Torture, Extreme Violence, and Extreme Cruelty Content

It is a crime to torture, seriously assault, or use violence against another person in New Zealand.

It’s also against the law of New Zealand to make, possess, or share content that promotes or supports torture, extreme violence or extreme cruelty.

Content that shows torture, extreme violence, and extreme cruelty causes harm to many victims, whānau and communities. The creation of this material often involves the direct abuse of the victims. The sharing and viewing of this content continues that abuse and increases the risk of harm, including to future victims, by promoting or supporting the behaviour, making it seem easy to do, or presenting it as having no consequences.

This page tells you what New Zealand law (the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993) says about violent content and what you can do if you come across it.

This information is for general understanding and awareness. It is not legal advice.

What is torture, extreme violence and extreme cruelty content?

Acts of torture, extreme violence, and extreme cruelty occur all over the world, and not just in in conflict zones or acts of terrorism. Examples of this content that we have classified as objectionable (illegal) include footage or images of:

  • Real-life violence of people being tortured or killed. People may be beheaded, executed, or killed, sometimes in a war context. The violence may be filmed by a person involved with the attack.
  • Real life violence that someone has edited to make it ‘entertaining’. Sometimes songs are added or clips repeated or looped, which trivialises the suffering of the victims.
  • Content that encourages the viewer to see individuals or groups as a justifiable target for violence and may suggest ways of hurting those people.
  • Written content like manuals, propaganda, and handbooks often contain detailed descriptions of who to hurt, why, and how. This content can persuade others to act on a violent message.

What does torture, extreme violence and extreme cruelty content include?

Content involving torture, extreme violence and extreme cruelty can be images, videos, livestreams, or any online content showing the worst kind of treatment of people or animals. It often includes infliction of serious physical harm, acts of significant cruelty or death, but it doesn’t have to be real. The Classification Act treats Artificial Intelligence (AI), Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI), and animated  torture, extreme violence and extreme cruelty in the same way as real-life content. Even if content is fake, it can still encourage real-life harm. You can read more about AI and the law here.

Is torture, extreme violence and extreme cruelty content illegal?

The law that says content promoting or supporting acts of torture or the infliction of extreme violence or extreme cruelty, is illegal in the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993. It is a crime, and there are serious legal consequences for creating, accessing, or sharing this material.

What does “promote or support” mean?

In this context, promote or support means content that encourages or presents torture, extreme violence and extreme cruelty as favourable, acceptable or harmless. This includes material that instructs, endorses, justifies or suggests the behaviour should be engaged in.

In some cases, torture, extreme violence and cruelty may be presented as fictional, humorous, or for entertainment, and the classification will consider how it is framed and the overall effect for the viewer.

Are all representations of torture, extreme violence and extreme cruelty illegal? What about fiction, satire or news reporting?

Classification under the Act places significant weight on freedom of expression. Not all content that deals with torture, extreme violence and extreme cruelty is illegal.

Content that refers to torture, extreme violence and extreme cruelty in a factual, critical, or harm-focused way, such as news reporting, education, or legal discussion, does not promote or support it and is not illegal. While news reporting can still at times be graphic or shocking, often the reporting includes cuts, blurring or descriptions of the strongest elements.

References to torture, extreme violence and extreme cruelty in fiction, film, or other forms of entertainment are not illegal, as long as the content does not endorse or encourage the behaviour. In some cases, an age restriction may apply because the material could be harmful for younger audiences (for example, an R16 film.)

About the Classification Office’s role and how the law works

The Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 balances freedom of expression with protecting people from harm – especially children and young people.

Every piece of content the Classification Office sees is different and to decide whether something is illegal it must consider each one on its own merits and carefully apply the Act and the principles of fairness and natural justice. There are also serious penalties for offences under the Act. This is why decisions about whether content is illegal are made by trained experts at the Classification Office, who, guided by the Act, follow a very transparent and fair process before making a decision.

You can read more about the classification process here.

Why or where might people come across objectionable torture, extreme violence and extreme cruelty content?

Like any content, people can come across torture, extreme violence and extreme cruelty content in a variety of ways – for example, on social media feeds, websites, messaging apps, or by being shown content in person. Content might be unwanted or show up unexpectedly, or people might seek it out intentionally.

How to report harmful or illegal content

If you come across harmful, distressing, or illegal content online, it’s important to report it.

Reporting helps protect you, your whānau, and others, supports safer online spaces, and ensures the right agencies can act. You don’t need to be certain whether content is illegal, different New Zealand agencies can assess it and respond appropriately. You can report content even if it’s hosted overseas.

Find out who to report to and how to report harmful or illegal content in New Zealand.
How to Report Harmful or Illegal Online Content in New Zealand

People across Aotearoa have consistently told us they are concerned about the harms of extreme content. Young people, parents and caregivers, grandparents, aunties and uncles, educators, and community leaders are worried for themselves, for young people, and for their communities.

Addressing these harms is a shared effort, supported by clear laws, dedicated agencies, and community action. Together, we can reduce harm by not creating or sharing objectionable content, protecting wellbeing, and reporting harm when we see it.

What’s next?

For parents and whānau: The Classification Office has a range of practical resources to help you support young people who may be encountering extreme content online — from conversation starters to insights shared directly by rangatahi.

For educators and those working with young people: Our resources focus on supporting young people safely and confidently, including guidance on keeping yourselves safe in those conversations and knowing what to do if concerns arise.

For young people: Learning about this content is an important step in staying safe and understanding where the legal line sits. If you need to report something, you can find out how here. If you’d like to talk to someone, our list of support helplines is available here.