This week is Netsafety Week 2022. Led by Netsafe – an organisation that we work closely with to keep Kiwis safe online – Netsafety Week is about understanding online safety perspectives from different communities and promoting respect and positive relationships online.
Diversity Matters. Online Safety Done Together.
The above theme is about understanding different communities’ online safety perspectives and promoting respect and positive relationships online. This is of particular importance for our ethnic communities, and we are very proud and pleased to be promoting these imperative and significant events for them.
From 25 to 29 July, Netsafe will be running a series of events exploring the online experiences of different communities in Aotearoa.
What does this mean for us at MEC and our communities?
A digitally non-safe internet means people from diverse communities experience delayed access to information, marginalisation, and hate comments that may alienate them. Also, delayed economic outcomes can be confusing when a person is not digitally literate. Hence, it is important to work closely with communities and agencies to identify the barriers that need addressing and therefore changing, the laws that need upholding, and the education that is needed to transform a motivated yet excluded member of the community into a digitally included one.
We understand that the roadmap to a diversity-safe digital space requires us to put communities at the centre of what we do. On this basis we have advocated, influenced and shaped the space towards digital inclusion for ethnic communities in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Get involved
You can get involved by attending one of these in-person or online events, beginning Monday, 25 July and running throughout the week. We strongly advocate and support our ethnic communities attending some of the following events so that they will be better informed around netsafety.
Monday 25 July: Women’s online safety networking breakfasts in Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch.
- The keynote speaker in Auckland is Paula Bennett, former Deputy Prime Minister of NZ. She’ll be talking about how she overcame online abuse she experienced during her time in politics
- The keynote speaker in Christchurch is Sara Templeton, local Christchurch City Councillor. She’ll be talking about her experience through the District Court as she sought to unmask her online troll
- The keynote speaker in Wellington is Amanda Millar, multi-award-winning journalist and media trainer. She’ll be sharing tips and tricks to stay safe online when you’re in a high-profile role
Wednesday 27 July: Online hui supporting Māori to have safer, more positive experiences online
Finally, Netsafe is hosting a webinar series throughout Netsafety week. On Tuesday 26 July, the focus is on LGBTIA+ communities who are disproportionately impacted by online harm. And on Thursday 28th July, Netsafe will be talking with senior, neuro and linguistically challenged communities. Go and sign up.