Responding to objectionable or extremely harmful content

In our report Content That Crosses the Line, rangatahi tell us that they do encounter extremely harmful content online. They said that young people may come across, be sent, or even seek out content that crosses the line into illegal or extremely harmful territory. This could include violent extremist material or other publications classified as objectionable under New Zealand law. What they told us was that in these situations, having adults respond calmly and appropriately is key. This helps protect the young person, minimise harm, and ensure the situation is handled lawfully.

Under the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993, it’s an offence to make, possess, or share objectionable publications. This includes:

• Child sexual exploitation material (CSEM)
• Extremist or terrorist material such as manifestos or attack footage
• Other publications that promote or encourage sexual violence, violence, or cruelty
• See more on banned and illegal content here.

Content doesn’t have to be real to be illegal. Material created with artificial intelligence (AI), computer-generated imagery (CGI), animation, or other digital tools can still be harmful and encourage real-world harm. Sometimes it appears as a meme, joke, or edited clip, but even fake or humorous versions can still be illegal.

The law also says that content that promotes or supports certain activities is illegal. This means content that encourages, normalises, or makes harm - like the sexual exploitation of children - seem acceptable. It can include material that approves of or encourages the harmful behaviour, justifies it, or gives instructions.

If you are unsure, treat the material as potentially illegal and follow the reporting pathway.

Note on nudes/self-generated sexual images: Nudes can be classified as objectionable for promoting the sexual exploitation of young people or exploiting their nudity for sexual purposes.

In practice, law enforcement are unlikely to investigate and prosecute young people for taking nude pictures of themselves but those pictures can result in bullying, non-consensual sharing and exploitation. Netsafe provide information and support for people suffering from online abuse and harassment, information is available on their website.

In situations where anyone is at risk of immediate harm contact 111 immediately.

We understand that some content may involve nudes. These situations require a slightly different approach, and more information is available via Netsafe. In some situations, image-based abuse or non-consensual sharing of intimate images (including sextortion) may also be present. Visit Netsafe’s page here for more information.

For further information on related topics, you can also explore our resources on:

• AI-generated content
• Grok
• Children and chatbots

• Stay calm. Your response will influence how the young person feels.
• Have a supportive conversation with the young person. Reassure them that they are safe to talk with you and you are there to support them. Make sure they understand why the content is harmful or inappropriate, and advise them not to search for or share anything similar in the future. Help them feel supported and informed, not shamed or punished. Read more guidance on conversation starters to support rangatahi with harmful or upsetting online content here.
• Do not share, forward, or show the actual content to others – even colleagues – as the content that you are sharing might be objectionable or illegal.
• Note the context. Did the young person find the content accidentally, were they sent it, or did they seek it out? This will help you decide what kind of support they may need.
• Report it. See our reporting page: How to Report Harmful or Illegal Online Content in New Zealand.

• Reassure them that they did the right thing by talking with you.
• Acknowledge that the content may have left them feeling upset, scared, or worried they’ll get into trouble.
• Connect them with support such as a school counsellor, trusted staff member, or services like 1737 (more helplines available at the bottom of this resource).
• Ensure your school or organisation has clear procedures for supporting rangatahi affected by harmful content and follow these when responding.

After the initial response:

• Check in with the young person to see how they are feeling and whether they need additional support.
• Keep communication open with small, regular conversations about staying safe online, and offer guidance where needed. Through this kōrero, you may also get a sense of whether they are continuing to encounter harmful content.
• Maintain communication with relevant staff, whānau, or services to ensure consistent support.
• Reflect on the incident with your team: what did you learn? Is there anything that could improve future responses?

Suggested script

“Thanks for telling me about that, it’s really good that you’ve brought it up. You’re safe to talk about this with me, and I’m here to help you work through it.

It sounds like what you saw was really harmful. That kind of content can be really distressing, and it’s not something anyone should have to see. You haven’t done anything wrong, even if you came across it by accident or out of curiosity.

It’s really important not to look for it again or share it with anyone else, even to show what you mean. Some of that content is actually illegal to share, and it can cause more harm.

Can you tell me a bit about how you came across it, did someone send it to you, or did you find it online? That’ll help us figure out the best next step together.

We can talk about what support might help you now, and I can check back in later to make sure you’re doing okay.”

Dealing with harmful material can be confronting. It’s important to talk it over with a trusted colleague or supervisor (without sharing the content), use professional support such as EAP, and take time for your own wellbeing. And remember you can reach out to helplines or support services for yourself too.

See our reporting page: How to Report Harmful or Illegal Online Content in New Zealand

If you have concerns about the immediate danger of a young person or others, call 111. For more helpline options see this page: Helplines and Support Services in New Zealand