Latest news with #JaredMullen
Scoop
6 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Referrals Of Terrorist And Violent Extremist Content Increased By 10 Percent In 2024
Press Release – Department Of Internal Affairs The findings, published today in the 2024 Digital Violent Extremism Transparency Report, also show that 38 formal take-down notices were issued by the Department to platforms hosting objectionable content. The Department of Internal Affairs has revealed a 10 percent increase in referrals to its Digital Violent Extremism team in 2024, with 974 URLs flagged for suspected extremist online content. The findings, published today in the 2024 Digital Violent Extremism Transparency Report, also show that 38 formal take-down notices were issued by the Department to platforms hosting objectionable content. 88% of the content referred to the team was removed by platforms following intervention by the Department. 'Every one of the URLs we issued informal take-down notices to, contained images and videos promoting or encouraging violent extremism or terrorist attacks. Much of this content promoted or depicted the violent attack or death of innocent victims for the gratification of others,' says Jared Mullen, Director of the Digital Safety Group. The report also reveals the that investigators are continuing to see the cases connected to hybridized threat groups. These are violent online groups who extort minors online into recording self-harm and sexually explicit acts. These groups often involve terrorist and violent extremism, gore, and child sexual exploitation material. 'Online groups such as these are responsible for exploiting the most vulnerable members of society by coercing them to share extreme and egregious content,' says Mullen. These offenders use online platforms to cherry pick vulnerable members of society to systematically victimize. We are working closely with our partners to do everything in our power to apprehend these offenders and safeguard victims.' The most commonly reported ideology type in 2024 was Identity motivated, specifically white-identity. This was reflected in the continued presence of content relating to the Christchurch terrorist attacks, which accounted for 38 percent of referred content in 2024. The Digital Violent Extremism team is responsible for keeping New Zealanders safe from online harm by responding to and preventing the spread of objectionable material thatpromotes or encouragesviolent extremism. The team continues to work withgovernment and community partners, in New Zealand and around the world, to prevent, deter, and prosecute those who spread this material.
RNZ News
6 days ago
- RNZ News
Suspected extremist content online increases 10 percent
The Linwood Mosque after the Christchurch terror attacks. A new report shows suspected extremist content online has increased, while more than a third of referred content last year related to the attacks. Photo: Sanka Vidanagama / NurPhoto via AFP Suspected extremist content online has increased 10 percent, according to a new report by the Department of Internal Affairs. A total of 974 URLs were flagged last year and 88 percent of the content referred was removed by platforms following intervention by the DIA. The findings were published in the 2024 Digital Violent Extremism Transparency Report on Wednesday, which is meant to help the public better understand how the DIA works to identify extremist content online and prevent exposure to that material. The report specified the most commonly reported ideology type in 2024 was "identity motivated, specifically white-identity". That was seen in the continued presence of content relating to the Christchurch terrorist attacks, with 38 percent of referred content last year related to the attacks. Director of the Digital Safety Group, Jared Mullen, said every one of the URLs that had been issued with informal "take-down notices" contained images and videos promoting or encouraging violent extremism or terrorist attacks. "Much of this content promoted or depicted the violent attack or death of innocent victims for the gratification of others." The report also indicated investigators are continuing to see the cases connected to "hybridised threat groups" - violent online groups who extort minors online into recording self-harm and sexually explicit acts. Those groups often involved terrorist and violent extremism, gore, and child sexual exploitation material, the DIA said. "Online groups such as these are responsible for exploiting the most vulnerable members of society by coercing them to share extreme and egregious content," Mullen said. "These offenders use online platforms to cherry pick vulnerable members of society to systematically victimise. We are working closely with our partners to do everything in our power to apprehend these offenders and safeguard victims." In 2023 the same report indicated it had received 886 referrals and 845 URLs were reported. There was a 25 percent increase in referrals that year compared to 2022, and 54 percent of referred content related to the Christchurch terror attacks . Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
6 days ago
- Scoop
Referrals Of Terrorist And Violent Extremist Content Increased By 10 Percent In 2024
The Department of Internal Affairs has revealed a 10 percent increase in referrals to its Digital Violent Extremism team in 2024, with 974 URLs flagged for suspected extremist online content. The findings, published today in the 2024 Digital Violent Extremism Transparency Report, also show that 38 formal take-down notices were issued by the Department to platforms hosting objectionable content. 88% of the content referred to the team was removed by platforms following intervention by the Department. 'Every one of the URLs we issued informal take-down notices to, contained images and videos promoting or encouraging violent extremism or terrorist attacks. Much of this content promoted or depicted the violent attack or death of innocent victims for the gratification of others,' says Jared Mullen, Director of the Digital Safety Group. The report also reveals the that investigators are continuing to see the cases connected to hybridized threat groups. These are violent online groups who extort minors online into recording self-harm and sexually explicit acts. These groups often involve terrorist and violent extremism, gore, and child sexual exploitation material. 'Online groups such as these are responsible for exploiting the most vulnerable members of society by coercing them to share extreme and egregious content,' says Mullen. These offenders use online platforms to cherry pick vulnerable members of society to systematically victimize. We are working closely with our partners to do everything in our power to apprehend these offenders and safeguard victims.' The most commonly reported ideology type in 2024 was Identity motivated, specifically white-identity. This was reflected in the continued presence of content relating to the Christchurch terrorist attacks, which accounted for 38 percent of referred content in 2024. The Digital Violent Extremism team is responsible for keeping New Zealanders safe from online harm by responding to and preventing the spread of objectionable material thatpromotes or encouragesviolent extremism. The team continues to work withgovernment and community partners, in New Zealand and around the world, to prevent, deter, and prosecute those who spread this material. Head toCountering Violent Extremism Transparency reports - to read the report in full.
Scoop
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Up To 30,000 Additional URLs Added To The Digital Child Exploitation Filter
Press Release – Department Of Internal Affairs The DIA Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System previously blocked the access of less than 1,000 child sexual abuse material URLs each quarter. Following the integration of the IWF URL blocklist, the DIA Filter system will be updated with 2,000 30,000 … Te Tari Taiwhenua, Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) is the first non-UK government agency to become a member of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and implement their child sexual abuse material URL blocklist. The DIA Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System previously blocked the access of less than 1,000 child sexual abuse material URLs each quarter. Following the integration of the IWF URL blocklist, the DIA Filter system will be updated with 2,000 – 30,000 URLs daily. The partnership also gives the Department access to research, intelligence, data, and expertise to help facilitate the protection of children and young people online. The IWF URL blocklist uses human analysis and artificial intelligence to identify websites confirmed to depict child sexual abuse material. The integration of the IWF URL blocklist will also be provided to DIA's Pacific partners in Tonga and Samoa through DIA's Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System. IWF is an UK-based not-for-profit child protection organisation that works to minimize the availability of sexual abuse content, specifically child sexual abuse material hosted online through their dynamic URL blocklist. 'We are dedicated to protecting tamariki and the Digital Child Exploitation Filter is pivotal in our fight against individuals seeking out this abhorrent material,' says Jared Mullen, Director Digital Safety Group. 'Having access to an internationally collated blocklist helps us create a more robust deterrent to the access of child sexual abuse material. 'We have been working closely with the IWF for many months, and we are really pleased to establish this valued partnership.' IWF Interim CEO Derek Ray-Hill says 'IWF Members are pivotal partners in our fight to defend children online. By working with organisations like New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs, we can ensure that our dynamic URL List, which blocks access to webpages and websites of confirmed criminal child sexual abuse images and videos, can protect more people, particularly children, than ever before. 'We welcome the DIA's dedication to tackling online child sexual abuse material and are delighted for them to join when their partnership is most needed. The volume of child sexual abuse imagery circulating online is reaching record levels and the threat to children is becoming more complex as new technologies such as generative AI are exploited by offenders. International collaboration is vital to successfully addressing this global crime.'
Scoop
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Up To 30,000 Additional URLs Added To The Digital Child Exploitation Filter
Te Tari Taiwhenua, Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) is the first non-UK government agency to become a member of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and implement their child sexual abuse material URL blocklist. The DIA Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System previously blocked the access of less than 1,000 child sexual abuse material URLs each quarter. Following the integration of the IWF URL blocklist, the DIA Filter system will be updated with 2,000 – 30,000 URLs daily. The partnership also gives the Department access to research, intelligence, data, and expertise to help facilitate the protection of children and young people online. The IWF URL blocklist uses human analysis and artificial intelligence to identify websites confirmed to depict child sexual abuse material. The integration of the IWF URL blocklist will also be provided to DIA's Pacific partners in Tonga and Samoa through DIA's Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System. IWF is an UK-based not-for-profit child protection organisation that works to minimize the availability of sexual abuse content, specifically child sexual abuse material hosted online through their dynamic URL blocklist. 'We are dedicated to protecting tamariki and the Digital Child Exploitation Filter is pivotal in our fight against individuals seeking out this abhorrent material,' says Jared Mullen, Director Digital Safety Group. 'Having access to an internationally collated blocklist helps us create a more robust deterrent to the access of child sexual abuse material. 'We have been working closely with the IWF for many months, and we are really pleased to establish this valued partnership.' IWF Interim CEO Derek Ray-Hill says 'IWF Members are pivotal partners in our fight to defend children online. By working with organisations like New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs, we can ensure that our dynamic URL List, which blocks access to webpages and websites of confirmed criminal child sexual abuse images and videos, can protect more people, particularly children, than ever before. 'We welcome the DIA's dedication to tackling online child sexual abuse material and are delighted for them to join when their partnership is most needed. The volume of child sexual abuse imagery circulating online is reaching record levels and the threat to children is becoming more complex as new technologies such as generative AI are exploited by offenders. International collaboration is vital to successfully addressing this global crime.'
