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Public Act 2015 No 63
New Zealand Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015
Prepared by Shubhank Suman · Last reviewed
CURRENT / IN FORCE (version as at 9 March 2022)
- Legal character
- Statute
- Region
- Asia-Pacific
- Assent
- 2 July 2015
What it covers
The Act aims to deter, prevent and reduce harm caused by digital communications and to give victims quick and efficient redress. It sets ten communication principles, establishes an Approved Agency to receive and resolve complaints, lets the District Court make orders (such as take-down orders) against harmful digital communications, gives online content hosts a safe-harbour process, and creates offences including causing harm by posting a digital communication.
Why it matters
It is New Zealand's main law on online harassment, intimate image abuse and harmful posts, and sets notice-and-takedown duties for online content hosts.
Refer to it when
Use it for online harassment or harmful posts in New Zealand, take-down requests, content-host liability or the criminal offence of posting harmful digital communications.
AI, privacy and cybersecurity relevance
- AI: Low
- Privacy: High
- Cyber: Moderate
AI
LOW RELEVANCE
Applies to AI-generated content only as digital communications.
Privacy
HIGH RELEVANCE
Protects against disclosure of sensitive personal facts and intimate images online.
Cybersecurity
MODERATE RELEVANCE
Online-harm offences and content-host duties.
Applicability
Individuals posting digital communications, online content hosts and victims of harmful communications in New Zealand.
Current validity
CURRENT / IN FORCE. The supplied version is as at 9 March 2022; check for later amendments. Read the official PDF on this page for the operative text.
Read first
Section 3 (purpose) → section 6 (principles) → Approved Agency → court orders → section 22 → content-host safe harbour.
Provisions / sections covered
Section 6 – Communication principles
Ten principles, for example that a digital communication should not disclose sensitive personal facts or be grossly offensive.
Sections 7–8 – Approved Agency
Appointment, functions and powers to investigate and resolve complaints.
Sections 11–19 – District Court orders
Who may apply, threshold, and orders such as take-down and correction.
Section 22 – Causing harm by posting digital communication
Offence of posting with intent to cause serious emotional distress.
Safe harbour for online content hosts
Process to avoid liability when responding to complaints.
Related instruments in this library
Document page in the Knowledge Base - full text or PDF where it is available for this record.
This library locates primary and official sources. It does not interpret the law and it is not legal advice.