The 2025 World Internet Project found that New Zealanders feel tense, sceptical and aware of all things Internet, including AI, security, and misinformation.
45% of 16 to 24-year-olds use AI frequently, compared with 4% of those aged 75 and above. Around 52% of Internet users expect AI to cause large-scale unemployment, but about 72% are not worried about losing their jobs to automation.
Older New Zealanders express stronger concerns about privacy and surveillance, and a majority oppose AI use by children younger than 18 due to its potential impact on their brain development.
NZPRI director Dr Lisa Meehan says the survey shows the complex relationship Kiwis have with the Internet. “To find so many people in New Zealand concerned about AI shows how pervasive it has become in our personal and work lives.
“The caution felt about AI is on par with our increasing wariness around social media and privacy concerns when doing online activities. This tempered response is appropriate given the seemingly endless flow of online content and information in our lives from so many internet-based sources.”
Social media, online trust, and privacy issues are also top-of-mind concerns for New Zealanders. About 67% of Internet users view the Internet positively, but about 42% consider social media equally helpful and harmful.
More than 60% support stronger oversight of Internet and social media companies, with many favouring a mixed model of government and industry self-regulation, especially for platforms like TikTok and X.
Trust in online information remains low. About 67% say they are sceptical about the reliability of at least half of what they see online. The same percentage sees misinformation as a serious issue.
Privacy issues are also top of mind for New Zealand’s Internet users, with more than 80% expressing some level of concern about the security of their personal or banking information when shopping online or using social networking sites.
52% now report being aware of the environmental impacts of digital technology. Younger respondents are taking actions to mitigate their digital footprint. Changes include keeping digital devices for as long as possible, unplugging devices when not in use, deleting unnecessary files or emails, or storing data locally rather than in the cloud.
Internet NZ seeks to address barriers to digital equity. Its chief executive, Vivien Maidaborn, says digital equity is not only about reducing barriers, but also about understanding what it means to live well online and knowing how to navigate its limits. However, engaging with the online world is nuanced, she says, and more doesn’t always equate to better.
“The research points to a widespread desire for better regulation, an awareness that not all information online is reliable and that this has real impact on people’s day to day life through privacy implications, politics and even the environment.”
The World Internet Project (WIP) is a comprehensive global study that looks at the social, economic, and cultural impacts of the internet and digital technologies on societies worldwide. AUT’s New Zealand Policy Research Institute (NZPRI) is commissioned by InternetNZ (INZ) to collect and analyse the responses of around 2000 Internet users aged 16 and over.
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