Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
A new database measure designed to counter digital violent extremism has been launched by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA).
The database assigns an identifier - or 'hash' - to each piece of illegal content. The hashes can then be used to identify files that have already been classed as illegal.
Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden said it would reduce the time required to individually identify material, and prevent investigators from being repeatedly exposed to disturbing content.
"This new database will increase the efficiency of this work, and better safeguard the well-being of the staff who deal with this content," she said in a statement.
The database can be used in investigations into people found in possession of illegal material, and is designed to be shared with police, customs, the SIS, and international law enforcement agencies.
Van Velden said DIA had the authority to issue take-down notices to have the material removed from online sites, including social media, and that most platforms promptly complied with requests to remove content.
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