Rodney Hide writes: Such a lot of nonsense has been spouted about the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) that it's difficult to know where to start.

France's Government spies on its own citizens in the same way as the United States, it was claimed yesterday.

Several correspondents have taken me to task for presuming to speculate on what writer George Orwell of Animal Farm and 1984 fame would have made of American whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Here are 10 simple ways you can minimise the likelihood of the NSA (and other organisations) monitoring your internet and voice traffic.

Any traveller who has experienced a glacier-slow wait in an international transit lounge might have some sympathy for American defector Edward Snowden.

John Key last night described Kim Dotcom as a 'conspiracy theorist' after he claimed the PM knew about him before the January 2012 raid.

German internet tycoon Kim Dotcom says Prime Minister John Key is lying about what he knew about him before police raided his Coatesville home in January 2012. Video / Mark Mitchell

A crucial term in the GCSB amendment bill was singled out for clarification yesterday by Appeal Court Judge Sir Grant Hammond.

Under the promise of protection we surrender privacy, writes Chris Barton. Once given up, it's a freedom we may never get back.

Civil libertarians and privacy rights activists have legitimate reason to oppose the GCSB bill in its present form, writes Paul Buchanan. "The definition of threat to national security under which the GCSB would act is too nebulous."

It appears our biggest domestic terror threat is either Tame Iti's training camps or Dotcom's (alleged) copyright infringements.

Scaremongering by uninformed commentators has not helped a balanced and considered debate take place, writes Rhys Ball. "Spying is intrusive and it is important."

A new law which could see internet giants like Microsoft, Apple, Facebook and Google forced to open up their systems to NZ's spy agencies is 'unworkable'.

Labour's Trevor Mallard says United Future leader Peter Dunne should not have his funding restored even if his party re-registers.

A majority of voters want an inquiry into the GCSB spy agency and the SIS, the latest Herald DigiPoll survey shows.

Prime Minister John Key says Labour opposition to the GCSB spy agency amendment bill could prevent New Zealanders being safe in an event like the Boston bombings.

A clean-up of GCSB faults doesn't seem to have happened yet, with another display of "unnecessary silliness" being exposed, writes David Fisher.

The PM said this morning he's open to compromise with NZ First over changes to the country's spying laws, and that he expects Peter Dunne's support too.

Like a wild west frontier town, the internet has grown quickly into an unruly place offering all manner of opportunities - and hazards.

Ecuador's Foreign Minister said his country was "analysing" a request for asylum by fugitive United States intelligence leaker Edward Snowden.

Government Chief Information Officer Colin McDonald is to get more powers and a bigger budget as the Government seeks to keep a lid on IT debacles like Novopay.

Prime Minister John Key gave an assurance yesterday that New Zealand's spies in the SIS and GCSB could not gather information about a person from various databases and then apply for a warrant.

The Law Society has made a stinging attack on proposed law changes governing the GCSB spy agency.

Among the few possessions Edward Snowden had with him when he met journalists at Hong Kong's Mira Hotel was a copy of Angler.