Don’t be a Dick Nick
Uh OK. What exactly is a Nick? Great question. To answer that, we need to look at some totally scientific dictionary definitions.
Totally Scientific Dictionary Definitions
The Group Chat
/ /ðə,ðɪ,ðiː/ɡruːp/tʃæt/
noun
noun
- The place you banter, spill tea and make decisions about each other’s lives. (Not to be mistaken for a mere regular group chat, like the family Christmas chat your Aunt Mary started in February…)
Nick
/nɪk/
noun and adjective
noun and adjective
- A bit of a Nick : That friend in the group chat that always takes things a little too far for the lols.
- A full-blown Nick: When a friend in the group chat takes things Way. Too. Far.
Sharing other people’s nudes without their consent is a sure sign that someone’s being a full-blown Nick. It’s a total Dick Nick move - and it can be against the law. That’s right, being a total Nick can actually be illegal in New Zealand.
Sharing someone’s nudes without their consent (or even threatening to!) can be a crime in New Zealand. People can actually go to jail or be fined for it – not to mention that it’s just a total Dick Nick thing to do to someone.
What if the person willingly sent the nude of themselves in the first place? Actually, it doesn't matter. If you send a nude to someone that is meant for their eyes only and they share it, it's still not OK and can still be a crime.
Sometimes it can be hard to know how to call out a friend, so if you see your friend being a total Nick in the group chat (or anywhere else) here’s some ideas about what you can do.
Is your friend a TOTAL Nick?
What to do if your friend is being a Nick
Nick Memes
Help! I've been a Nick
If you’ve share someone’s nudes without consent, here are a few things you can do:
Netsafe isn’t here to punish people – we’re here to help. If you’ve shared nudes without consent, we will help you to get them removed so the person in the nudes is less affected. We can also give you advice and answer any questions you have.
You can text us for free by texting ‘Netsafe’ to 4282. You can also call us toll-free on 0508 NETSAFE or email help@netsafe.org.nz.
You can text us for free by texting ‘Netsafe’ to 4282. You can also call us toll-free on 0508 NETSAFE or email help@netsafe.org.nz.
Someone shared my nudes
Having your nudes shared without your consent can be a really hard thing to deal with. The first thing to know is that you’re not to blame. You can contact Netsafe for help. We can explain the options you have to deal with it, help you get the nudes removed, and talk to you about the NZ law. Our helpline is free and confidential, and we’re open seven days a week.
For more information about how we can help visit netsafe.org.nz/image-based-abuse
Sending nudes
It’s true that once you send nudes to someone it can be difficult to control what happens to them. It’s also true that if nudes are shared by someone without consent, it’s never the fault of the person in the nudes – the responsibility is 100% with the person being a total Nick.
For everything you need to know about sending nudes visit netsafe.org.nz/nudes
Don't be a dick
The fictional characters in the Don't be a Nick campaign are meant to be an interesting way to draw attention to the issue of sharing nudes without consent. Please don't use the campaign to harass anyone named Nick - even if they are a mate. If you're a Nick (or anyone else) and you're getting unwanted messages or contact online, you can ask us for advice.