This is edition 2025/198 of the Ten@10 newsletter.
Hi all,
This is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.
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BSA Breaches It's Own Standards
Anna McLoughlin
- 📜 BSA's Overreach: The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) has discussed extending its jurisdiction to include online broadcasts, potentially applying to social media and websites.
- 🚨 Winston Peters' Critique: Rt. Hon. Winston Peters labels this an overreach, comparing it to "Stasi" tactics and questioning the BSA's legal basis for their actions.
- 🧩 Jurisdiction Overlap: Non-traditional broadcasters like NZDSOS were added to the BSA's list of organizations, raising concerns about censorship and overreach into online content.
- ⚖️ Concerns About Fairness: The BSA's removal of NZDSOS and the Free Speech Union from its list after public questioning raises doubts about the authority's fairness and independence.
- 🔓 Freedom of Expression: The BSA is meant to protect freedom of expression, only restricting content when harm is demonstrably justified. NZDSOS and the FSU did not meet this threshold.
- 📜 BORA Protection: The right to freedom of expression, protected under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, cannot be limited without clear, lawful justification.
- 🏛️ Legal Overreach: Critics argue that the BSA’s expansion of jurisdiction over online content violates the Broadcasting Act 1989 and legislates by stealth.
- 🌐 Online vs. Traditional Broadcasting: Internet-based services, such as NZDSOS’s online platforms, don't fall under the BSA’s statutory definition of broadcasting.
- 🔒 Wider Silencing: Along with the BSA's actions, organizations like Facebook, N4L, and email providers are also limiting reach, raising concerns over silencing dissenting voices.
- 💬 Censorship Risk: The potential for government overreach into online content threatens freedom of expression and sets a dangerous precedent for censorship.
- 🚨 Government's Power: The government's ability to censor or control online content, coupled with the BSA's actions, poses a significant risk to free speech in New Zealand.
