Netsafe is New Zealand’s independent, non-profit online safety organisation. It provides online safety help, support, expertise and education to people in New Zealand. But that information is useful to people of every country.
Netsafe was founded in 1998 to help New Zealand internet users stay safe online.
After noticing the growing influence of technology in their respective areas, the New Zealand Police, Ministry of Education and several not for profits teamed up with telecommunication organisations and IT industry partners to create an independent body focussed on online safety.
Together they created the Internet Safety Group which was rebranded Netsafe in 2008.
Netsafe was given the remit to build an internet safety organisation that didn’t scare people away from technology, but instead encouraged people to adopt it by promoting the tools and techniques they could use to minimise their online risks.
Today Netsafe is an internationally renowned organisation with an unrelenting focus on online safety practice.
As digital technology use grows and evolves at a rapid pace in society, it becomes more important for Netsafe to help people manage and reduce the risk of online harm, so that they feel more confident being online.
Netsafe’s remit is wider than just online security. They aim to cover Online Bullying & Harassment, Scams, Security, Parenting, Business. Educators and Young People.
There is a reporting tool for anyone wishing to report an online incident that happened to themselves or someone close to them.
There is a wealth of information about common online scams and those in New Zealand are pretty much the same as in other advanced countries. (Developing countries typically face different types of scams.)
There is a lot of security advice but also advice for parents and education workers and sections for young people.
This is a great service offered in New Zealand but also useful to everyone, wherever they live, as scams and other online problems exist the world over.
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