The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is labelling the Privacy Commissioner’s crusade for government regulation over Facebook and Twitter’s de-platforming practices as ‘bizarre’ and more akin to a anti-corporate political campaign, rather than a public body.

Jordan Williams, a Taxpayers’ Union spokesman, says:

“The Privacy Commissioner has yet again jumped onto the controversy of the week, despite it having nothing to do with privacy. By sabre-rattling on every issue under the sun and using his taxpayer-funded pulpit to make political points, John Edwards cheapens his office.”

“Taxpayers fund the Privacy Commissioner as a watchdog on the state. The latest data breach at the Reserve Bank, which is reported to have exposed personal information, is what John Edwards should be talking about – scrutinising our public institutions. Instead he’s chasing irrelevant rabbits – American corporates – on an issue for which he has no responsibility.”

“Regardless of whether Mr Edwards's arguments are correct, they are simply not the points for him to make. It seems he lacks the understanding or decorum for someone in his position. Taxpayers want the Privacy Commissioner to focus on the job he’s paid to do – looking at the Government’s rollout of facial recognition technology for example.”

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