JULY NEWSLETTER

Kia ora koutou,

Matariki is a time to reflect. Here at the office we've reflected on the year that has been and the challenges since Covid-19. 

Misinformation is one of those challenges that is front of mind for us at the moment. In June, we released our new report —  The Edge of the Infodemic: Challenging Misinformation in Aotearoa. This is a vital piece of work for the Office, because it helped us to understand the impact of misinformation on kiwis and the real world harm it can cause.  We don’t see censorship as the answer to misinformation, but this report provides evidence that can help shape real solutions.

Some of us are in the thick of the school holidays, so we're conscious whānau might be seeking guidance on keeping young ones safe with screen time over the break. We've put together a list of tips and tricks to keep your young ones safe over on the blog.

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 launching the report to media

Chances are you've seen or heard about our new report The Edge of the Infodemic: Challenging Misinformation in Aotearoa in the news this past month.

Our report found that 82% of New Zealanders are either concerned or very concerned about misinformation.

Understanding the impact of this in Aotearoa gives us valuable insights into the harm it is causing friends and whānau and our hope is that this mahi helps inform decision-makers and policy-makers, and ultimately reduce the risk of harm for whānau. 

Talking about misinformation with loved ones can be challenging and emotional. David Farrier recently interviewed a therapist, Paul Wilson, who provided some great advice on how to navigate those tricky conversations. It's well worth a read!

"The fact is that we are not easily persuaded by people who we feel look down upon or hate us. We are far more persuadable by people who we feel respect and like us." 
— Paul Wilson, therapist

In the media

New Zealanders talk of relationship breakdowns with family and friends as a result of misinformation in new chief censor survey — Sophie Cornish, Stuff.co.nz.

Half of kiwis hold beliefs linked to misinformation — Marc Daalder, Newsroom

The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard

Rated R16 Violence, sexual references and offensive language

The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard is a big-budget action-comedy starring Salma Hayek, Ryan Reynolds, and Samuel L Jackson. Having lost his bodyguard licence, Michael Bryce (Reynolds) decides to take a sabbatical in order to deal with his trauma. Almost immediately, he is thrown back into bodyguard life when hitman Darius Kinkaid’s wife, Sonia, asks him to help her free her husband. They get enlisted to thwart a cyber-attack.

The film is full of ridiculously over-the-top action sequences intercut with humorous banter. It is likely to have wide appeal, but given the extensive violence, and widespread use of highly offensive language it requires a restriction. There are sexual references, an obscured but comical sex scene, and minor drug references, which are also unsuitable for younger audiences. The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard is restricted to people aged 16 years and over.

Broad Media Review underway

If you follow media-related news, you're probably in the know about the broad media review announced by  Minister Jan Tinetti on 8 June 2021. Further information has just been released by the Department of Internal Affairs.

Getting sorted for the School Holidays is as easy as 1..2..3..

Make good decisions about what your tamariki and rangatahi watch and play these school holidays! We've put together some of our top resources for you to check out. 

1. Starting off with Watch Together, Talk Together — this video has some really valuable tips and tricks to keep your whānau safe

2. How much screen time is too much —  Here we will give you a few handy tips that will help you work together with your tamariki on finding the perfect balance for your whānau's usage!

3. Brain Development — We collaborated with youth health expert Dame Sue Bagshaw and created a fun animation about the development of tamariki and rangatahi brains.

ON THE BLOG

Aotearoa is hurting, and we must all act

Here at the Classification Office we're concerned about misinformation, because it can be responsible for causing real-world harm. Staff member Oli takes us through some of the responses from the survey about the impact of misinformation on friends and whānau. 

Continue reading over on the blog.

IN PERSON

We've been running educational sessions for whānau and teachers on how to speak with rangatahi about pornography. We discuss our research findings and provide practical ways to support young people as they navigate the digital world. These sessions have been well received and we look forward to continuing this mahi! 

If you're interested to hear more about our work in this space, get in touch! 

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.

• Shane Te Pou: Matariki is a time for reflection, gratitude and hope for the future
• Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr has embraced Te Ao Māori and is pushing back against racism and abuse — he explains why

• COVID-19: the first study to look at whether fake news actually changes people's behaviour (theconversation.com)