New Zealand’s InternetNZ, which operates the country’s .nz domain system, is moving to revise its constitution. The goal? To become a “Te Tiriti-centric” organization, referencing the Treaty of Waitangi — a historic document between the British Crown and the Māori.

But critics aren’t buying it. They argue this is a power grab dressed in virtue, a way for InternetNZ to position itself as the ultimate authority on what domains are and aren’t allowed. The organization insists nothing will change in terms of domain rules or its authority, but skeptics see the writing on the wall.

If the Covid era taught us anything, it’s that “temporary” expansions of control have a way of sticking around. Now, in 2025, New Zealand, a country that went all-in on restrictions during the pandemic, is again flirting with centralized control, this time in the digital space.