Tūhono│Connect
Using AI to write us emails seems like a fast and easy way to get a job done. However, lots of people are making mistakes doing this, which is slowing down our ability to help with their complaints.
Our Office aims to resolve privacy concerns. To do this, we need to understand, in your own words, what has gone wrong for you, how that’s affected you, and what you want to happen.
AI is not a reliable source of information.
We’ve also found that AI makes up contact details that don’t exist. Contact us at enquiries@privacy.org.nz or through one of our online forms.
AI isn’t great at following directions
If you’re complaining to us and we ask you to provide specific documents to support that complaint, send us those. Don’t ask AI to draft another response and send that instead of the documents.
If we’ve asked for:
| Correspondence with an agency |
Send us your relevant emails or letters with the agency |
| Information about how you’ve been harmed |
Send us a statement you have written about how you have been affected |
| Your request and the agency’s response |
A copy of the original documents with the date visible |
You may find it easier to use our online forms, which will step you through the information we need from you.
There are lots of laws, but we only regulate the Privacy Act
AI might refer you to lots of other laws it thinks can help your complaint. The only law we regulate is the Privacy Act so we can’t investigate complaints about other laws.
Read our list of other complaint options.
Google AI assistant
If you Google something, then it’s quite common now for Google AI to suggest answers to you. They might be wrong. It’s a good idea to double check any privacy advice on our website. We’ve already answered over 600 privacy questions, so chances are we’ve answered yours too. Search AskUs, our database of questions and answers.
Resolution of complaints
AI is often wrong about what outcomes you can expect from our complaint process. We can’t force an agency to give you money, and we can only make an agency give you access to information at the end of our investigation process, if it’s appropriate.
You’re not alone in being fooled by AI
AI will make up laws and cases that don’t exist. If AI tells you that a section of the Privacy Act says something, you should always check that before relying on it. You can look up the privacy principles on our website, or search the New Zealand Legislation website.
You’re not alone in thinking AI generated content is relevant to your points – it’s so convincing that lawyers have been fooled into presenting fake cases in their own research. A good practice is to check if the case referenced is in New Zealand Legal Information Institute (NZLII). Also, Google it and look for other references to it.
Use extreme caution if AI is the only source telling you that case exists.
Standards and guidance for using AI
Read guidance to support the New Zealand Public Service to explore generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) systems in ways that are safe, transparent and responsible.
Read the Courts of New Zealand guidance for using generative AI in courts and tribunals (opens to PDF, 489 KB).
