JUNE NEWSLETTER

Kia ora koutou

As we quickly approach the shortest day of the year we reflect on the daily choices families make about content, and what might be appropriate for their children and teenagers. Kate spoke to Kathryn Ryan this morning on RNZ's ‘It takes a Village’ podcast to help parents navigate the content world.

And it might be winter in Aotearoa but we've got the rating breakdown for the 'movie of the summer' (shark thriller, Under Paris). We've noted the most impactful content in the first episode of the new season of House of the Dragon, and we take a look at sex in Bridgerton and conversations to have about The Kardashians.

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. Be sure to follow our socials and LinkedIn too.

Aroha atu, aroha mai, tātou i a tātou
Let’s look out for each other

— Chief Censor Caroline Flora

#Mātakitahi #WatchTogether #Kōrerotahi #TalkTogether 

Image: House of the Dragon.

In the diary: Netsafety Week returns 28 July - 2 August 2024

Netsafe's annual week highlights practical tools and support to help us in our digital lives. Be sure to put the dates in your diary as it returns in late July.

The week provides opportunities to learn new skills, hear from industry experts, and discover new tools. Subscribe to the Netsafe newsletter for more updates.

Is it ok for my teenager to watch Bridgerton season three and should I talk with them about it? 

The latest season of Netflix's Bridgerton is rated 16 with a content warning for sex scenes. If you have older teens you might question if it’s appropriate for your 16 year old to watch - and should you be talking with them about it?

Talking about sex can be awkward not only for teenagers but also for us parents - let alone sitting next to each other on the couch watching such titillating examples of intimacy. What we know from talking to parents about our research into pornography and young people is that there is a lot of awkwardness talking about sex and that if we are not careful about how we approach the subject, it might get shut down before its begun.

Kate dives into the Bridgerton sex scenes and offers up some conversation starters for you and your rangatahi. 

How to navigate the impact of reality (series): Kardashians and 'Konversations'

Are you a Kris, Kim, Kourtney or Khloe? Or perhaps you see yourself more as a Kendall or Kylie? Or you might be rolling your eyes at the very idea of comparing yourself to them.

Disney+ has just released the first episode of the fifth season of The Kardashians series, which they have self-rated as M with a warning for drug references, coarse language and sexual themes. This means that the series can be watched by anyone but is more suitable for a mature audience 16 years and over, especially when considering the adult content that is covered. 

Caitlin encourages viewers to foster critical thinking and reflect on the information that is being shared. Promotional and glamorised content requires us to be mindful and there are questions we can ask ourselves or our whānau before pressing play.

Why did House of the Dragon season 2 get this rating?

18: Content that may disturb, offensive language, sex scenes and violence

The House of the Dragon series depicts the events leading to House Targaryen's decline, ending in the devastating war of succession known as the "Dance of the Dragons."

In this episode Rhaenyra mourns her son Lucerys and searches for traces of him and his dragon.

Season 2 episode 1 was self-rated by Neon and received an 18 with content warnings for content that may disturb, offensive language, sex scenes and violence. Read our breakdown of the rating.

Why did Thelma the Unicorn get this rating?

PG: Adult themes

Thelma is a small farm pony who dreams of becoming a famous musician with her band mates Otis the donkey and Reggie the llama. After a humiliating audition for SparklePalooza, Thelma finds unexpected stardom when she is accidently transformed into a pink sparkly unicorn.

This film was rated by Netflix and received a PG with a content warning for adult themes. Read our breakdown of the rating.

Why did Under Paris get this rating?

16: Content that may disturb and violence

Paris is hosting the World Triathlon Championships on the Seine for the first time, and not even a revenge-fuelled frenzy of sharks will stand in the mayors way from it going ahead. Forced to face a past trauma marine biologist Sophia is brought back in to stop what seems to be an inevitable bloodbath in the centre of Paris.

This film was self-rated by Netflix and received a 16 with content warnings for content that may disturb and violence. Read our breakdown of the rating.

Because our work requires 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 found relevant and informative over the past month. Take a break with these media lunch items:

OpenAI, Google DeepMind insiders have serious warnings about AI (Mashable)

Virtual living rooms, adult 'after school clubs' and AI lovers: my search for a fix to modern loneliness (The Guardian)