New Zealand: Introduced Films, Videos, and Publications Classification (Urgent Interim Classification of Publications and Prevention of Online Harm) Amendment Bill 2021

On 26 May 2020, the New Zealand Parliament introduced the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification (Urgent Interim Classification of Publications and Prevention of Online Harm) Amendment Bill 2021. The Bill was introduced in response to the Christchurch Mosque attack, which, according to the legislator, highlighted the "urgent" need for effective content moderation to prevent the spread of terrorist and violent extremist content online. The Bill would introduce new powers to the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) to issue formal takedown notices to online content hosts hosting objectionable material, with penalties up to NZD 200’000 for non-compliance. Inspectors of Publications can also issue takedown notices based on interim classification assessments, existing classifications, or reasonable grounds to believe content is objectionable, particularly in crisis scenarios or with uncooperative hosts. For overseas hosts, the DIA can collaborate with local regulators or law enforcement to enforce these notices.