Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

The Department of Internal Affairs is setting up a filter system that will allow internet service providers to stop people accessing child pornography.

But there are concerns that the power to censor browsing could be abused.

The filter system has already been trialled in hundreds of thousands of New Zealand households.

Internal Affairs deputy secretary Keith Manch says the voluntary system blocks access to 7000 websites carrying images of child sexual abuse.

Internet Safety group NetSafe welcomes the move, but says there could be concerns if the department later uses the filter to block a wider variety of websites.

Mr Manch says there are no such plans and the filter is only for targeting the sexual abuse of children.

He says the department is finalising its analysis from the trial and will be discussing with internet providers how to impelement the system.