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Brainbox submitted to the Government Administration Committee on a proposed national internet filter, drawing on our research and consulting in related areas. < Back Submission on proposed national internet filter Past Project October 2021 Brainbox submitted to the Government Administration Committee on a proposed national internet filter, drawing on our research and consulting in related areas, including for the Digital Council on Automated Decision-Making , and on Legislation as Code . The proposal for the internet filter was abandoned in late 2021. Access submission on Parliament website Back to Projects Previous Next

All Videos All Categories Play Video Play Video 01:13:44 Regulating AI: NZ's Path in a Global Context AI has captured the world's attention, prompting significant debate around whether and how it should be regulated. While longstanding AI ethics principles have shaped regulation in places like the European Union, overall, the regulatory landscape is still developing. So what does this mean for New Zealand? And how should we approach this multifaceted topic? In this webinar, Brainbox Director Tom Barraclough delves into the implications for New Zealand amidst the global discourse on AI regulation. Drawing from his recent presentation to the AI & Society group at Victoria University of Wellington, Tom shares insights on potential pathways for regulating AI in New Zealand. Play Video Play Video 01:04:02 Transparency Initiatives Portal launch and panel discussion Transparency is now a core component of platform regulation, with legislative and voluntary frameworks proliferating globally. But meaningful transparency requires an ongoing, systematic approach – one that is carefully designed and proactively implemented. On March 7-8, 2024, the Brainbox Institute, Integrity Institute and Global Network Initiative hosted an expert panel to explore this topic, featuring insights from Brandon Silverman (Mozilla, CrowdTangle), Jess Hemerly (YouTube), Shashank Mohan (Centre for Communication Governance) and Wafa Ben-Hassine (Omidyar Network). This event marked the launch of the Transparency Initiatives Portal, providing a central hub for resources and networks related to transparency initiatives. Additionally, the Integrity Institute introduced its new overview resource for online social platform transparency. Play Video Play Video 01:01:24 Deciphering media literacy: Charting the future in Aotearoa Media literacy is commonly cited as a potential solution to combat harmful online content. But what exactly is media literacy? What work is currently being done in Aotearoa? And what opportunities and barriers exist for enhancing media literacy? On Monday 18 December, the Brainbox Institute celebrated the launch of its new policy briefing paper exploring these questions about media literacy – a topic gaining increasing attention as policymakers worldwide confront issues such as mis- and disinformation, online extremism, declining trust in institutions and more. The launch event included an expert panel discussion, featuring Associate Professor Helen Sissons, journalist, researcher & communications consultant Atakohu Middleton, and President of the National Association of Media Educators Ian Thomas.

Following attendance at the Waikato Security Dialogue, Brainbox personnel contributed a chapter on deepfakes and synthetic media to an edited volume from Routledge. < Back Chapter in 'Emerging Technologies and International Security: Machines, the State, and War' (Routledge) Past Project 2020 Following attendance at the Waikato Security Dialogue, Brainbox personnel contributed a chapter on deepfakes and synthetic media to an edited volume from Routledge. "The chapter outlines the initial difficulties of regulating synthetic media technologies, while introducing the reader to the fundamental problems that synthetic media poses to international security. Synthetic media also includes a range of ordinary communications technologies that are designed and utilized for everyday civilian purposes, including augmented reality, virtual reality, computational photography, photo editing, and voice synthesis technologies. It is unstable and unreliable for regulatory purposes, in part because it infers that deepfakes are delineable and distinct from other synthetic media in the technologies and resources used to create them." Link to the chapter Read our report on deepfake technology Previous Next

Get in touch with Brainbox and ask any questions you may have. Email us at info@brainbox.institute. Contact For media inquiries, please email media@brainbox.institute . For all other inquiries, please use the contact form. Brainbox is based in Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand. Name Email Subject Message We'll be in touch! Submit

New Zealand law doesn't make it clear whether synthesising sexual imagery of someone without their consent is criminal. We made a submission to the Justice Committee outlining how the law should be fixed. < Back New Zealand law and synthetic pornography Past Project March 2021 New Zealand law doesn't make it clear whether synthesising sexual imagery of someone without their consent is criminal. We made a submission to the Justice Committee outlining how the law should be fixed. Our work on synthetic media has been mentioned in Parliamentary debates on the topic . While the Justice Committee recently declined to incorporate clarifying amendments around synthetic “pornography”, MP Louisa Wall introduced a supplementary order paper proposing an amendment that would resolve the legal ambiguity we identified. Submission on Parliament website Read our report on deepfake technology Previous Next

New Zealand is among the countries around the world looking to regulate disinformation and other user-generated content. Brainbox is conducting legal research with funding from the Borrin Foundation and InternetNZ to investigate how disinformation can be approached as a policy problem without undermining human rights principles. < Back Content regulation and disinformation in New Zealand Past Project 2022-2024 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. Read our position paper Back to Projects Previous Next

Brainbox is a public interest think law tank and consultancy at the intersection of technology, law, and public policy. Law. Tech. Policy. We conn ect the dots. You and your team might be experts in one of these spaces. But fluency in all three is rare, and time is scarce. That’s where we come in. Here’s how we can help Advice on the stakeholder landscape and navigating multi-stakeholder processes. Leading tricky discussions - both publicly and privately. Building your conceptual understanding of new technologies, or concepts in the legal system. Designing, analysing and describing public policy, legal systems, and digital systems. Desktop research and verbal or written summaries. A constructive place to test your thinking, or a first draft to get you started. Creating software and digital solutions for implementing your objectives, including through work with your existing partners. We are small and nimble to support systems that must necessarily be large and slow. There’s a place in the world for hierarchies and pyramids, but sometimes emerging issues need a different approach. We’ll tell you what you need to know, and make suggestions for how to use that knowledge. Clear communication, efficient operation, and treating everyone with respect for the unique knowledge and experience they bring. Let’s talk. > Contact us Who we’ve worked with Home: Clients

In partnership with Verb and the Digital Legal Systems Lab (now known as Syncopate Lab), Brainbox carried out legal research and design with Āhau, a platform developing a decentralised digital identity services for iwi and hapū to register their tribal affiliations. < Back Tribal digital identity project with Āhau Past Project 2022-2023 In partnership with Verb , Brainbox carried out legal research and design for Āhau , a platform developing a decentralised digital identity service for iwi and hapū. This project began in November 2022 and continued through to October 2023. It was funded by the Cardano network's Project Catalyst . Traditionally, digital identity services in Aotearoa New Zealand have not served Māori communities well - for many Māori, their data is housed in centralised digital databases that do not recognise concepts like mana or tino rangatiratanga. After extensive community consultation, Āhau began developing a decentralised digital identity service that specifically caters to the needs of iwi and hapū. In mid-2022, Āhau approached Brainbox and Verb to advise on the existing legislation and rules when it comes to building a new digital identity service, as well as suggest any adjustments that could be made to the rules or their intended products. This project was particularly timely, given that the Department for Internal Affairs were in the process of making changes to their digital identity system. Brainbox and Verb therefore also helped Āhau engage with DIA’s developing understanding and regulation of digital identity, in a way that avoided recolonisation and ensured the digital identity needs of Māori were being met. This project sat under the Digital Legal Systems Lab (now Syncopate Lab), a public interest initiative orientated toward building trust in digital legal systems and digital regulatory design through open case studies and applied examples. Visit Āhau Back to Projects Previous Next

We collect your personal information in order to understand who is interested in our products and services and to contact people directly about Brainbox's work. > Privacy policy When you use this website, we collect personal information from you, including information about your: — name (if you share it with us in the contact form) — contact information (if you share it with us in the contact form) — location — computer or network — interactions with us via the website We collect your personal information in order to understand who is interested in our products and services and to contact people directly about Brainbox's work. Besides our staff, we share this information with certain software providers and services (such as Google or Wix, for example) in order to deliver our products and services. Providing some information is optional. If you choose not to enter basic contact details or other information generated by interacting with our website, we'll be restricted in our ability to contact you, or become aware of your interest in our outputs and services. We keep your information safe by using industry-standard products and services and never disclosing your information to third parties unless we seek your consent first and it is necessary for performing our business operations . You have the right to ask for a copy of any personal information we hold about you, and to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong. If you’d like to ask for a copy of your information, or to have it corrected, please contact us at privacy@brainbox.institute . Contact

Brainbox commenced as the inaugural project lead for the Action Coalition on Meaningful Transparency in April 2022 following a competitive tender process. Brainbox commenced as the inaugural project lead for the Action Coalition on Meaningful Transparency in April 2022 following a competitive tender process and concluded its involvement in early 2024. The ACT was launched in February 2022 under the auspices of the Danish Government's Tech for Democracy Initiative and the corresponding year of action. It was governed by a Steering Group of civil society organisations around the world, engaging with an Advisory Group of public and private sector representatives. The ACT fostered a broad set of participants in a multistakeholder advisory coalition. Current members include social media platform companies, international bodies, regulators, academics, and globally influential civil society organisations. The Action Coalition project has concluded and you can access the resources and other outputs, including the Transparency Initatives Portal, through its dedicated project website below. Visit the Action Coalition Website

Policy & Business Consulting Forecasting & Strategy Systems Design & Conceptual Exploration Market, Legal, & Policy Research Workshops, Corporate Education & Public Speaking Our Services > Policy & Business Consulting We understand law, policy, and technology. If you need a problem solved in any one of those areas, or at the intersection where they converge, Brainbox is the ideal consulting agency for you. We help businesses, governments, and nonprofits understand, refine, and deploy new policies and processes. We are experienced in project management, stakeholder engagement, and policy drafting. And if you need all-new systems built for your business, our partners at Syncopate Labs will be happy to help. > Forecasting & Strategy The world is changing more rapidly than ever before. Technological developments, legal complexities, and geopolitical volatility are all challenging to grasp and respond to – especially if you’re stuck being reactive. Our world-class analysts and deep international networks can help you to understand, predict, and take advantage of these trends, whether that involves strategic analysis, technological forecasting, a frank assessment of geostrategic competition – or something that synthesises all three. > Systems Design & Conceptual Exploration We understand legal, political, and technical systems – and we are experienced in adapting them, or even designing new ones. If you want to integrate new technologies, design novel ways of working, or simply want a reliable partner to explore and refine your ideas with you, Brainbox is the ideal collaborator – we’re equally comfortable getting deep into the weeds and stepping outside the [brain] box to think big. > Market, Legal, & Policy Research We are experienced researchers. Whether you need a landscape scan, policy analysis, or a literature review, we offer deep knowledge, a unique combination of expertise, and an unshakeable commitment to honest pragmatism. Whether we’re conducting original research for you, evaluating your internal reporting, or on retainer to give prompt advice when you need it, we will always say what we think – rather than what we think you want to hear. > Workshops, Corporate Education & Public Speaking Artificial Intelligence, disinformation, geopolitics, emerging technologies – we understand the issues that shape the future that businesses, governments, and individuals face on a day-to-day basis, and there’s little we like to do more than share that knowledge in an accessible, engaging way. Our stellar presenters can entertain, educate, and inspire in a variety of formats ranging from short keynote speeches to all-day workshops.

7 Oct 2024 AAP Factcheck Fake Kamala Harris ad promotes insurance, not abortion rights Allyn Robins, an AI expert at Wellington think tank Brainbox, said while it was difficult to be definitive, “the evidence points overwhelmingly to this being an AI voiceover”. “Just examining the audio, the intonation is strange and stilted, there’s not much of a sense of continuity or ‘flow’ between sentences, there’s a lack of emotiveness that would be very odd for a politician wading into such a charged issue,” Mr Robins said. George Driver Read Article 29 Aug 2024 RNZ How your social media posts are training AI: What you need to know Even deleting social media accounts "doesn't fully protect you from having your data harvested in future", AI lead at public interest think tank Brainbox Allyn Robins told RNZ. "More and more, every single online interaction is being mined for data to train AI." Katie Kenny Read Article 6 Aug 2024 GOVIS GOVIS 2024 Trust to Innovate - Trusting the government with AI Panellists: - Phil Pennington, Reporter at Radio New Zealand (panel chair) - Emma MacDonald, Director of the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation at Stats NZ - Allyn Robins, AI Lead at Brainbox - Amber Guette, Chief Integrity Advisor at Hooseland Integrity Commission (pen name). Phil Pennington Read Article 29 Jul 2024 The Spinoff AI is already straining electricity systems – and we’re just at the beginning Allyn Robins, a senior consultant at the Brainbox Institute, a Wellington-based digital policy thinktank points out that it’s almost impossible to know where the electricity for AI comes from. Shanti Mathias Read Article 25 Jul 2024 1 News Why we shouldn't expect cyber outages, but prepare for them Allyn Robins, AI lead of the New Zealand-based technology think tank Brainbox Institute compared the CrowdStrike situation to the 1962 loss of an $80 million NASA rocket due to a single missing hyphen in its code. Ellie Franco Read Article 3 Jul 2024 RNZ Experts cautiously optimistic about expanding AI in education, health sectors AI lead of public interest think tank Brainbox, Allyn Robins, said there were reasons to be enthusiastic, but warned people should not get carried away by what he described as "the peak of a hype-cycle about AI". Soumya Bhamidipati Read Article 19 Jun 2024 Stuff Fear AI will 'wipe out humanity' creates calls in US for 'kill switch' Could artificial Intelligence turn against its human creators and cut off a city’s water supply? Or is AI hacking into nuclear codes and “blowing everybody up” a risk? Newsable Read Article 19 Jun 2024 Newshub Nvidia eclipses Microsoft to become the world's most valuable company Nvidia's stunning surge in market value over the past year has become emblematic of a Wall Street frenzy driven by optimism about emerging AI technology. Finn Hogan Read Article 11 Jun 2024 Newshub Apple Intelligence: iPhone maker unveils massive AI makeover Apple has announced a suite of new artificial intelligence (AI) features and operating system upgrades at the opening presentation of its annual developer conference, WWDC. Daniel Rutledge, Finn Hogan Read Article 24 May 2024 Newshub How Google's sweeping shift to AI-powered search results could reshape internet Google has announced a pivot to AI-generated search results, first showing AI summaries ahead of human-made websites - a seemingly minor change with massive ramifications. "If you use the internet at all? This is going to impact your life," said Allyn Robins, AI lead at the Brainbox Institute. Finn Hogan Read Article 15 May 2024 Office of the Privacy Commissioner NZ What’s missing from the conversation on AI? Speakers: James Ting-Edwards, OPC; Mandy Henk, Tohatoa; Karaitiana Taiuru, Māori Tech Ethicist; Allyn Robins, Brainbox Panel Discussion Read Article 6 May 2024 The Spinoff Here’s what happened when I replaced my personality with the Meta AI chatbot for a day Keeping up with online communication can be exhausting, so Fran Barclay enlisted the help of Meta’s new ‘intelligent assistant’ to respond to all her messages. Could her mates tell the difference? Fran Barclay Read Article 27 Mar 2024 NZ Herald AI revolution: Why the speed of human job losses is causing concern “Spark is one of the first big tech companies to admit to replacing jobs with AI, but it certainly won’t be the last – and many more companies will be doing it quietly,” says Victoria University senior lecturer in artificial intelligence Andrew Lensen. Chris Keall Read Article 3 Mar 2024 Newsroom Parliament considered banning WeChat as well as Tiktok A proposal by Parliament’s cyber-security team to ban WeChat has so far been unsuccessful. But they are still “assessing options” when it comes to apps that pose a risk to MPs’ security. Laura Walters Read Article 22 Feb 2024 Tech Policy Press Building Common Infrastructure for Meaningful Tech Transparency Tom Barraclough and Jason Pielemeier from the Action Coalition on Meaningful Transparency (ACT) say tech transparency is an emerging ecosystem that requires nurturing, support, and the development of long-lasting infrastructure, including the ACT’s new Transparency Initiatives Portal. Tom Barraclough, Jason Pielemeier Read Article 20 Feb 2024 NZ Herald Survey finds most Kiwis worried about malicious AI - Technology Minister Judith Collins responds Research commissioned by InternetNZ revealed 72 per cent of New Zealanders are concerned AI will be used for malicious purposes and without regulation. Chris Keall Read Article 15 Feb 2024 AI Forum Launch of NZ AI Policy Tracker from The Brainbox Institute welcomed by AIFNZ The recent launch of a significant resource, the NZ AI Policy Tracker, by the esteemed Brainbox Institute is welcomed by the AI Forum New Zealand. This tool represents a pioneering effort to consolidate information concerning Aotearoa New Zealand’s disparate AI regulatory framework, providing a unified platform for accessing pertinent materials. Read Article 7 Feb 2024 RNZ The Panel with Ali Jones and Ed McKnight (Part 2) Brainbox AI Lead Allyn Robins discussed facial recognition technology on RNZ's The Panel, shedding light on its workings amid the Foodstuffs trial of the tech in supermarkets. The Panel Read Article 29 Jan 2024 RNZ Could Taylor Swift be the catalyst for AI regulation? US politicians have called for new laws to criminalise the creation of deepfake images and Twitter has pledged to hire around 100 moderators after explicit deepfaked photos of Taylor Swift were viewed millions of times online. Nights technology correspondent and senior consultant at think tank Brainbox Allyn Robins speaks to Emile Donovan about the pitfalls of AI and how this could just be the tip of the iceberg in terms of deepfakes. Emile Donovan Read Article 21 Dec 2023 BusinessDesk How to navigate the era of unreal images For many, it all began with the pope’s puffer jacket. Maybe for you, it was a digitally enhanced Tom Cruise impersonator, or the recent study that showed that some artificial intelligence-generated faces could look more "realistic" than real ones, or the sophisticated deepfake doppelganger of Zuru boss Nick Mowbray that nearly fooled the company’s chief financial officer. Whatever the catalyst, more and more people are coming to the same conclusion: seeing is no longer believing. Allyn Robins Read Article 22 Nov 2023 Asia New Zealand Foundation Opinion: Global issues require global responses In this article, Brainbox Institute director Tom Barraclough reflects on his key takeaways from attending the ASEAN Australia New Zealand (AANZ) Roundtable in Kuala Lumpur. Tom Barraclough Read Article 7 Nov 2023 RNZ It's time to admit 'we're in an AI bubble' Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the technology story of 2023. The chief executive of Google says its impact will be "more profound" than "fire or electricity". McKinsey happily reports that 'Generative' AI alone could "add trillions of dollars of value to the global economy", while a coalition of industry luminaries sign a statement arguing that "mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority". Amazon has just invested billions of dollars into an AI company that it hopes can help it rival Microsoft's investment in OpenAI. AI is passing the bar, tutoring schoolchildren, and producing viral videos. In the face of all of this burgeoning wave of hype and investment, I say - enjoy it while it lasts. Because it won't. Allyn Robins Read Article 11 Oct 2023 BusinessDesk Business of Tech podcast: are algorithms really ruining democracy? With the 2023 general election just days away, we have one last episode around tech and politics, this time looking at the fear that concerted and bad-faith social media campaigns are eroding the very fabric of democracy. We're joined by Ximena Smith from the public interest think tank Brainbox Institute, who digs into whether the outcome of democratic elections is really being swung by social media and all its algorithms. Peter Griffin Read Article 5 Oct 2023 The Spinoff AI is too important to ignore this election Artificial intelligence has been relegated to the too-hard basket this election. Allyn Robins from The Brainbox Institute argues that’s a big mistake. Allyn Robins Read Article 18 Sept 2023 InternetLab In the second interview of the series, Tom Barraclough talks about auditing mechanisms for platforms In an interview with InternetLab, the director of Brainbox spoke about independent audits and their relevance when applying new laws that seek to regulate digital platforms. Francisco Brito Cruz, Iná Jost and Catharina Vilela Read Article 16 Aug 2023 RNZ Growing government reliance on offshore cloud services has security experts worried A China-linked hack of US government cloud email accounts is raising questions about the New Zealand government's growing reliance on American data firms. Phil Pennington Read Article 1 Aug 2023 Stuff Too hot July, WeChat and Musk, promo madness, Loch Ness monster Could X or Twitter turn into WeChat and is that a good thing? Newsable Read Article 4 Jul 2023 RNZ Concerns at Westfield digital ads that film and target shoppers It is a familiar story – you walk into the mall to buy one thing and you walk out with an armful of bags. It can be hard enough to ignore the bright lights and sale signs... Now, it seems AI is giving us a wink and a nudge. Westfield is under fire from advocacy group Consumer for using digital billboards that film largely oblivious shoppers, and serve up advertisements based on age, gender, and even mood. Lisa Owen Read Article 6 Jun 2023 Stuff Tackling harmful content never going to be a simple discussion Internal Affairs’ ambitious plan to regulate large social media and online platforms and to change the way the media, film, advertising, steaming television, video game and broadcasting industries are policed has quickly run into some pretty heavy traffic. Tom Pullar-Strecker Read Article 3 Jun 2023 Stuff Why tech is both fantastic and scary There’s a lot going on in the world of tech, stuff is moving fast… and the thing is, there’s a lot of snake oil out there too. So, we asked Allyn Robins from tech policy think tank Brainbox to identify three burgeoning areas of technology that he’s excited about, and three that he’s a bit scared of… but, naturally, he didn’t follow instructions... Emile Donovan Read Article 3 Jun 2023 RNZ Tom Barraclough: are your social media threads under threat? This week the government released a Safer Online Services and Media Platforms 'discussion document' proposing to regulate online content the same way other media is regulated. Its set off alarm bells for everyone from Stuff head Sinead Boucher to the Free Speech Union, yet has been welcomed by others as a big step towards making the internet a safer place. The proposal doesn't look to expand the categories of illegal content, says Tom Barraclough, and takes its lead from the European Union's recently implemented Digital Services Act. Colin Peacock Read Article 16 May 2023 RNZ Development of AI fakes speeding up Artificial Intelligence is developing at such speed it can now fake just about anyone from the digital breadcrumbs we leave behind us. New Zealand tech players have been discussing how much choice you get in the matter. Phil Pennington reports. Phil Pennington Read Article 3 May 2023 Newshub Why 'Godfather' of artificial intelligence had to 'blow the whistle' on technology Geoffrey Hinton, also known as the "Godfather of AI," decided he had to "blow the whistle" on the technology he helped develop after worrying about how smart it was becoming, he told CNN on Tuesday. Nick Truebridge Read Article 3 May 2023 Stuff Bluesky: Pretender to Twitter's throne, or the future of social media? If there’s one thing we can all probably agree on, it’s that the world doesn’t really need another big social media platform to emerge right now. So, naturally, that’s exactly what we’re getting. Emile Donovan Read Article 29 Mar 2023 Newsroom AI chatbots are merely a cool toy – for now Large Language Models such as GPT-4 can do grunt work, but they lack judgment and originality. Creativity, discernment, research skills, and high-level thinking are only going to get more important, and more valuable. Allyn Robins Read Article 29 Mar 2023 Newshub Govt says it's monitoring artificial intelligence's implications as hundreds of tech leaders call to pause its development Some of the biggest names in technology have pushed the alarm button over the rise of artificial intelligence. They say it could pose a "profound risk to society and humanity". Lauren Hendricksen Read Article 27 Mar 2023 Newshub Should you delete TikTok? One-and-a-half million kiwis have the video-sharing app on their phone. If you don't, there's a very good chance your child does. But with world governments racing to ban Tiktok - should you do the same in your home? The Project Read Article 22 Mar 2023 Newshub New AI chatbot GPT4 takes world by storm, even more powerful than predecessor Brainbox Senior Consultant, Allyn Robins, told Newshub that it's "hard to overstate the impact this will have. It's going to touch every area of the economy." Finn Hogan Read Article 9 Mar 2023 Stuff Newsable today: Can AI replace us? TikTok's wooden spoons trend, and Fun Fact Friday Could AI host a podcast? Spoiler alert – no. Emile Donovan Read Article 1 Mar 2023 Newshub Why the White House wants TikTok deleted from federal devices within next 30 days The White House on Monday gave government agencies 30 days to ensure they do not have Chinese-owned app TikTok on federal devices and systems. Ashleigh Yates Read Article 17 Feb 2023 Newsroom Radio silence on Govt plan to regulate Big Tech Government plans to subject tech companies like Facebook and Google to the same content regulations as news media and advertisers may have been put on hold, Marc Daalder reports Marc Daalder Read Article 25 Nov 2022 Newsroom Govt weighs up police access to encrypted data A cross-agency group will examine the relative risks and benefits of end-to-end encryption and advise ministers on whether to regulate the technology. Marc Daalder Read Article 22 Nov 2022 Careers with STEM Meet the ethical entrepreneurs mixing law and tech Meet two Uni of Ontago law grads who launched a new business to help government and industry navigate legal, ethical and political questions around new tech Gemma Chilton Read Article 29 Oct 2022 Newshub Experts concerned over the rise of deepfake technology Experts are calling for more protection for New Zealanders from the harms of deepfakes and other synthetic media. Deepfakes, artificially generated mimicries of real people, have been prominent online since 2018. Finn Hogan Read Article 1 Sept 2022 Lawfare Platforms Are Testing Self-Regulation in New Zealand. It Needs a Lot of Work. On July 25, New Zealand adopted a new industry-led mechanism designed to provide guidance for social media platforms to enhance safety and mitigate online harm: the Aotearoa New Zealand Code of Practice for Online Safety and Harms. Curtis Barnes, Tom Barraclough, Allyn Robins Read Article 19 Aug 2022 Critic AI Can See You Naked Christchurch has produced many good things over the years. It has also produced Michael James Pratt, a fugitive sex trafficker on the FBI’s most wanted list with a $70,000 bounty on his head. Fox Meyer Read Article 18 Aug 2022 Newsroom Govt harbours concerns over Netsafe’s online code The Government privately shares concerns that a new code of practice for online safety is actually an effort by tech companies to deflect regulation, Marc Daalder reports Marc Daalder Read Article 29 Jul 2022 Stuff Law loopholes around 'deepfakes' a threat to justice, police and law experts warn Ambiguous gaps remain in legislation against the use of harmful deepfake technology, as police, legal and tech experts predict widespread implications for the justice system. Sophie Cornish Read Article 24 Jul 2022 Stuff Social media giants agree to 'first of its kind' code of conduct in Aotearoa Social media giants including TikTok and Meta will soon become more accountable for the content on their platforms in New Zealand, voluntarily signing up to a code of conduct led by Netsafe, which targets issues such as hate speech and misinformation. Sophie Cornish Read Article 14 Mar 2022 Newsroom Media law review raises thorny freedom of expression issues New Zealand has been trying to update its media laws for the modern digital environment for over a decade. Experts warn there are no simple solutions, so has the Government now bitten off more than it can chew? Ximena Smith Read Article 30 Jan 2022 Newshub Artists, music listeners ditching Spotify over vaccine disinformation Canadian folk singer Joni Mitchell has joined her compatriot Neil Young in pulling her catalogue from streaming service Spotify. Giles Dexter Read Article 26 Jan 2022 RNZ ACC goes back to drawing board over failed $1.4m navigation service A new $1.4 million service designed to help people understand ACC's systems and disputes process has failed to achieve many of its objectives, forcing the agency back to the drawing board. Anusha Bradley Read Article 20 Jan 2022 Capital Monitor Engaging with Facebook and Twitter is “like talking to kids” When investors try to flag concerns to Facebook and Twitter about social media-related issues, the two tech giants often respond with stonewalling and obstruction. Google appears little better. Here we set out why. Paul Hodgson Read Article 16 Dec 2021 NZ Herald Do we need to panic over the 'Jacinda Ardern' deepfake clip? A viral video that manipulated footage of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to make it look like she was smoking crack has reanimated debate over "deepfake" technology. Chris Keall Read Article 17 Nov 2021 Futurefive The deepfake dilemma: How it affects privacy, security & law in Aotearoa On a YouTube channel called Genuine Fake, a video shows Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as the character of Maleficent. Her husband Clarke Gayford then appears shortly afterwards. Even National Party leader Judith Collins looks a bit like a forest fairy princess. Sara Barker Read Article 19 Oct 2021 Stuff NZ Super Fund ends campaign to reform Facebook, Alphabet and Twitter in the wake of the Christchurch terror attack The NZ Super Fund is wrapping up its campaign to get Facebook, Alphabet (Google) and Twitter to prevent violent and objectionable content being broadcast on their social media platforms. Rob Stock Read Article 30 Sept 2021 Stuff Calls for 'transformative' disability law change to make Aotearoa accessible A WorkSafe-type body should be set up so disabled people can identify and remove access barriers, a new report says. Josephine Franks Read Article 29 Sept 2021 Scoop Access Alliance Calls For Life Changing Accessibility Legislation To Remove And Prevent Barriers Access Alliance, New Zealand’s largest alliance of Disabled Persons Organisations, disability advocacy groups, and service providers, calls on the government to implement the legal framework outlined in the report released today, Access Alliance Read Article 9 Sept 2021 RNZ Covid-19 pandemic driving a 'downgrading of social discourse', researcher says The Delta outbreak has unleashed a greater willingness to use derogatory and offensive slurs as part of public discourse, according to a University of Auckland research fellow. Read Article 29 Jun 2021 Scoop Half Of NZ Has At Least One Misinformed Belief – Expert Reaction A survey from the Classification Office offers a glimpse at how pervasive misinformation is in New Zealand, and how it’s affecting our beliefs. Science Media Centre Read Article 7 May 2021 Stuff Letter from the editor: Trying to instil trust in the news There’s an old trope about journalists jostling with used car salesmen and real estate agents for last place in most-trusted rankings. In some cases – when tabloid hacks rifle through rubbish bins or voicemail baskets, or paparazzi hound people in the streets – this has been deserved. Anna Fifield Read Article 14 Dec 2020 RNZ Bringing the justice system into the 21st century A legal researcher at the intersection of law, policy and technology has developed a tool to access legal information digitally. Nine To Noon Read Article 23 Sept 2020 Newsroom NZ ‘underprepared’ for election interference With the US election fast-approaching there’s a lot of chatter about foreign operations aimed at influencing the elections. Laura Walters asks experts why we’re not having the same discussion in New Zealand Laura Walters Read Article 18 Aug 2020 Stuff Those who shared Covid-19 rumour could be liable to the Harmful Digital Communications Act, Netsafe says The man believed to be behind the recent Covid-19 outbreak rumour said he’s willing to accept the consequences of his actions, describing them as “the worst things I’ve ever done”. Katie Kenny Read Article 17 Aug 2020 Newsroom ‘Infodemic’ evolves as Covid-19 returns to NZ Analysis: The return of Covid-19 to New Zealand has been accompanied by conspiracy theories about the virus and the Government's response. How big a problem is this and what can - or should - we do about it? Marc Daalder reports Marc Daalder Read Article 17 Aug 2020 NZ Herald Coronavirus Covid-19: Why 'that' Facebook post spread like wildfire "Seen this?" Those were probably two words that countless Kiwis read over the weekend, when a friend or family member forwarded them a bogus, hyper-viral and now notorious Facebook post. Jamie Morton Read Article 27 Jul 2020 Newsroom Deep fakes and synthetic media Deep fakes, synthetic media - the latest and most advanced techniques to spread disinformation and deception. Emile Donovan Read Article 26 Jul 2020 RNZ The deep fake threat If you watch television, you may have come across an advertisement for Spark which shows Lord Ernest Rutherford sitting in an armchair, pontificating over the remarkable rate of human technological progress. The Detail Read Article 23 Jul 2020 Stuff The Government wants to filter the internet. Is that a good idea? The Government plans to filter out the worst excesses of the internet. Experts think it will have almost no impact, other than introducing a series of grave risks. National Correspondent Katie Kenny reports. Katie Kenny Read Article 22 Jun 2020 Newsroom Government still pursuing CovidCard After a trial in Nelson Hospital in May, the CovidCard proposal is still in the running as a government-sponsored contact tracing tool, Marc Daalder reports Marc Daalder Read Article 22 Jun 2020 Newsroom Ardern: ‘Enthusiasm’ about exploring CovidCard Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that there was 'enthusiasm' for the Government to continue looking into the CovidCard proposal, Marc Daalder reports Marc Daalder Read Article 29 Apr 2020 The Spinoff Covid-19: The tough questions on a digital contact-tracing app It’s a crucial factor in keeping the spread of the virus under control, but there’s a whole lot more the government needs to consider than what is technically possible, writes Andrew Chen. Andrew Chen Read Article 17 Apr 2020 Newsroom NZ considering $100m contact tracing ‘CovidCard’ The Government is considering handing out a Bluetooth-enabled CovidCard to every New Zealander to aid with contact tracing efforts, Marc Daalder reports Marc Daalder Read Article 5 Apr 2020 RNZ Covid-19: Major IT groups not consulted over race to speed up contact tracing The country's three major IT groups have been left out of the loop by the government in the race to speed up critical contact tracing of virus carriers. Phil Pennington Read Article 3 Apr 2020 Newsroom Can tech solve the next big Covid-19 challenge? Contact tracing is a crucial part of the Covid-19 puzzle and technology might prove essential to scaling up New Zealand's tracing capacity, Marc Daalder reports Marc Daalder Read Article 1 Apr 2020 NZ Herald Coronavirus Covid-19: Can smartphones help NZ stop spread? One of the best weapons we have to throw against Covid-19 may be found in our pockets. Jamie Morton Read Article 9 Dec 2019 Newshub Snapchat unleashes deepfakes feature called 'Cameo' Deepfakes - putting a person's face on another person's body in a video - are about to go mainstream. So far best-known for internet pranksters putting celebrity heads on pornstars' bodies, the controversial technology is currently being tested by messaging app Snapchat. Dan Satherley Read Article 29 Nov 2019 The Guardian Saving the Whanganui: can personhood rescue a river? Adam Daniel wades waist deep through the glassy water. Pumice stones spiral in the shallow eddy, while the shrill whistles of a male whio (blue duck) echo upstream through the green canyon walls. Jeremy Lurgio Read Article 4 Sept 2019 Stuff Can Kiwis tell fact from fake news in the leadup to the 2020 elections? Young people are criticised for not engaging in politics but experts say adults today are less likely to be able to tell fact from fake news. Katie Kenny and Tommy Livingston report on the risks of a post-truth political landscape. Katie Kenny, Tommy Livingston Read Article 2 Jul 2019 NZ Herald NZ expert sounds warning after DeepNude app goes viral The latest in "deep fake" technology is DeepNude - an app that uses AI to transform an image of a clothed woman into a realistic rendering of what she might look like naked. Chris Keall Read Article 11 Jun 2019 Stuff Has an elf or alien been caught on film or is this just another hoax? Proof of alien life, a prank or a digitally altered hoax? Brittney Deguara takes a look at a viral clip and the dangers of deep fakes. An alien? An elf?! What is that thing in the driveway? Brittney Deguara Read Article 8 Jun 2019 Otago Daily Times Talking tech, cheese rolls and scones Computers and government have been a major issue this past fortnight with the fallout from National accessing Budget data still proving dangerously radioactive to a range of politicians and civil servants. Mike Houlahan Read Article 21 May 2019 Newsroom Don’t believe everything you see, or hear Synthetic media and "deepfakes" pose a new threat to democratic processes, if used in the wrong way, write Brainbox Institute co-directors Curtis Barnes and Tom Barraclough. Curtis Barnes, Tom Barraclough Read Article 21 May 2019 Stuff Deepfakes and synthetic media: The new age of disinformation is growing Amidst the threats identified in a new report of the digital threats to democracy are two challenges with sinister sounding names - deepfakes and synthetic media. But what are these emerging risks and why should we care about them? Michael Daly Read Article 20 May 2019 Newshub 'Deepfake' videos could be next social media minefield - researchers There's growing concern about the damage sophisticated fake videos can have on the public. A new Law Foundation report says deepfake media could prove troublesome to tech companies and the Government, following the Christchurch Call. Katie Fitzgerald Read Article 20 May 2019 NZ Herald NZ study highlights the risk of 'deep fakes' on social media - and why our lawmakers should leave it alone A new study funded by the Law Foundation highlights the risk of "deep fakes" on social media - which co-author Tom Barraclough says "make it look or sound like something happened when it didn't". Chris Keall Read Article 20 May 2019 RNZ Deepfakes, synthetic media a threat to democracy Thanks to Donald Trump the phrase "fake news" is, for better or worse, forever embedded in our collective consciousness. But fake news - false information which is spread deliberately to deceive people - is just the tip of the iceberg threatening our democracy. Morning Report Read Article 9 Nov 2018 Stuff Could the Acosta video be the start of a worrying trend? OPINION: At the first White House press conference following the midterm election, there was a verbal altercation between the President Donald Trump and CNN reporter Jim Acosta. Curtis Barnes, Tom Barraclough Read Article 16 Nov 2015 Otago Daily Times Researchers of access to ACC given $150,000 A $150,000 grant from the New Zealand Law Foundation will help Dunedin researchers find practical ways for injured New Zealanders to have their human rights upheld in seeking justice over ACC cases. John Gibb Read Article 28 Aug 2015 Otago Daily Times Successful but hearing 'stressful' Dunedin ACC claimant Dr Denise Powell found the experience of representing herself at an ACC review hearing ''stressful'' but was successful in her claim. John Gibb Read Article 23 Jul 2015 Community.Scoop Research finds overwhelming barriers to access to justice Research carried out by a team of researchers in partnership with Acclaim Otago (Inc) has found serious barriers to access to justice for people challenging ACC decisions through the court system. Acclaim Otago Read Article 27 Feb 2015 Otago Daily Times Research grant thrills campaigner ACC campaigner Denise Powell is ''over the moon'' about a New Zealand Law Foundation research grant of up to $38,000 to ACC claimant support organisation Acclaim Otago. John Gibb Read Article 19 Sept 2014 Scoop UN Experience Beneficial Acclaim Otago representatives have just completed their participation at the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability examination of the New Zealand government in Geneva, Switzerland. Acclaim Otago Read Article In the Media