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.

Government Chief Information Officer Colin McDonald is to get more powers and a bigger budget as the Government seeks to keep a lid on IT debacles like Novopay.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee has extended the date for submissions on the controversial GCSB spy agency bill by eight days.

A man is before the courts after allegedly making covert recordings of people in a Wellington bathroom while he worked for the Department of Internal Affairs.

Green Party co-leader Russel Norman has accused Prime Minister John Key of conspiring to establish a surveillance state in New Zealand.

MPs want the Government's GCSB legislation tweaked to ensure the spy agency doesn't overstep the mark if it eavesdrops on them.

A former spy boss says New Zealand is a democratic and free country because of our relationship with the United States and other large powers.

David Fisher recounts his own experiences with NZ's spy agencies and questions whether we should still have faith in them.

The senior lawyer appointed by the Prime Minister to investigate the GCSB wrote a report which was more detailed.

Child Youth and Family has launched legal action claiming a woman was trying to blackmail them after it accidentally sent her somebody else's private information.

Prime Minister John Key categorically denies that the GCSB has been circumventing New Zealand law by accessing information from an international spying network.