The Digital Bill of Rights
Friend this is important.
PILLAR has just unveiled our “New Zealand Digital Bill of Rights” Bill.
Digital technology has provided the government with new opportunities to extend its power and reach into our daily lives.
For years we’ve seen Governments use digital technology to empower themselves in ways which have deeply impacted the freedoms we all enjoy.
We’re seeing scary developments overseas when it comes to online censorship, and even more worrying are the mandatory Digital ID frameworks that are being proposed.
This is of course just the start, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence, how government relates to citizens is bound to change dramatically.
Australia has instituted a failed social media ban policy that breaches privacy and threatens online speech as vast amounts of biometric data and ID information is collated by unknown parties. The same discussion is being had in New Zealand - but the Under-16 Social Media Bill will not be the end of that conversation. It's the beginning of a much broader push for greater state control over how New Zealanders access, communicate and participate online.
Almost every form of government intervention, surveillance and digital restriction is currently being justified under the guise of efficiency, safety and convenience.
Just look at these headlines...
🔴 UK: 'Spy clause' in Online Safety Bill could lead to mass surveillance
🔴 New Zealand to enable digital ID credentials, age checks via Govt.nz app wallet
🔴 Govt must step up to police social media - InternetNZ boss
🔴 Policing Amendment Bill - 'Massive amount of risk' of data mismanagement, MPs told.
And this is not considering how the totalitarian states of China, Iran, North Korea and Russia have been empowered by digital technology to further their dirty work!
However, standing to constantly negate bad policy is not enough to preserve freedom in our country. We need to promote better solutions because the best defence, is a strong and strategic offence.
The Digital Bill of Rights that we are proposing looks to do exactly this – become a buttress for online freedom and liberty in New Zealand.
Our proposed legislation establishes a simple constitutional principle: the rights New Zealanders enjoy offline must remain protected online. The Bill provides a constitutional framework governing how public authorities exercise power in digital environments and how future digital legislation should be assessed against fundamental rights
The Digital Bill of Rights would require governments to demonstrate that any limitation on digital rights is lawful, necessary and proportionate. It would strengthen protections against unjustified digital surveillance, protect the right to use encryption and privacy-enhancing technologies, safeguard due process when AI and automated systems are used, preserve alternatives to compulsory digital identity systems, and reinforce freedom of expression in digital environments.
Technology can serve us immensly - there is nothing inherently wrong with that. But tech needs to be embraced with caution - particularly by government because new powers are hard to take back once they are given.
The reality is that if we don't establish constitutional guardrails now, we'll spend the next generation trying to claw back freedoms that should never have been lost. It’s that simple.
As I said, the best defence is often a strong and visionary offense.
Those who cherish liberty are not those who constantly say no, but rather, people with a vision and the courage to stand up.
PILLAR is standing - thank you for standing by us as well!
You can read the the proposed legislation here.
