Misinformation refers to misleading information that’s distributed without malicious intent, whereas disinformation describes false content that’s designed to confuse or manipulate audiences. Enter the hate speech void“The test for harmful content is not that it is untrue or of doubtful validity but that it is causative of serious emotional distress. The case dates to 2018, when a sermon containing violent and anti-gay hate speech was published in an Auckland newspaper. The court sympathised with Hoban but noted that the scope of hate speech laws was a matter for Parliament. Earlier this year, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith withdrew a Law Commission referral to assess the scope of hate speech laws.

Source: New Zealand Herald November 17, 2024 11:03 UTC