Indigenous research: access is not the same as consent
Public access to a cultural resource is not blanket permission to translate it, republish it or use it in an AI dataset. Check the proposed use, rights and relevant community protocols separately. AIATSIS provides a situated research framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; it is not a universal Pacific rulebook.
Pasifika AI / Kanaky Tech ·
Original editorial diagram: Purpose / Authority / Reuse. This is a reading aid, not a reproduction of traditional knowledge.
Pasifika AI / Kanaky Tech · Image record · CC BY 4.0
The documented starting point
AIATSIS publishes a Code of Ethics for research concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It emphasises meaningful engagement and reciprocity. This is a specifically situated framework: it can inform questions elsewhere, but it is not a universal set of rules for every Pacific people.
Source : AIATSIS — Ethical research
A closer reading
Research guidance · Pasifika AI
Before building a cultural dataset, write down its intended users, benefits, possible harms and who can change the access decision. Separate permission to read, quote, translate, republish and train a model. Do not treat one permission as all five. Identify the relevant community’s own protocols before borrowing a framework from another place. For a small project, a clear record of these decisions is more useful than a vague promise to “preserve culture”. Include a practical correction or removal route that people can actually use.
A small decision record
Research guidance · Pasifika AI
For each proposed reuse, write a separate line: purpose, intended audience, decision-maker, agreed conditions and review date. A blank line is a question to resolve, not a default yes. Keep the record with the material and revisit it when the project changes. For example, a classroom handout and a public AI dataset are not the same audience or use. This practical distinction is more reliable than a single checkbox labelled “ethical” with no explanation.
What this guide does not establish
Research guidance · Pasifika AI
This page does not grant permissions, certify ethical approval or give legal advice. AIATSIS is cited for its own scope; Pacific communities retain their own authority and decision-making processes.