New Zealand: internet trolling to carry fines and imprisonment under new law

Internet trolling in New Zealand could result in jail following the introduction of a new law.

A majority in the country’s parliament voted in favour of the legislation following a debate in which some MPs provided examples of abuse they had received online.

One MP, Winston Peters, said he was described “as a loathsome old reptile” while another, Peter Dunne, told MPs one post about him said:“Peter Dunne’s face says serious but his bow tie says party clown.”

The Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015, which will come into effect this month, provides for fines of up to £85,000 which can be levied against publishers of offending webpages.

Individuals will face fines of up to £21,000 or two years imprisonment.

However, publishers are alarmed about the law which they argue infringes free speech.

Green MP, Gareth Hughes, said the legisaltion was “overbroad” and added that it “introduces a precedent that one thing can be legal offline but illegal online”.

Mr Hughes himself was the target of one troll, who wrote: “I like Gareth Hughes but he does look like a 15-year-old trying to pretend he’s not stoned.”

Photo credit: “Winston Peters, 2011” by AirflowNZ. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons