New research commissioned by InternetNZ shows a massive number of New Zealanders are concerned about young children accessing inappropriate content online.

A staggering 73% of New Zealanders surveyed said they are either extremely or very concerned about young children accessing inappropriate content - making it the top concern for the fifth year in a row.

Some groups are more concerned about the issue than others, with 80% of women either extremely or very concerned about young children accessing inappropriate content, and those aged between 30-49 registered a rate of 77%.

InternetNZ Chief Executive, Vivien Maidaborn, says the research shows a deep and ongoing concern in Aotearoa about the Internet - especially when it comes to the safety of children.

"This is a perfect reflection of a regulatory system that was designed before the Internet. The challenge is for current regulators to get together and coordinate strongly to use current legislation and to form a unified view of what new legislation might be required."

The research, conducted by Verian (formerly Kantar Public) also reveals nearly one in five New Zealanders have personally experienced online harm or harassment. 24% of young people aged 18-29, 25% of Māori, and 29% of people with a long-term disability or impairment have personally experienced online harm or harassment.

"These stats confirm what we already know. The Government needs to prioritise changes to protect people. Our laws and processes are not adequate for the online world, and are not helping to keep people safe from harm," says Maidaborn.

"Work begun by the last Government needs to be followed through on to find a new approach that minimises the harm caused by content and abuse" says Maidaborn

The annual Internet Insights research encomapasses a range of topics, including internet use, user concerns, online safety, AI, and flexible working.

The full findings of the Internet Insights research are available on the InternetNZ website. https://internetnz.nz/new-zealands-internet-insights/new-zealands-internet-insights-2023/

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