Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Demanding passwords at the border is unacceptable

Demanding smartphone and laptop passwords at the border is unacceptable


Insisting people give up their laptop and smartphone passwords at the border, without a search warrant or due process, is completely unacceptable and goes against common perceptions of privacy, the Green Party said today in response to a discussion document released by the New Zealand Customs Service.

“These proposed new powers are unnecessary and an affront to Kiwis’ privacy,” Green Party Information and Communications Technology spokesperson Gareth Hughes said.

“Customs can already access travellers’ electronic devices if they get a warrant, such as for anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism purposes or other suspected criminal activities.

“There needs to be a clear threshold and due process for law enforcement agencies accessing private electronic devices. No agency should be able to demand access to private information without a very good reason.

“The Green Party has always pushed for the Government to update New Zealand’s laws for the digital age, but this proposal from Customs shows exactly why this needs to be coordinated by a Government Chief Technology Officer and Internet Rights Commissioner.

“The Green Party’s Internet Rights and Freedoms Bill would ensure cross-government leadership achieves the appropriate balance between privacy and security, to avoid agencies like Customs going overboard and saying they want everyone’s passwords.

“It’s disturbing that at the same time that we find out that our Government has been spying on our Pacific neighbours, the Government also announces it wants to be able to look at everyone’s private information when they enter New Zealand without a due process or threshold to determine if that person is even likely to be hiding anything”, said Mr Hughes.

ends

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.