I sat down for a quiet dish of re-heated spaghetti this lunchtime and embarked on a quick browse of the latest news on nzherald.co.nz, the bastion of New Zealand information and opinion.

Five minutes in, and it’s clear that the first 3 random stories I’ve perused are evidence of the technological changes the internet is ‘wreaking’ – I use that word in a lighthearted sense – on the world around us.

First off, Fairfax Media is closing a niche magazine and moving the content online; next up New Zealand Post chairman Jim Bolger is floating the idea that in the near future there won’t be enough physical mail to warrant daily and Saturday deliveries; and finally the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) is suggesting employers get tough on staff bad mouthing managers, customers or colleagues on Facebook (with an implied audience bigger than your local pub).

Technology is evolving at a fast pace these days and it’s evident that unless you embrace new opportunities you’re likely to get pushed aside and/or left behind.

As Jim Bolger stated to the Herald, losing business to technology is a reality that postal providers around the globe have faced and adaptation and new ideas are essential: “Let’s not pretend that this is going to be an easy issue to resolve.”

I’ve been working on our soon-to-be launched new scam reporting service the last few months and from meeting with staff in various governments agencies, it’s become clear that they are also facing issues as rapid change affects every sector of NZ life.

Just who do you trust with your hard earned cash when there are individuals all over the world targeting honest Kiwis who may have more to learn when it comes to widespread fraud and rapidly evolving online scams?

At NetSafe we’ll be researching the big picture around online incidents over the rest of 2010 and trying to come up with (or point in the direction of) the educational resources that equip people to deal with internet ‘crimes’. Stay tuned for updates – you can whistle Bob Dylan’s protest song while you wait.