New service provider for Digital Child Exploitation Filter
5 August 2020
Te Tari Taiwhenua, Department of Internal Affairs, has announced Allot Limited as the new service provider for the Digital Child Exploitation Filter (DCEF) from 1 August 2020.
The filter operates as a service provided to most New Zealand Internet Service Providers on a voluntary basis. The Filter blocks access to websites that contain illegal child sexual exploitation content[[1] As defined by the Films, Videos and Publications Classifications Act 1993. 1]. The filter has been in place since 2010.
“We are committed to protecting children from online sexual exploitation. The Digital Child Exploitation Filter helps by reducing access to this material,” says Jared Mullen, Director Digital Safety at the Department of Internal Affairs.
On 28 February 2020 the existing provider, NetClean, advised they were terminating the contract early, despite an existing contract until July 2023. The Department negotiated to extend this deadline from 30 April to 31 July 2020, to allow time to secure a replacement provider.
The Department carried out a rapid but robust procurement process to secure and implement a replacement service after the existing provider.
“We made sure there was a seamless provision of the new filter service; that the new filter was ready and operating before the expiry date of the old filter,” says Mullen.
The Department identifies websites that host illegal child sexual exploitation content and adds them to the DCEF’s filter list. An Independent Reference Group has oversight of the Department’s work.
A representative of the DCEF Independent Reference Group was included on the procurement panel to help us ensure the new service was fit-for-purpose.
“Allot has over 20 years of experience in network intelligence and security solutions. They have a local presence in New Zealand and have worked hard to help us meet the deadline,” says Mullen.
“In addition to securing a new provider, we have upgraded the infrastructure to provide more stability to the filter platform.”
“We’ll continue to invest in the Digital Child Exploitation Filter to further improve the platform and to ensure that it remains stable and continues to reduce harm from this illegal content.”
Oren Coral, Allot Vice President of Sales Asia-Pacific said, “Allot is privileged to be a part of the DCEF program and in meeting the requirements of the Department of Internal Affairs to keep New Zealanders safe online.”
ends
Media Desk
Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs
Mobile: +64 27 535 8639 email: media@dia.govt.nz
Additional Information
The Independent Reference Group includes representatives from the Office of the Children’s Commissioner, Spark, the Telecommunication Carriers Forum, the Office of Film and Literature Classification, as well as two independent members.
The Independent Reference Group usually meets twice a year. Their last meeting was 21 November 2019. There was a meeting scheduled for March this year, but this was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and our focus on implementing the new filter service provider.
The Department acknowledges and appreciates the positive contribution of the following Internet Service Providers who are voluntary users of the filter: 2Degrees, Airnet, Compass, Kordia, Spark, Vocus, Vodafone, and Xtreme.
The Department procured a future-proofed solution with the capacity to grow and change if needed. This is good practice. However, no decisions have been made about the future application of filtering technology as the policy is still under consideration.
