Content regulation and disinformation in New Zealand

The Borrin Foundation and InternetNZ have funded Brainbox to investigate legal frameworks for regulating disinformation. This project will take place from late 2022 through to the end of 2023. 

Currently, a number of jurisdictions around the world - including New Zealand - view disinformation as a policy problem and are considering how to regulate it. While there is considerable pressure and urgency for governments to introduce legislation, the issue of disinformation and the harms it causes are still poorly understood. Consequently, state interventions against disinformation risk negatively impacting human rights.

Brainbox seeks to provide concrete answers to legal questions, clarity on technical considerations, and a usable framework for balancing the rights, responsibilities, and risks inherent in this area. This will be of immediate benefit to scholars, civil society, and government, and of indirect benefit to New Zealand society as a whole by ensuring that government and civil society responses to disinformation are both better informed and grounded in a strong legal and human rights framework. It will also play a crucial role in connecting civil society networks in New Zealand to broader international efforts.

Throughout the course of the project, we will be publishing a range of discussion papers on our website, which will be supplemented with online and in-person events throughout 2023. Sign-up to our mailing list or follow us on Twitter to be notified of any new publications or event announcements.