Pacific understandings and experiences of digital harm and wellbeing in Aotearoa, New Zealand

Overview

Digital technology has become intertwined with our daily lives, with our relationships, how we undertake our work and how we relax (Carlson & Dreher 2018; Moeke-Pickering et al., 2018; Duarte 2017; Wilson et al., 2017).

Digital technology has come a long way in the last ten years.

The multitude of opportunities for Pacific peoples to express themselves in ways that are relevant to them through video, audio, image, and text provide channels for Pacific voices to be heard.

The enthusiasm with which Pacific peoples are embracing new technologies suggests that this trend will continue.

However, the excessive use of digital technologies has recently captured the interests of community leaders, researchers, and policy-makers because of the impact on the health and wellbeing.

While there has been a key focus on digital inclusion, particularly with the restrictions and uncertainties of COVID-19 in New Zealand and abroad, little is known of how this expansion of access to and availability of digital technology impacts on Pacific peoples.

There has been and will continue to be increased attention from researchers and policy makers to the severity of digital harm, some of which include excessive online, gaming problem gambling, excessive pornography consumption and sending of nudes without consent which can impact on the lack of quality of life and family time (Netsafe, 2019).

To understand the issue of digital harm and addiction, one must first understand the nature of the addiction.

Applications close date

1 November 2023