Government proposes major reforms to the online censorship regime

Free Speech Union, Summarised by Centrist

The Government has proposed major reforms to the censorship regime, bringing social media content, podcasts and even some personal blogs under a Super Regulator’s oversight. It’s called the Safer Online Services and Media Platforms.

What is considered ‘harmful’ or ‘safe’ or ‘hate’ is inherently subjective. 

Nonetheless, a Super Regulator would make the rules and control what you’re allowed to say online without input from the public or Parliamentary oversight. 

There is no democratic accountability in this process. 

Kiwis don’t need an unaccountable body telling the what ideas are ‘harmful’ or what content makes them ‘unsafe’. Strong laws already exist to push back against extreme material. 

These reforms will be weaponised to silence your beliefs and expression. 

We’ve:

• launched a website that will enable you to write unique submissions in less than 5 minutes; https://www.freespeechsubmission.com

• and a petition that calls on each political party to refuse to adopt the proposals. https://www.fsu.nz/say_no_to_online_regulator

Read the original post here.