‘Online Misogyny and Violent Extremism - Understanding the Landscape’ is the latest research and online resource published by Te Mana Whakaatu - Classification Office. No images? Click here 13 MAY 2024 SPECIAL EDITION NEWSLETTER Kia ora koutou Today we release our latest research on a topic that unfortunately continues to be topical. When we started this piece of work over a year ago it was an inquiry into a trend we saw in our daily classification work. Findings from our previous research had also shown that New Zealanders feel it's hard for them to avoid seeing harmful or offensive content online. Based on these observations we recognised the need for further research. We commissioned Hate and Extremism Insights Aotearoa (HEIA) to conduct a literature review to help us understand the landscape of online misogyny and how it related to violent extremism. The research further expanded into a content analysis, and our research team at Te Mana Whakaatu reviewed academic research reports, articles and published documents. Our team sought insights from different government departments, Crown entities and NGOs. What we have now produced is a comprehensive online resource for deeper analysis, along with a summary report of our findings. It is critical to understand the challenges online misogyny poses to New Zealanders. By exploring how and where online threats develop and grow, locally and globally, we hope this resource can inform evidence-based policy, regulatory responses and ongoing service improvements from online platforms. We hope for wider conversations about what this means for our society. Since 2019 we've seen a common thread of misogyny in the propaganda of extremists who have committed mass violence and murder. This research exercise has deepened our concern: misogyny online is pervasive; it is threatening, and it is harmful. Thank you to our research team and thank you to HEIA. This has been a significant undertaking, and for more than a year your dedication and perseverance in the face of some pretty unpleasant topics and findings has been admirable. Thank you for your work to help spotlight these themes and spark discussion. Aroha atu, aroha mai, tātou i a tātou — Chief Censor Caroline Flora #Mātakitahi #WatchTogether #KōreroTahi #TalkTogether Image credits: Mark Creative Our publicly accessible online resource is now available. It is the primary source of the research summary report and literature review. It provides links and glossary tips for all of the supporting research and information. This resource is aimed at academics, researchers, government, and non-governmental organisations and is a snapshot of the available research at the time of publication. Our online research resource takes an innovative approach to sharing the wide range of information compiled through our research mahi for this project. We have published the references to a wide range of academic literature, as well as detailed insights and analysis of different government, Crown and NGOs' responses to online misogyny. ![]() Online Misogyny and Violent Extremism - Understanding the Landscape‘Online Misogyny and Violent Extremism - Understanding the Landscape’ is the latest research and online resource published by Te Mana Whakaatu - Classification Office. It finds that misogyny frequently appears in the type of content that is restricted or even banned with a clear link to violent extremism. The Office can’t restrict or ban a publication just because it contains misogynistic themes or content; however, these are often present when other classification criteria result in a ban. Misogynistic content is found in manifestos, online games, videos and images. The Office found that:
The research also found many overlapping and closely related issues across online misogyny and violent extremism:
Our comprehensive online resource is available now Need to talk? Helplines for support We understand that this research could be confronting or upsetting for some readers, especially if they can personally relate to the information we have shared. If you or someone you know needs to talk:
![]() Te Mana Whakaatu is an independent Crown entity responsible for classifying material which may need to be restricted or banned. This can include films, books, video games and online content. The Office can restrict or ban content that promotes crime, terrorism or violence. The Office also conduct research and produce evidence-based resources to promote media literacy and enable New Zealanders to make informed choices about what they watch.
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