Tech Liberty NZ Defending civil liberties in the digital age

Internet filtering – time to let it go?

Posted on August 10, 2010

It's been over 3 years since the Department of Internal Affairs started their internet censorship trials in New Zealand. Since then (data from June 29th 2010):

Internet filtering update

Posted on May 3, 2010

Update on internet filtering including which ISPs will filter, more information from the DIA, and links to the Australian anti-filtering campaign.

Department of Internal Affairs failing on open government

Posted on March 16, 2010

Last week we announced that the New Zealand internet filter had "gone live" and was now being used to filter the connections for users of two ISPs (Watchdog and Maxnet), with more expected to follow.

The obvious question has to be, why was Tech Liberty announcing something that the Department of Internal Affairs had done? Where was their announcement that the filter had gone live on the 1st of February? Don't civil servants have a duty to communicate to the people that they serve?

Guest article: Security risks of centralised filtering

Posted on March 15, 2010

We'd like to welcome our first guest author, Gerard Creamer. He's written an article that explains some of the security risks inherent in implementing a centralised filtering system. It's a little more technical than most of the articles we publish; we hope you find it interesting.

Media release: NZ government now filtering internet

Posted on March 11, 2010

The Department of Internal Affairs has admitted that the internet filter is now operational and is already being used by ISPs Maxnet and Watchdog. It appears that Maxnet have not told their customers that they are diverting some of their internet traffic to the government system to be filtered.

Thomas Beagle, spokesperson for Tech Liberty, "We're very disappointed that the filter is now running, it's a sad day for the New Zealand internet."

New Zealand’s government internet filter is already running

Posted on March 11, 2010

One of the big questions about the implementation of internet filtering in New Zealand has been ... when? We've made a number of Official Information Act requests to the Department of Internal Affairs and the answer has always been "in the next couple of months".

In a letter written on January the 20th, the DIA told us that they will be making an announcement regarding the implementation of the filter "in the near future". Well over a month later there has been no announcement.

Why we oppose internet filtering

Posted on March 10, 2010

We are opposed to the Government implementing Internet filtering in New Zealand.