Under the promise of protection we surrender privacy, writes Chris Barton. Once given up, it's a freedom we may never get back.

Civil libertarians and privacy rights activists have legitimate reason to oppose the GCSB bill in its present form, writes Paul Buchanan. "The definition of threat to national security under which the GCSB would act is too nebulous."

It appears our biggest domestic terror threat is either Tame Iti's training camps or Dotcom's (alleged) copyright infringements.

Scaremongering by uninformed commentators has not helped a balanced and considered debate take place, writes Rhys Ball. "Spying is intrusive and it is important."

A new law which could see internet giants like Microsoft, Apple, Facebook and Google forced to open up their systems to NZ's spy agencies is 'unworkable'.

Labour's Trevor Mallard says United Future leader Peter Dunne should not have his funding restored even if his party re-registers.

Editorial: We need systems of oversight and accountability that are much more robust and open to independent review.

Prime Minister John Key says Labour opposition to the GCSB spy agency amendment bill could prevent New Zealanders being safe in an event like the Boston bombings.

A clean-up of GCSB faults doesn't seem to have happened yet, with another display of "unnecessary silliness" being exposed, writes David Fisher.

The PM said this morning he's open to compromise with NZ First over changes to the country's spying laws, and that he expects Peter Dunne's support too.

Like a wild west frontier town, the internet has grown quickly into an unruly place offering all manner of opportunities - and hazards.

Ecuador's Foreign Minister said his country was "analysing" a request for asylum by fugitive United States intelligence leaker Edward Snowden.

Prime Minister John Key gave an assurance yesterday that New Zealand's spies in the SIS and GCSB could not gather information about a person from various databases and then apply for a warrant.

Among the few possessions Edward Snowden had with him when he met journalists at Hong Kong's Mira Hotel was a copy of Angler.

The principals of two Dunedin high schools are worried the latest "babe of the day'' Facebook page could put pupils at risk from sexual predators.

The danger is that the techniques devised today by NSA data miners to track potential terrorists may tomorrow be employed by private sector, writes Gehan Gunasekara.

Far from being alarmed, the Key Government seems set to make the work of the spies, both their own and the overseas variety, even easier, writes Brian Rudman.

Edward Snowden had a life that superficially sounded nothing short of idyllic and for some reason, he threw it away with a few leaked documents revealing the reach of the US National Security Agency.

I used to know someone who spent a lot of time on computers, fancied himself as a bit of a tech-head and was concerned about security.

Opposition leaders say New Zealand's involvement in the international "Five Eyes" spying network should be included in an inquiry into intelligence agencies.

Privacy commissioners say the public should be wary about this but most people are not, writes John Roughan. They post much more personal information about themselves on internet sites.

An ex-government employee had around 1400 'upskirt' recordings of women and schoolgirls, police say.