Social media platforms enable people to connect, communicate, and stay informed. However, they are also off-shore repositories of ‘Big Data’ in an open data environment, which poses a significant threat towards Māori Data Sovereignty (MDSov) – the recognition that data should be subject to Māori governance. One solution towards realising MDSov is to build Māori-governed IT applications. A test version of a Māori social media platform – ¬Tōku Whānau – has been developed by Māori with the objective to provide kaupapa Māori content that caters to Māori communities’ aspirations. The project will explore the research question: What would a kaupapa Māori based social media platform for Māori communities and whānau look and feel like? The research will involve engaging with a specific Māori community through wānanga/whakawhiti kōrero in order to ascertain the key elements required to develop it into a more Māori-specific and -friendly platform. The findings will directly inform the feasibility elements of the platform for further testing and refinement, with the view for a full public launch of the application. The project anticipates that the development of Tōku Whānau will also be a major step towards further realising MDSov by understanding the enablers and barriers to advance Māori aspirations in the world of IT and Big Data.
Research Lead(s) and Team
Lead: Moana Rarere (Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu, Tūhoe, Ngāti Whare, Whakatōhea) (UoW), with BJ Walbaekken(Waikato-Tainui) (Mana Digital).