Tech giants to self-regulate in order to reduce harmful content in New Zealand

Big tech companies agreed to reduce harmful online content in New Zealand, a move that critics said dodged the alternative of government regulation.
Meta Platforms Inc, Alphabet-owned Google, TikTok, Amazon.com Inc and Twitter had signed a code of practice, said Netsafe, a government-funded internet-safety group.
The companies would follow the code as self-regulation, Netsafe chief Brent Carey said in a statement.
“There are too many Kiwis being bullied, harassed, and abused online, which is why the industry has rallied together to protect users,” Carey said in a statement.
Industry lobby group NZTech will be responsible for the companies meeting obligations, which include reducing harmful content online, reporting how they do that and supporting independent evaluation of results.