New Zealand to attend G7 meeting on cyber collaboration

New Zealand Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister Kris Faafoi will attend the “Tech for Humanity’’ meeting of G7 Digital Ministers in Paris in the coming week on cyber issues.

The meeting would solely support the government’s focus on international collaboration on cyber issues.

Faafoi will accompany Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern while she is in Paris championing the Christchurch Call, with the aim of adopting concrete commitments by governments and tech companies to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist.

“As well as content online, while protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, maintaining a free, open, secure Internet, a government statement said on Friday.

“New Zealand is committed to addressing cyber security threats and building cyber security capacity and resilience. While we are geographically isolated, this offers no protection in the cyber world,’’ Faafoi said.

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The minister will be meeting with counterparts in Britain and Ireland to discuss global cyber security issues as “no one country can tackle these alone,’’ he said.

Ardern announced in April that New Zealand and France would bring together countries and tech companies in order to prevent social media being used as platforms to promote terrorism.

It follows calls for social media companies to take responsibility to regulate violent, extremist content on its platforms following the March 15, terrorist attacks in Christchurch, which were live streamed on Facebook.

A meeting co-chaired by Ardern and French President Emmanuel Macron will take place on May 15 in Paris. (NAN)