AUGUST NEWSLETTER

Kia ora koutou,

We've all benefited from having the internet at our fingertips, but there are many challenges it has brought with it — especially for our young people. We were proud to speak at the launch of Netsafe's Netsafety Week in Auckland earlier in the month and tautoko (support) our shared kaupapa (purpose): a safer internet for young people. 

Our team also put this work into action and took to high schools in Wellington and Christchurch, chatting to over 1000 parents and teens about pornography and healthy conversations. We take every opportunity we can to talk with young people and whānau about building healthier relationships with each other. 

Our newsletters generally talk about topics like sex, drugs, and the media content landscape. Our aim is to have difficult conversations and shine a light on ways to reduce harm for New Zealanders. If you know someone who should receive these updates, please share our newsletter or encourage them to subscribe here. Be sure to follow our socials too.

#WatchTogether #TalkTogether

Pictured: Chief Censor David Shanks speaking at Netsafety Week launch in Auckland.

Netsafety Week 2021 provides us with an opportunity to reflect on how things are going in the important area of internet safety, and to check in on some of the important work being done to turn the tide around. 

The team at Netsafe New Zealand has been super busy in this space and our team was excited to join them in Tāmaki Makaurau for their launch. Chief Censor David Shanks was able to share insights from our report, The Edge of the Infodemic, that revealed the depth of concern that the NZ public has around misinformation and the role of the internet in this. We can all play our part to identify, challenge and eliminate misleading and dangerous content on the internet.

We're always excited to support the Netsafe team for their mahi!

IN PERSON: INVOLVE CONFERENCE

Youth facilitators Caitlin and Georgia ran a workshop at Involve 2021 with Fletcher and Lulu from our Youth Advisory Panel. 

Our Waka, New Seas.
With what’s in our waka, together we navigate new seas.

This years theme focused on the changes approaching the youth sector and for the taiohi of Aotearoa. It also looked at the skills, tools, wisdom and connections the sector and young people have to meet these changes – including the histories that inform us.

In the workshop, the team shared in-depth insight into the journey of the Youth Advisory Panel - from its implementation in 2017 to today. It detailed the successes and challenges, and Fletcher and Lulu shared their insights on what it is like to be on the panel. Practical resources were provided throughout the workshop and there was good discussion during the Q&A section.  

The overall conference had fantastic presenters, workshops, keynotes and incredible rangatahi who are leading and influencing positive change in Aotearoa.

If you want to know more about our Youth Advisory Panel, please get in touch!

The Justice of Bunny King

 M: Domestic abuse themes, violence and offensive language

What's it about?  The Justice of Bunny King is an engaging New Zealand drama film. Bunny King is a mother of two who is battling the system to reunite with her children, who are in state care. With all odds seemingly against her, she sleeps on her sister’s couch and spends her days cleaning windscreens at intersections to save money for housing. After a confrontation with her sister’s partner, Bevan, Bunny is forced to move out and take her teenage niece, Tonyah, under her wing.

What to expect?  The film is a gritty ‘triumph over adversity’ tale about two women fighting their way back from poverty. Bunny is a strong female protagonist who desperately fights for the safety and wellbeing of her children and niece, despite being confronted with barriers at every stage of her journey. The film has merit for its topical commentary on social welfare in Aotearoa. The film deals with domestic and sexual abuse but it does this subtly, and these themes are likely to elude younger viewers. Crime is presented as somewhat justified and funny when meted out by the protagonist and gives the film a certain level of moral ambiguity. There are also some restrained depictions of violence that may startle younger viewers but are unlikely to cause them lasting harm. The same consideration applies to the use of offensive language. Considering these factors, the publication is more suited to mature audiences. 

Well, not quite!

We get this question a lot here at the Office, so staff members Caitlin and Georgia clear up some misconceptions around what we actually do. Warning: it is not as exciting as you think!

Are they even important anymore? This was Georgia's reply:

"For sure! Maybe you’re a bit like me and you don’t get shocked or triggered by much but there are a lot of people out there who do. People have written to us about the impact seeing a film or show without knowing what was in it has had on them. Ratings and information are a useful tool to help people make the right choice for themselves."

Because our work involves a broad knowledge of the vast online landscape, we consume a lot of media in the office. Here are just a few of the things we’ve enjoyed digesting over the past month.

1. The Detail: Why New Zealand needs a media freedom committee
2. BSA upholds complaint over classification and scheduling of offensive content on TV reality show
3. Apple criticised for system that detects child abuse
4. Patrick Gower: Why I made a documentary on hate and March 15
5. Don’t blame young people for vaccine hesitancy. The vast majority of us want to get jabbed
6. How Instagram can take its child safety work even further
7.  bFM: Jemima Huston investigates Apple's new technology that will scan their US consumer’s devices for known child sex abuse images (CSAM)