If you send messages or post offensive, obscene, indecent, menacing or knowingly false content online in New Zealand, you could be convicted of a crime and spend three years in jail.

New Zealand’s Parliament passed the Harmful Digital Communications Bill which will take effect on Monday. It introduces measures meant to address damaging online communications, provide remedies and hold perpetrators to account.

Facebook, Google and others have their own policies regarding trolling. Trolling is considered to be posting something harmful online.

Usually, the victim is instructed to contact the company and request that it be taken down. Some companies act immediately to remove the communication, then decide whether it was the right course of action.

Regulators in New Zealand plan to create an agency that will investigate complaints. The new law guarantees that the agency can act quickly.

The bill also creates an offence of incitement to commit suicide, without there being an actual suicide, with punishment being three years.

Many members of the Labour party consider the bill an encrochment on civil liberties.

Last week, the UK government launched the “Stop Online Abuse” website to fight cyberbullying by helping victims of online abuse to report, complain and campaign against offensive media content.

Source: HotforSecurity