Social networking and censorship
Material on social networking sites can be classified if downloaded in New Zealand. However, the terms and conditions of such sites usually mean that material likely to be restricted or banned can or will be removed by the site operators.
A proactive approach means content rarely comes to the Classification Office
Sites such as Facebook, Myspace and Bebo are hugely popular in New Zealand. Each of these sites has Terms and Conditions about posting offensive or inappropriate content.
For example, Facebook's terms under 'Safety' require users comply with the following:
You will not bully, intimidate, or harass any user.
You will not post content that is hateful, threatening, pornographic, or that contains nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence.
You will not use Facebook to do anything unlawful, misleading, malicious, or discriminatory.
- Facebook.com Statement of Rights and Responsibilities
Myspace has similar rules about content. It states that it:
may reject, refuse to post or delete any content for any or no reason, including, but not limited to, content that in the sole judgment of MySpace violates this Agreement or which may be offensive, illegal or violate the rights of any person or entity, or harm or threaten the safety of any person or entity.
- MySpace.com Terms of Use Agreement
Myspace's Terms of Use Agreement includes an extensive list of content that is prohibited:
Prohibited Content includes, but is not limited to, Content that, in the sole discretion of MySpace:
8.1 is patently offensive or promotes or otherwise incites racism, bigotry, hatred or physical harm of any kind against any group or individual;
8.2 harasses or advocates harassment of another person;
8.3 exploits people in a sexual or violent manner;
8.4 contains nudity, excessive violence, or offensive subject matter or contains a link to an adult website;
8.5 solicits or is designed to solicit personal information from anyone under 18;
8.6 publicly posts information that poses or creates a privacy or security risk to any person;
8.7 constitutes or promotes information that you know is false or misleading or promotes illegal activities or conduct that is abusive, threatening, obscene, defamatory or libelous;- MySpace.com Terms of Use Agreement
Myspace also prohibit 'child pornography' and 'trafficking in obscene material' and state that it will report such activity to law enforcement agencies as necessary.
Bebo points out that users must comply with laws and legislation in the country they are in. In Bebo's Terms and Services under 'Conditions for Use' it states that, by using the site, users:
agree to abide by all applicable local, state, national and international laws and regulations and are solely responsible for all acts or omissions that occur under your account made by you including the content of your transmissions through the Bebo Service. By way of example, and not as a limitation, you agree NOT to: Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or otherwise violate the rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others. Publish, distribute and/ or disseminate any harmful, obscene, indecent, unlawful, libelous, profane, defamatory, infringing, inappropriate, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable material or information.
- Bebo.com Terms of Service
user self-censorship
Users of social networking sites are increasingly aware that the content they post, such as photos, may be viewed by anyone – including parents, teachers, and employers. As a result, many of these sites, as well as internet safety organisations remind users to think about who will be able to view their content. This means that content that is likely to be restricted or banned under New Zealand law is not often posted on social networking sites.
