Ethics & Governance
Loochoo Media operates according to internationally recognized Indigenous ethical standards. Our editorial, research, and technical practices are guided by principles of Indigenous data sovereignty and self-determination.
International Standards
Collective Benefit
Data ecosystems shall be designed and function in ways that enable Indigenous Peoples to derive benefit from the data.
Authority to Control
Indigenous Peoples' rights and interests in Indigenous data must be recognised and their authority to control such data be empowered.
Responsibility
Those working with Indigenous data have a responsibility to share how those data are used to support Indigenous Peoples' self-determination and collective benefit.
Ethics
Indigenous Peoples' rights and wellbeing should be the primary concern at all stages of the data life cycle and across the data ecosystem.
Ownership
A community or group owns information collectively in the same way that an individual owns their personal information.
Control
The principle of control affirms that Indigenous Peoples, their communities and nations must control their own data, research processes, and information.
Access
Indigenous Peoples must have access to information and data about their communities and themselves, no matter where it is held.
Possession
While ownership is a theoretical concept, possession or stewardship is the mechanism by which ownership can be asserted and protected.
UNDRIP establishes individual and collective rights of Indigenous peoples, including rights to culture, identity, language, employment, health, and education. Loochoo Media upholds and practices UNDRIP principles in all its reporting. Article 16 in particular — the right to access media and to establish Indigenous media — is at the core of this platform's reason for existence.
Core Commitments
Indigenous knowledge must be respected and never exploited for commercial or academic gain without community consent.
Indigenous communities retain full rights over their knowledge, stories, and data.
All research and reporting must be transparent, accountable, and open to correction.
Community benefit takes priority over traffic metrics, advertising revenue, or institutional prestige.
Sensitive cultural knowledge, ceremonies, and sacred information must not be published without explicit community consent.
Indigenous peoples are partners and leaders in this platform, not subjects of reporting.
AI Transparency
Loochoo Media uses AI tools to assist with research, drafting, translation, and archiving. However, all content is reviewed and approved by human editors before publication. Content involving Indigenous communities always undergoes additional review by Indigenous advisors.
AI does not make decisions. AI is a tool that supports human editors and Indigenous advisors.