New Zealand: Issued Department of Internal Affairs' Take-down Notice Guidance

On 21 December 2023, the Department of Internal Affairs in New Zealand issued a Take-down Notice Guidance as part of the updates to the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993. The guidance enables the Department to issue take-down notices to online content hosts, such as messaging services, online advertising providers, and platform intermediaries for e-commerce and user-generated content, requiring them to remove or prevent public access to content classified as objectionable (illegal). The process includes using trusted flagger programmes and in-platform reporting systems, with a formal take-down notice served if these are not effective. Online content hosts are given 24 hours to comply with the notice, with an appeals process available through Te Mana Whakaatu, the Classification Office.