act which was passed in 2015. A phrase in the specific material linked to was distinctive. For that matter neither of the authors of the specified material are authors on our site, and nor was the person who released it.”

        Lprent

        (Lynn Prentice)

        https://thestandard.org.nz/dirty-politics-done-in-the-netsafe-style/

        lprent
        3.1.1.1
        30 March 2017 at 3:28 pm

        They may know. However they did not do what they should have done when they sent me a notice of complaint and tell me as they are required to do in the act.

        Reply

        weka
        4
        30 March 2017 at 10:28 am

        Did they really confuse The Standard with The Daily Blog?

        Reply

        lprent
        4.1
        30 March 2017 at 10:31 am

        Yes. I didn’t comment much on that little error. However in my email to Netsafe pointing out their many deficiencies it was the first on my list.

        Reply

        https://thestandard.org.nz/dirty-politics-done-in-the-netsafe-style/#comment-1315476

        • They got fingered. Just shaking trees to see what falls out. Its called Hybrid Warfare which is a term used by western defence pros to describe Russian intervention in Ukrain/Crimea which basically means introducing non military ie police, civilian contractors employed to move where regular forces couldn’t go for legal or strategic reasons. Opponents will always exploit opportunities with in there capabilities.

          Heres some more material on NATO’s response to Russian style hybrid warfare

          Quote:

          “This draft report looks into the unique situation NATO finds itself vis-à-vis hybrid warfare tactics. It briefly reviews some of the events of 2014 demonstrating the central vision of both Russia and Daesh vis-à-vis the established international order they seek to disrupt. The report takes a closer look into the tactics of hybrid warfare and the available means of response. Finally, it highlights several factors that NATO member state parliamentarians should consider for local, national, and international action to prepare, and defend their populations in light of the post-2014 security environment.”

          Full draft: http://www.nato-pa.int/DocDownload.asp?ID=B488944A4D050F0D07F6

          Criticism for failing to predict attacks is like criticising mathematicians for not predicating successful outcomes in lotto. The attitude that attacks are unpredictable is echoed through out the draft. Recent US Security Council HR issues and the same sort of argument is extremely common across 5is.

  5. It is obvious that the National party put that legislation through for political purposes.

    It’s the right wing trick of adding extra legislation that removes human rights like freedom of speech or environmental controls or ability to steal more from the country, under the banner of ‘helping’ something else which is completely different.

    The Natz knew what they were doing!

    • I’m glad you said what we all hold to be true.

      Typical fascist method of using Hegelian Dialectics to achieve their end goals.

      Vote the National party out this September general elections !!!

      • I’m glad you said what we all hold to be true.

        Typical fascist method of using Hegelian Dialectics to achieve their end goals.

        Vote the National party out this September general elections !!!

        Wild Katipo

        Wild, do you know if any of the opposition parties have vowed to get rid of this law?

        • They may not have vowed – but it certainly is being used by this current govt ( or their operatives ) to suspiciously close down legitimate opposing political debate at present.

          And the only way to have this rectified is let them all know- all party’s – loud and clear how this legislation is being abused.

  6. Jesus ! The bastards!

    Fuck netsafe.

    Is it me? Or do I smell the stink of fascism hanging the air?
    In any case, it wasn’t TDB who created the evil little narcissistic monsters who prowl about on Facebook etc like serial killers looking for a frisson from being cruel, vicious and brainless.
    The Banks can lay claim to that particularly charming influence they’ve foisted on our society. By closing in, clamping down, making life all but intolerable and as they squeeze tighter and tighter on our home life and families out fall the damaged to go off and cause more damage.
    If netsafe had an ounce of courage they’d be taking on the banking industry instead.

    ” This blog ain’t for turning ” Right on!

    • The smell of fascism has been hanging in the air for the past eight years – the do as I say not as I do brigade – as part of the Natzi ideology. I mean @Countryboy – how do explain the state of the likes of Paula Bennett for one, or Nuk Smuth for another, or Nafe Goi for yet another. I notice the first seems to have upped the happy pill dosage because every time she appears on media, the bleached white crockery just exudes the Colgate ring of Confidence, and she’s eagre to practice a few more spin lines CT has trained her in…..
      (awe shucks she says “ya gotta hev tuff skun ta be in thus game eh?”).
      They screamed about fucking shower heads ffs! But then anything that threatens their little comfy lifestoil going forward, they’ll bring the entire resources of the state ‘apparatus’ to protect themselves.
      Doesn’t matter whether its the politicisation of the public service (with what I’ve previously described as Ministerial whispers to departmental CEOs and senior management), or manipulation of media and that quaint old idea of the ‘Public Sphere’.

      • 100% ONCE…….
        There is a nasty smell in the air with NatZ still around.

        Gone by xmas though.

  7. From their own website: https://www.netsafe.org.nz/free-speech-or-harmful-speech-online/

    “At its core the Act lays out 10 communications principles which outline unacceptable ways to communicate.

    They provide that communications should not be, for example, threatening, intimidating or menacing; grossly offensive; indecent or obscene; or denigrating of a person’s race, gender, sexual orientation or disability. The principles also encompass any encouragement for another person to create harmful communication.”

    I don’t ever remember seeing any of that sort of content here.

    • Nah , mate… it’ll be something that one of Nationals little lackeys was told to pass on to Natsafe – might even be because of general criticism of the lack of a valid inquiry into a particular raid in Afghanistan.

    • They provide that communications should not be, for example, threatening, intimidating or menacing; grossly offensive; indecent or obscene; or denigrating of a person’s race, gender, sexual orientation or disability.
      That’s the end of YouTube then, certainly the comments.

  8. The Taxpayers Union are very quiet about this dangerous waste of Government money.

    Defamation seems to be the preferred way to shut down opposition this year.

    • I stand with Adrian, Well done Martyn, that’s telling them. The powers that be are panicking because the internet has given the people a voice.

      • Well said Leslie,
        “Internet has given the people a voice”

        And SS Joyce is trying to take our voice away.

  9. Tell them they can sensor TDB AFTER they have taken care of the racism, hate speech and lies that appear on Whaleoil.
    By the way Martyn, if you “defamed” John Key then why didn’t our former dear leader sue you then?
    Obviously the word “defame” is another word to be added to the National Party Revised Dictionary of English. This new dictionary is getting so weighty they will need a hard cover edition.

    • Wasn’t it John Key that gave the ultimate green light to the raid in Afghanistan ? … and didn’t John Key put it out there in the media that he was off to shine his halo and work in a charity for a billionaire Japanese philanthropist ?

      I wonder if Keys charity donates to afflicted Afghani family’s as a result of foreign coalition forces excesses and possible war crimes ?

      Could it have all been a deflection for the shitstorm that Bill English now finds himself embroiled , – in what Wayne Mapp described to a friend as ” the operation was New Zealand’s biggest and most disastrous operation – a fiasco”.

  10. For many of us on the left, this is actually comeuppance. We have overindulged the professionally offended and let their perpetual outrage become their currency. We have catered to their demands for the censorship of anything they find challenging, allowed them to characterise things they don’t like as ‘hate speech’ or ‘trolling’, and let them worm their way into the public sphere. Too many didn’t see it coming because of the convenience that the right wing was their first target. But insatiable monsters come for everyone, and now that these control freaks and their prohibitive ideology has metastasised into western society, they’re coming for the rest of us.

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cw6bwGgUkAEmP4m.jpg:large

    http://i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/047/949/707.jpg

    • There is some truth in what you say CJ.
      The left have often been seduced into populism without realising the ultimate price you pay for populism is loss of control over your own policies.

    • Teacher: The school is responsible for you untill you pass your letter box. I want you to ignore bullies and walk away

      Sam: I’ll look for him on the rugby field

      Coach: glad to have you on the team

      Sam: have we played Onslow Collage yet

      Coach: no

      Sam: make me strong

  11. With “Gareth Hughes, Russel Norman, Julie Anne Genter and Steffan Browning opposing the law.”..erm, and David Seymor.

    So kudos for those guys who saw this coming. Though its one of those things where there is no satisfaction in being proven right.

  12. Seems we contributors to the TDB are upsetting the establishment. Great. Brilliant stuff. Long may it continue.

    Is it possible to publish some of Netsafe’s correspondence on this site, without incriminating yourself Martyn, to give an idea of what is being demanded of TDB? The Standard had similar issues with Netsafe last week and published the details of the emails, which were amateur in their content, something that made the agency look quite unprofessional in their credibility.

    Netsafe is a government funded agency, obviously being used as a censorship tool now by the state! Another means of controlling the masses into conformity!

    Interfering with media is a dangerous step. Neutering msm was done some time ago to suit government. Now it seems it’s time to stamp out alternative media. Yeah right, over my dead body!

    GO TDB, LONG MAY IT REIGN DELIVERING ALTERNATIVE NEWS!

  13. A lot of “liberals” were (and still are) all in favour of curtailing Free Speech to shut down opinions they don’t approve of.

    But these kinds of repressive tactics always cut both ways. That’s why Freedom of Speech means freedom for ALL speech, even and especially the speech you don’t like. Without limitation.

    Failing to understand that leads us here. Where any kind of speech someone doesn’t like can become criminal speech.

    One of the first things that the Fascists did was criminalise speech. Anti-Fascist speech. See how easy that is?

    So here we are.

    Now it looks like somebody is going to have to go to gaol to test this law and expose what is going on. Are you up for that Martyn?

  14. We went from a nanny state to a police and surveillance state and this must be all part of our brighter future John whose gone and doesn’t give a stuff has promised us

  15. What we all need to know as soon as possible, is which media organisations have been contacted by netsafe with similar requests, the nature of each and every request that has been issued since the law was passed, the names of the bureaucrats sending the censorship instructions and the chain of command that has authorised them to take place. How does one go about formally requesting that all this information be made public?

  16. Well, well well…

    I wonder how many middle class sheep are going to have their noses put out of joint?

    You just cannot tell these blockheads what’s what, can you…

    • One of the things I have come to appreciate about Kiwi culture is the extent to which kiwi’s are willing to entertain ideas they do not necessarily agree with; so they can have a conversation like this at a venue like parliament where people have come to hear ideas which are contrary to received wisdom. You might not agree with me but you will listen and encourage debate and that is as one remarkable mark in favour of Kiwi culture.

    • Bert I take it you mean shut down Netsafe – to make the net safe.

      Who are these bastards anyway. where do they come from and what are their connections.

      Are they another transnational in NZ clothing.

      • As I have outlined in a later post, Max Key spoke at Netsafe’s last conference. I think there is possibly a connection there?

  17. Oh the irony. The Harmful Digital Communications Act was designed to prevent and hopefully put a stop to online bullying (social media etc).

    Now it seems the act is being used and abused to do just that, bullying. In this case by the state, the victim(s) being left leaning alternative media!

  18. The government has silenced many advocates who work for advocacy services for beneficiaries, also budgeting services, over the years, by bringing in new contractual terms in contracts they have, where they provide such advocates with some funding. They simply set new conditions, that more or less tie their hands or silence them.

    I also know that senior advocates, or former advocates, like Kay Brereton, (formerly) of the Beneficiary Advocacy Federation, have, while being critical of MSD, WINZ and their policies, also been regularly meeting with MSD, in working groups of sorts.

    http://info.scoop.co.nz/Beneficiary_Advocacy_Federation
    http://www.bas.org.nz/?p=678
    https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjPsqbRio_TAhXkxFQKHcp5ABgQFgg1MAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nzdsn.org.nz%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F02%2F2016-December-meeting-FINAL-HD-reference-group-meeting-notes.docx&usg=AFQjCNElfg0LO8sf0nwHHno3pl0wc6DkXg&bvm=bv.151426398,d.cGw

    She and others know, working in advocacy, and defending beneficiaries’ rights, always comes with challenges, i.e. being pressured to make ‘compromises’.

    Once vocal advocates have over time become rather silent, I noticed, and so it is now with other areas where government has brought in new legislation and rules, such as through this Harmful Digital Communications Act.

    So NGOs are slowly being tied in to do the nasty little bit of work the government may not want to bother doing itself, it may be asked of them, as a condition to be enabled to continue operating, I suspect.

    This country and society has changed so markedly over the last 8 to 9 years, I see it everywhere, people are less friendly, less trusting, more busy ‘competing’ with each other, and also dobbing each other in, for ones own ends or protection.

    Indeed we are having the development of a sneaky surveillance and control society, where agencies as part of government, or working with government, are slowly encroaching on our freedoms. This is wanted, is intentional, and chilling effects are made use of.

    So that is my interpretation of what this may be about.

  19. I told you not to put the latest polls out on TDB Martyn. The right wing are furious at you bullying them in that way, this has to stop!

  20. Demand their reasons in writing for agreeing to comply with their “censor” before you consider contacting a legal opinion Martyn.

    Then we will all be in the picture as to what they are trying on, otherwise if they refuse you know this is a case of bullying and threatening our human rights and freedom of opinions and free speech.

    This is similar to 1932 Germany where they attempted to silence the critics of Adolf Hitler.

  21. Martyn reading between the lines i would think that Netsafe are targeting the recent blogs on Operation Burnham and the failure of the government to have a full inquiry.

    With regards to this censorship it is an attack on free speech and opinion that is enshrined in our bill of rights.

    https://www.hrc.co.nz/files/6914/2388/0492/HRNZ_10_Freedom_of_opinion_and_expression.pdf

    Lord Steyn makes the point that the law acts as a brake on the abuse of power by public officials.

    This is what happens when you have bad law passed by our parliament and i cant believe that this was not held up to scrutiny in the select committee.

    This type of behaviour by the state is what you would expect in China or by a government run by the military in Fiji.

    We are not living in either of those countries but the laws passed by this government are bringing us into line with those regime’s.

    Martyn stand firm you have all our loyal support.

  22. ‘Netsafe’ is a misnomer

    …It should be called ‘Nappysafe’ ( for the Nacts who are like babies poohing themselves over OPEN forums and information sharing and discussion as in the Daily Blog).

    …I am all for keeping kids safe from bullying…but this is something else…it is called adult censorship

    …and actually we don’t want political views/discussion and true information hidden for New Zealand adults in a Democracy, particularly with an Election coming up

    …the Nacts and bedfellows are cunningly trying to turn ‘Netsafe’ into their very own ‘Nappysafe’…so we wont see their crap…and it stinks

  23. I predicted exactly this kind of misuse at the time. I agree with Cemetery Jones that this is a case of the left’s short-sighted progressive” censorship chickens coming home to roost. I might point out that I made similar comments when Bomber crowed about the state suppressing Whale Oil. At the risk of fouling up my metaphor, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

    Anyway, we’ve got your back TDB. I’ve blogged about this in solidarity on Disintermedia.net.nz. I’ve republished on Indymeda.org.nz, and JoinDiaspora.com, in case of… well… censorship, and will republish on more sites over the next few days.

  24. I predicted exactly this kind of misuse at the time. I agree with Cemetery Jones that this is a case of the left’s short-sighted progressive” censorship chickens coming home to roost. I might point out that I made similar comments when Bomber crowed about the state suppressing Whale Oil. At the risk of fouling up my metaphor, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

    Anyway, we’ve got your back TDB. I’ve blogged about this in solidarity on Disintermedia. I’ve republished on Indymeda, and JoinDiaspora, in case of… well… censorship, and will republish on more sites over the next few days.

  25. We live on a planet which is ‘owned and operated’ by banks and corporations for the short-term benefit of banks and corporations, with bought-and-paid-for liars and sycophants in government acting as the local agents and facilitators.

    If that is not a recipe for absolute catastrophe in a very short period of time, I don’t know what is!

    Meanwhile the disastrous effects of that insane, corporate system are becoming ever more apparent:

    https://scripps.ucsd.edu/programs/keelingcurve/wp-content/plugins/sio-bluemoon/graphs/co2_800k.png

  26. Shit scary stuff! Censorship is used to shut dissent. Thank you for posting this very disturbing latest civil rights abuse from this govt!

    • Nothing ‘big’ about this govt either morally or in practicality – they use private company’s to try it on and enforce their quack laws inappropriately.

      Whats next ? – privatised Police forces?

      And as Martyn outlined in another post :

      —————————————

      Over the last 3 terms of the National Government, public health has been underfunded by $1.85 billion.

      Staff levels only increased by 2.7% in the last three years when population increased by 5.7%.

      9 in 10 people working in health felt they didn’t have the staff or resources to provide New Zealanders with the care they need.

      …National have underfunded our public health system the way they have underfunded our social welfare infrastructure, our housing infrastructure, our public transport infrastructure, our public broadcasting infrastructure and our public education infrastructure.

      ———————————————

      THERE’S THE RESULTS of your smarmy neo liberal ‘small ‘ non existent ‘government’ .

  27. Then you find a pearl like this, the Netsafe ambassador…

    Max Key also addressed online bullying at a NetSafe conference last year, during which he revealed he received death threats twice a week.”

    • Death threats? Seriously? I mean, I’m not fan of Max “Real Men Ride Women!” Key, and I think his music’s the aural equivalent of bubonic plague, but making death threats against him? Crikey. Some people desperately need to get some perspective.

      • You can see the irony of Max bullying a cyclist out of his car window whilst illegally using a cellphone to take the pictures, then was used to talk about bullying. Netsafe, you really are fucked up!

  28. SO SOMEONE OR SOME INSTITUTION IS UPSET AT THE DAILY BLOG AND HAS LAID A COMPLAINT WITH NETSAFE. OBVIOUSLY WITH A POLITICAL AGENDA OF THEIR OWN. See this reply from Netsafe Helpdesk (NetSafe NZ) after I called them this morning.

    7 Apr., 10:48 NZST

    Thank you for contacting Netsafe.

    I understand that you have called us with concerns that Netsafe is censoring the Daily Blog.

    I am not at liberty to discuss the details of a case but will address your concern.

    Netsafe has no statutory power to make anyone modify or remove online content and as such is not censoring political blog forums. In contrast, Netsafe has statutory authority under the Harmful Digital Communications Act to contact online content hosts to investigate complaints and, where appropriate, use advice, negotiation, mediation and persuasion to resolve complaints. In doing so Netsafe acts as an independent intermediary which seeks to inform parties as to the rights and obligations under the HDCA and, if appropriate, help them to find ways to remove or reduce harm caused by breaches of communication principles, thereby avoiding possible court proceedings.

    Kind regards
    Helen
    Director of Operations
    Netsafe

      • Yep WILD KATIPO,

        My fear is that other less “political blog forums” who don’t have the guts of its dedicated Editor such as we have in Martyn Bradbury & his bloggers, and will fold at first glance and capitulate to these over-reaching “little Hitlers/SS Joyce characters”.

        This year we need to now begin a list of these over-reaching agencies;

        1/ such as this Netsafe

        2/and SS Joyce’s monstrosity of an over-reaching beast called MBIE or “Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment” incidentally fashioned by SS Joyce himself after the former SS NAZI 1932 Ministry of Public enlightenment and Propaganda,

        So we need to get the new Government to dismantle this Nactional Government’s love of agencies that replicate the NAZI era this year for good of all.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Goebbels

  29. Ha ha ha ha. TDB articles covered in black lines obliging one to read between the lines. I don’t think anyone has written anything other than what they believe to be their truth. I guess we are learning the rules for being NZ Inc and not a “real” country with “real” people but a privately owned piece of land filled with chattels and assets.

  30. I need to offer some information here. It could be me who set this off. I supplied a damming critique of the NZ government to the HRC in Geneva, and requested protection from it. I accused the government of fraud and incompetence, and suggested that it is some version of a police state and not a functioning democracy. All of what is being described here, in the last few days, reveals that everything I outlined to the international HRC is absolutely true. It is a 100% dictatorial fascist government that needs to manipulate and ultimately silence its citizens.
    I am a great fan of TDB and I did include some quotes from the TDB, but then I also referred to multiple sources, some taken from different blogs to substantiate my claims. But yes they were largely from alternative media, sources found on the internet. But then on the other hand I also referred to sources from the BBC and the Guardian, in the form of published articles. I am outside of NZ currently. So this nasty business with Nappysafe, trying to hide Natz smelly problem, could possibly have something to do with my damming critique sent to the OHCHR, which was sent around twelve days ago.

  31. I’m pretty damned certain this is NOT what the Harmful Digital Communications Act was intended to address. But if this was a trojan horse (not offence intended to the good people of the Democratic Republic of Troy) to attack critical blogs, then we have a serious problem on our hands.

    The question is, what will a Labour-Green-NZF government do?

  32. These comments, made by Judge David Harvey in August 2016, about the Harmful Digital Communications Act are interesting. It seems that if you plead not guilty to a charge under the HDCA, you could have a long wait to have your case heard.

    Of the charges to which pleas of “not guilty” have been entered, the dates of alleged offending tell an interesting story. As at the date of writing, none of the defended cases have been heard. By date of alleged offence the oldest took place on 19 August 2015. The most recent was alleged to have occurred on 21 April 2016. Eleven cases arose in 2016 – the remaining five arose in 2015. Of those, there has been one disposal where a charge was withdrawn by leave (Alleged offence date 28 December 2015, Dunedin District Court CR 15044006509). Although trial by jury is available, none of the defendants have elected trial by jury and have chosen to be dealt with by a judge alone.

    The delay in getting cases to hearing must be a matter of concern. Apart from the well-known stresses that are a part of having to relive offending during the course of giving evidence, the definition of harm as serious emotional distress means that victims will have to revisit this specific form of harm many months after the alleged offending took place. This can hardly be said to assist the recovery process. In addition, a specific purpose of the HDC Act is to provide victims of harmful digital communications with a quick and efficient means of redress. Although this probably refers primarily to the civil enforcement process it is my view that it must apply with equal force to the victims of section 22 offences. The language of the clause specifically refers to victim, and the word victim is used in section 22 and especially section 22(5). Given this specific purpose behind the legislation, the hearing of cases involving offending against section 22 should be accorded priority and should be expedited.

    http://www.adls.org.nz/for-the-profession/news-and-opinion/2016/8/26/prosecutions-under-the-hdc-act/

  33. Steven Price has helpfully stated what will be required for material to be required to be removed:

    To get a take-down order, you’ll have to do all of the following:

    – show that someone has caused you digital harm, which can include significant emotional distress

    – show that they’ve done so by breaching one of ten principles, designed to reflect existing law (eg they’ve disclosed sensitive personal facts about you, or has been intimidating or threatening)

    – take your complaint to an approved agency (which might be Netsafe), who can give you advice, and perhaps try to resolve the complaint by mediation

    – (it seems) obtain Netsafe’s certification that its attempts to resolve the situation have failed and the case is appropriate to go before a judge

    – convince a judge that one or more of the principles have been breached, causing you harm

    – convince a judge that the context of the digital communication and the surrounding circumstances do not tell against a remedy

    – convince a judge that the Bill of Rights guarantee of free speech does not tell against a remedy

    http://www.medialawjournal.co.nz/?p=603

  34. That is *extremely* disturbing. This should be published in the MSM.

    I hope other sites pick up on the message, and document and share whether they’ve been contacted by NetSafe. It’s extremely important that this process is made transparent so that the public can weigh in on it.

    This Wizard-of-Oz behind-the-curtain-stuff is an absolute outrage. If the government thinks they can censor freedom of speech and possibly political discourse any further, they’ll have a hell of a battle on their hands.

  35. This stinks of American rhetoric. Censor the truth and persecute the messenger. Are the majority of New Zealander’s a waste of space?

  36. This stinks of American rhetoric. Censor the truth and persecute the messenger. Are the majority of New Zealander’s a waste of space?

    • Lets make this an election issue,

      “We don’t want our voice censored by any Government.”

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