Netsafe Explained

Netsafe
Formation:1998
Type:Nonprofit
Headquarters:Auckland, New Zealand
Key People:Brent Carey (CEO)

Colin James (Chairman)
Revenue:NZ$5,667,668[1]
Revenue Year:FYE 30 June 2023
Expenses:NZ$4,851,169
Expenses Year:FYE 30 June 2023

Netsafe is an online safety non-profit organisation in New Zealand. It provides educational, anti-bullying and support services.[2] It was founded in 1998, then known as the Internet Safety Group.[3]

The organisation is contracted under the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 until 2026. It receives $5.66m funding each year, of which public funding is made up from 3.4m from the Ministry of Justice and $812,000 is from the Ministry of Education.[4]

History

Netsafe was founded in 1998 by a group of individuals and organisations concerned at the impact that the internet may have on young people, as the Internet Safety Group. It was rebranded to Netsafe in 2008.[5]

In 2017, Netsafe created a back-and-forth email chatbot, called Re:scam, which asks scammers never-ending questions with the intention of wasting the time of scammers, and ultimately reduce their number of victims. It simulates grammatical errors and humour to make it more believable.[6]

On 29 July 2021 Netsafe had a meeting with executives from Facebook, Twitter and TikTok in efforts to design a code of practice for online safety. It was anticipated that the draft be completed by Christmas of the same year.[7] In May 2022 Brent Carey became CEO of Netsafe.[8]

In 2023, Netsafe's Youth Action Squad created a toolkit providing information about educating people about issues involving sextortion, cyberbullying, privacy, pornography, and problematic gaming behaviours.[9] In late July 2023, Netsafe launched its campaign on sextortion which is a worsening global issue affecting young people and adults.[10]

Employment cases

In March 2022, Netsafe was ordered to pay $100,000 in damages to three women for a privacy breach involving a stalker.[11] [12] [13] That year, a second case involving alleged bullying was settled confidentially.

Harmful Digital Communications Act

The Governor in Council appointed Netsafe as the approved agency for the Harmful Digital Communications Act for a further term of 5 years until 30 June 2026 url= http://www.nzlii.org/nz/legis/consol_reg/hdcoaao2021626.pdf |access-date=18 August 2023 |. In this position, the Ministry of Justice who has responsibility for the Harmful Digital Communications Act contracts the approved agency to receive and accesses complaints about harmful communications, investigates complaints, attempts to resolve complaints, forms relationships with foreign and domestic service providers, and provides education and policies on online safety.[14] Netsafe was originally announced as the approved agency by Justice Minister Amy Adams on 1 June 2016.[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Annual Report 2022/23 . 26 December 2023.
  2. Web site: Keall . Chris . 2023-08-17 . Netsafe meets social media execs over online safety code . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230817043545/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/online-safety-code-netsafe-nz-ceo-meets-facebook-twitter-tiktok-bosses-today/LXJSORS5OPBGHUUWJVCHW5MEZA/ . 17 August 2023 . 2023-08-17 . NZ Herald . en-NZ.
  3. Web site: Manhire . Toby . 2022-07-12 . Meet the man tasked with making the internet safe . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230817052448/https://thespinoff.co.nz/media/12-07-2022/meet-the-man-tasked-with-making-the-internet-safe . 17 August 2023 . 2023-08-17 . The Spinoff . en.
  4. Web site: Milne . Jonathan . 2022-05-13 . Publicly funded anti-bullying agency Netsafe faces new employment case . 2023-07-23 . Newsroom . en-AU . 7 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230907004912/https://www.newsroom.co.nz/page/publicly-funded-anti-bullying-agency-netsafe-faces-new-employment-case . live .
  5. Web site: Manhire . Toby . 2022-07-12 . Meet the man tasked with making the internet safe . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230817052448/https://thespinoff.co.nz/media/12-07-2022/meet-the-man-tasked-with-making-the-internet-safe . 17 August 2023 . 2023-08-17 . The Spinoff . en.
  6. Web site: Winter . Chloe . 2017-11-09 . Netsafe launches email chatbot to tackle scammers, aim to lower scam victim numbers . 2023-07-23 . Stuff . en . 23 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230723123514/https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/98677309/netsafe-launches-email-chatbot-to-tackle-scammers-aim-to-lower-scam-victim-numbers . live .
  7. Web site: Keall . Chris . 2023-08-17 . Netsafe meets social media execs over online safety code . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230817043545/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/online-safety-code-netsafe-nz-ceo-meets-facebook-twitter-tiktok-bosses-today/LXJSORS5OPBGHUUWJVCHW5MEZA/ . 17 August 2023 . 2023-08-17 . NZ Herald . en-NZ.
  8. Web site: Manhire . Toby . 2022-07-12 . Meet the man tasked with making the internet safe . 2023-10-28 . The Spinoff . en.
  9. Web site: McCulloch . Gabrielle . 2023-06-30 . New toolkit for online bullying and sextortion, created by students for students . 2023-07-23 . Stuff . en . 23 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230723123011/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/300917973/new-toolkit-for-online-bullying-and-sextortion-created-by-students-for-students . live .
  10. Web site: Netsafe . 25 July 2023 . Sextortion - Netsafe . 25 October 2023 . netsafe.org.nz.
  11. News: 25 July 2022 . Mending the net: How new netsafe CEO is cleaning house . The New Zealand Herald . 2023-09-01 . . 7 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230907004839/https://www.proquest.com/docview/2693407899 . . live .
  12. Web site: Keall . Chris . 2023-08-18 . Privacy breach payout is third strike for Netsafe . 2023-08-18 . NZ Herald . en-NZ . 18 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230818042639/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/chris-keall-privacy-breach-payout-is-third-strike-for-netsafe/TV6XC4BDSHRGV4VYMWC7I7AE5Y/ . live .
  13. Web site: Knowsley . Alan . 2023-05-09 . Netsafe ordered to pay $100,000 for privacy breaches... . 18 August 2023 . 18 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230818042641/https://www.raineycollins.co.nz/your-resources/articles/article-9-5-22-2 . live .
  14. Web site: NetSafe selected to play key role in anti-cyberbullying law New Zealand Ministry of Justice . 2023-08-17 . www.justice.govt.nz . 1 March 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210301024102/https://www.justice.govt.nz/about/news-and-media/news-and-media-archive/news-archive/netsafe-anti-cyberbullying-law/ . live .
  15. Web site: NetSafe appointed to cyberbullying role . 2023-08-17 . The Beehive . en . 17 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230817044218/https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/netsafe-appointed-cyberbullying-role . live .

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