Stories by RNZ

Privacy Commissioner mulls biometrics code of practice
Fri, 16th Dec 2022
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biometrics
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facial recognition
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identity
The Privacy Commissioner is looking into whether the use of biometrics needs to be regulated by a new code of practice.

Education report recommends more cybersecurity investment as risk grows
Wed, 30th Nov 2022
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edutech
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cybersecurity
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it services
An assessment has found big gaps in schools' cybersecurity and recommends a multi-million-dollar boost to school funding for IT.

Independent review finds systemic racism at InternetNZ following Māori threat video
Wed, 30th Nov 2022
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youtube
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māori
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internetnz
An independent review has found systemic racism at InternetNZ, which saw it react too slowly to a video that encouraged the slaughter of Māori.

Potential job creation of planned NZ data centres not known
Tue, 29th Nov 2022
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big data
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edge data centre
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government
The lead government agency on data centres says it is not doing any work on how many jobs might be created.

Fears tax breaks across Tasman threaten massive growth in NZ gaming industry
Tue, 29th Nov 2022
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gaming
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australian government
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gamers
The digital games industry has seen record annual growth but fears Australian tax breaks and other industry incentives will draw the industry away.

Foodstuffs trialling an expansion of facial recognition tech to further stores
Mon, 28th Nov 2022
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data analytics
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facial recognition
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identity
Foodstuffs has admitted it uses facial recognition in some North Island stores and says it is undertaking a trial of the technology at further stores to test its effectiveness in crime reduction.

Archives NZ reinstates online search tool after data mishap
Wed, 23rd Nov 2022
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data analytics
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cybersecurity
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privacy
Archives NZ is making its online search tool available to all users again, after a shutdown caused by restricted record titles mistakenly being made public.

Private details of Otago students were exposed by digital fault
Fri, 21st Oct 2022
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cybersecurity
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privacy commissioner
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university
A digital security breach allowed personal details about most University of Otago students to be viewable to others

Pinnacle cyber attack: Beware of suspicious emails, messages and bank activity - Deputy Privacy Commissioner
Mon, 17th Oct 2022
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cybersecurity
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hackers
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passwords
The Privacy Commission is advising victims of the Pinnacle hack to be wary of any suspicious cellphone communication or bank activity.

Government under pressure to align with EU's data harvesting standards for businesses
Tue, 11th Oct 2022
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data protection
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gdpr
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nz government
New Zealand is under pressure to yield to new European Union demands over how companies harvest people's data.

Patient details could be compromised as large North Island GP network hit by a cyber attack
Tue, 4th Oct 2022
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it in healthcare
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cybersecurity
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breach prevention
A large North Island GP network has been hit by a cyber attack, with patient details potentially compromised.

Local edtech companies can gain edge with student data promise - NZ Tech Alliance
Fri, 23rd Sep 2022
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microsoft
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edutech
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google
Edtech surveillance by multinational tech companies to harvest pupils' personal data is provoking controversy, clampdowns and court cases in the US and Europe.

Ministry will no longer accept equipment from Chinese firm Hikvision
Thu, 11th Aug 2022
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surveillance
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it in manufacturing
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creative technologies
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) says it will no longer accept equipment from a major Chinese surveillance camera maker.

Govt must step up to police social media - InternetNZ boss
Tue, 31st May 2022
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social media
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investment
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hate speech
A technology industry leader is urging the government not to shy away from policing social media platforms in New Zealand.

$20m boost for digital technologies announced
Mon, 16th May 2022
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saas
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ict
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it budget
The government is spending an extra $20m over four years on its plan to transform the digital technologies industry.

High demand from electronics makers sparks computer chip shortage
Wed, 23rd Mar 2022
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it in manufacturing
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cartech
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inventory management systems
A global shortage of computer chips is likely to persist for another 18 months, according to an Australasian manufacturing business.

GCSB urges key businesses to expect cyber attacks, protect supply chains
Mon, 21st Mar 2022
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cloud services
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microsoft
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hyperscale
The GCSB is urging New Zealand's critical businesses to stay alert in the face of increasing cyber threats, which can put nationally significant infrastructure in danger.

AI company raises $105m to create people for 'digital' workforces
Wed, 16th Feb 2022
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digital transformation
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ai
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investment
An Auckland based artificial intelligence company Soul Machines has raised $US70 million ($NZ105m) to meet growing demand for "digital people".

Economic development agency launches new app to pair employers with talent
Mon, 14th Feb 2022
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apps
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skills shortage
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employment
Whanganui city's economic development agency wants to see locals swiping right on a new matchmaking app set up to pair Whanganui businesses with skilled workers.

'Robo-advice' a low-cost option for financial planning
Tue, 8th Feb 2022
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martech
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finance, leasing & rental
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chatbots
Only two firms offer low-cost computer-generated financial advice, despite it being available for four years.

Virtual reality game Wanderer puts New Zealand developers on world stage
Mon, 31st Jan 2022
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gaming
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technology gifts
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vr
A major console-maker has for the first time released a Kiwi-made virtual reality (VR) game.

NZ tech sector has what it takes to attract international investment - industry boss
Thu, 27th Jan 2022
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digital transformation
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recruitment
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skills shortage
The tech sector says it has what it takes to woo international investors, who have come courting.

Ability to access and share data may drive more cybercrime in 2022 - security firm
Mon, 10th Jan 2022
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bi
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big data
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firewall
Enabling data to move more easily between organisations will undoubtedly lead to more crime, says a cybersecurity firm.

Review prompts police to halt plans to use facial recognition technology
Mon, 13th Dec 2021
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biometrics
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surveillance
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cctv
Police are pressing pause for now on using facial recognition technology to identify people off live camera feeds, but will still use it on stored footage.