New Zealand: High Court granted interim ruling in lawsuit filed by Neighbourly Limited to prevent unauthorised use and dissemination of stolen personal data

On 5 January 2026, the High Court of New Zealand in Auckland issued an interim injunction in Neighbourly Limited v Unknown Defendants (CIV-2026-404-000001), ordering the deletion and suppression of data stolen from the Neighbourly online platform. The order applies to any unauthorised person in possession or control of approximately 150 GB of member data, including contact details, platform interactions, and direct messages, which was downloaded from Neighbourly's systems and listed for sale on the dark web on or prior to 1 January 2026. The Court ordered unauthorised persons to immediately and permanently delete all copies of the stolen data, remove any publications or links to it, and provide Neighbourly with written confirmation of compliance. The Court found a prima facie case of breach of confidence and granted the order on an urgent without-notice basis given the risk of imminent anonymous sale of the data. The Court further directed Neighbourly to inform its members of the orders. The proceeding is listed for mention after 30 January 2026.