Blocking objectionable websites

Trusted agencies provide Spark with verified lists of some of the internet’s most harmful websites. Spark then blocks these websites from our network, to help protect New Zealanders. This includes websites containing child abuse material. It also includes websites aimed at defrauding New Zealanders of money or information.

The New Zealand National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) identifies and verifies some of the fraudulent websites we block. We then provide high-level, anonymised reporting to the NCSC on the total number of attempted visits to each of these websites. For example, ‘A’ website had 7 attempted visits; ‘B’ website had 15 attempted visits. The NCSC use this information to understand what they can do to help protect New Zealanders.