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ISPs working together to block websites with footage
New Zealand Internet Service Providers working together to block websites with footage of Christchurch shooting
The New Zealand telecommunications industry
is working together to ensure that any website with footage
of the Christchurch terrorist attack is inaccessible to New
Zealanders.
The country’s main internet service
providers (ISP), Spark, Vodafone, Vocus and 2degrees, are
blocking any website which has footage of the Friday 15
March Christchurch mosque shootings.
The New Zealand
Telecommunications Forum (TCF) Chief Executive, Geoff Thorn,
said that this is an unprecedented move by the
telecommunications industry, but one that they all agree is
necessary.
“The industry is working together to
ensure this harmful content can’t be viewed by New
Zealanders,” said Thorn.
“The gunman clearly
wanted his actions to be seen, but we do not believe that
this is desirable and are doing what we can to prevent this
from happening as much as possible.”
The ISPs are sharing their knowledge with each other, and across the industry, to ensure each can block sites as soon as they are found to contain the video footage.
A number of
websites have so far been blacklisted, with requests made
for the website to remove the footage.
“There is the
risk that some sites that have legitimate content could have
been mistakenly blacklisted, but this will be rectified as
soon as possible,” said Thorn.
“The industry has a
history of cooperating and putting competitive behaviour to
one side for the benefit of New Zealanders, of which this is
another good example.”
-ENDS-
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