New Zealand Internet Blackout

Internet users changed their avatars to black squares, to symbolise what opponents of Section 92A regard as guilt by accusation.

In particular, they point to the clause in Section 92A which states "Internet service providers must have policy for terminating accounts of repeat infringers".

On 19 February 2009 about 200 people, including internet service provider (ISP) representatives, artists, musicians, writers, and bloggers – most of them holding up plain black placards, and some with taped mouths – protested and presented a petition outside Parliament at lunchtime.

[citation needed] Anti-piracy legislation was re-introduced in April 2011 by the New Zealand Government under the Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Act 2011.

Although somewhat watered down from the original Section 92A legislation, it still contained forcible disconnection provisions, and was passed under urgency by all parties with the exception of the Greens and two dissident MPs, Chris Carter and Hone Harawira.