The Multifaceted Challenge of Digital Accessibility in Indigenous Communities

Today, Identity Digital is proud to announce the expansion of our longstanding partnership with the Internet Society – a global advocate for the development of the internet as a force for good – centered around two new initiatives to bridge the digital accessibility gap within indigenous communities. 

These initiatives will work to build partnerships and share technical expertise to better connect the unconnected. To do that, we are supporting the Internet Society in creating: ● an Indigenous Network Operators Group, fostering shared learning and human-centered network building for both new and experienced indigenous network professionals. ● an Indigenous Advisory Board composed of global indigenous leaders who provide invaluable perspective, leadership, and guidance to shape our direction. 

To support these efforts, Identity Digital is once again sponsoring the Indigenous Leaders Internet Governance and Policy Fellowship at the Australian Internet Governance Forum, a program that encourages indigenous Australians to become more involved in internet governance and multistakeholderism. 

Indigenous communities are some of the most under-connected populations in the world. These initiatives aim to bridge that gap, amplifying indigenous voices to better ensure that technological advancements are truly inclusive. 

We believe that examining the obstacles to digital accessibility for indigenous communities is the first big step toward full participation in the digital world. 

Language and Character Support 

For users of languages with non-Latin scripts or those requiring special characters, the issue of Universal Acceptance (UA) – the ability of all internet-enabled applications to accept, validate, store and display all domain names and email addresses – is a fundamental one. Imagine trying to navigate the digital world when your email address or website domain isn't recognized by many systems. This is the reality for millions who use Cyrillic, Chinese characters, or other non-ASCII scripts (characters outside the basic English alphabet). The result is a form of digital exclusion and unintended discrimination that persists even with a high-speed internet connection. 

Cultural Context and Relevance 

The preservation and promotion of indigenous languages remains a challenge, particularly online. While major tech companies have made progress in supporting some widely-spoken languages, many indigenous languages lack digital resources, fonts, or even keyboard input methods. Because the internet and many of its services were designed with Western cultural norms in mind, the disconnect between the online resources and indigenous users remains. 

Digital Literacy and Interface Design

Another often-overlooked aspect of digital inclusion is the varying levels of digital literacy available across different communities, particularly indigenous communities. User interfaces and online services that seem intuitive to daily internet users may be confusing or inaccessible to those with limited exposure to digital technologies, like elderly members of indigenous communities or those in regions where digital adoption has been slower. Bridging this gap requires not just translation, but culturally sensitive design and targeted digital literacy programs. 

Without it, we can never have “meaningful connectivity” – a concept championed by many in our community and here at Identity Digital referring to a “safe, satisfying, enriching, and productive online experience, at an affordable cost.” Meaningful connectivity is more than just access to content in native languages, but empowering users to create and share local language content, further enriching the global digital landscape. 

The Path Forward 

While there is a long road ahead, addressing these challenges is possible and requires a multifaceted approach: 

1. Encouraging developers and organizations to implement UA-ready systems and applications. 

2. Investing in digital resources for a wider range of languages. 

3. Involving diverse communities in the design process for digital products and services. 4. Developing education initiatives that consider cultural contexts and varying levels of technological familiarity. 

5. Pushing for digital inclusion policies that go beyond broadband infrastructure to address these crucial aspects of accessibility. 

It is only by addressing the full spectrum of accessibility challenges that we can ensure that the digital world is truly open to all, regardless of language, culture, or background.