New Zealand: Adopted Aotearoa New Zealand Code of Practice for Online Safety and Harms

On 25 July 2022, Netsafe and NZTech adopted the Aotearoa New Zealand Code of Practice for Online Safety and Harms after NetSafe Incorporated was designated as an Approved Agency under the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015. The code establishes a voluntary framework for messaging service providers, platform intermediaries handling user-generated content, and streaming service providers to commit to reducing the risk of online content that may cause harm to New Zealanders. The Code outlines specific commitments, outcomes, and measures focusing on mitigating harmful content such as child exploitation, cyberbullying, hate speech, violence, and misinformation. Signatories, including major digital platforms such as Meta, Google, TikTok, Twitch, and Twitter, have agreed to adhere to these guidelines.