DMS42-6-11967
PO Box 900, Wellington 6140
P +64 4 472 6170,
F +64 4 472 8209
www.nzsis.govt.nz
18 September 2023
Erika Whittome
[FYI request #23662 email]
Tēnā koe Erika
Official information request
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request of 1 August 2023, partially
transferred to the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) from the Department of
Internal Affairs on 24 August 2023. The part of your request transferred to the NZSIS asked:
“Please share all Posts and tweet(s) from 1 January 2021 to March 2023 that are
requested by the … NZSIS … to be categorized as “Misleading Information”, “breach of
community standards”, “Disputed Claim” and/or “Misinformation’ to Twitter and
Facebook.
For the avoidance of doubt this request covers actual files in whatever format, ALL
correspondence, diary notes, aide memoires or any documentation including written and
electronic correspondence including emails, as well as phone, txt, and other messing apps
including but not limited to Signal and Whatsapp…”
It may be helpful if I begin by outlining our role. The NZSIS is New Zealand’s domestic
security agency and lead organisation for human intelligence (HUMINT). We collect and
analyse intelligence in line with the Government’s National Security Intelligence Priorities
(NSIPs). Our scope within the NSIPs is typically focused on protecting New Zealand from
terrorism, violent extremism, espionage and foreign interference. Further information about
our role and focus can be found online at: https://www.nzsis.govt.nz/.
Your request asked for all posts and tweets the NZSIS requested be categorised as
“misleading information”, “breach of community standards, “disputed claim” and/or
“misinformation”. The NZSIS has made no such requests; activity of this sort is not part of
our remit. Accordingly, I am formally refusing your request under section 18(e) of the OIA, as
the information requested does not exist.
The NZSIS’s concern in relation to disinformation is only when there is a national security
nexus, for example, a violent extremism component where there is both capability and
intent to carry out an attack, or the disinformation is state-sponsored and targeting
New Zealand. The Intelligence and Security Act 2017 is clear on the role of the security and
intelligence agencies with respect to freedom of expression, including views influenced by
mis- and disinformation. The NZSIS does not conduct mass surveillance of the internet and
has no role in monitoring ordinary political discussion.
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You may be interested in the wider work underway to strengthen New Zealand’s resilience
to disinformation. Disinformation (i.e. false or modified information knowingly and
deliberately shared to cause harm or achieve a broader aim) is perceived as distinct from
misinformation (information that is false or misleading, though not created or shared with
the direct intention of causing harm). Some further information about this work is available
at: https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/our-programmes/national-security/strengthening-resilience-
disinformation.
You may also be interested in the NZSIS’s recent publication
New Zealand’s Security Threat
Environment 2023, which provides further information about current national security threats
facing New Zealand, which are within our mandate and the functions of the NZSIS. This is
available online at: https://www.nzsis.govt.nz/assets/NZSIS-Documents/New-Zealands-
Security-Threat-Environment-2023.pdf
Review If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact
[email address].
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
or freephone 0800 802 602.
Please note that the NZSIS proactively publishes OIA responses in accordance with the
expectations of Te Kawa Mataaho/the Public Service Commission. We intend to publish this
response (with your personal information removed) on the NZSIS website. Publication of
such responses is done on a quarterly basis.
Ngā mihi
Andrew Hampton
Te Tumu Whakarae mō Te Pā Whakamarumaru
Director-General of Security
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