A leading Māori digital rights expert is warning that new technology developed by global tech giant Meta could pose serious risks to Māori identity, data sovereignty and tikanga.
Karaitiana Taiuru of Taiuru & Associates says the company’s so-called “Digital Ghost” patent represents a significant shift in how personal data could be used, particularly after a person has died.
The technology is understood to involve the use of artificial intelligence to recreate digital versions of individuals based on their online presence, communications and personal data. These digital replicas could potentially interact with others, mimicking the voice, personality and behaviours of the person.
Taiuru says while the concept may be framed as innovative, it raises complex cultural and ethical issues, especially for Māori.
From a Māori perspective, the use of a person’s likeness, voice and data after death touches on deeply held beliefs about wairua, whakapapa and the ongoing relationship between the living and the dead. The idea of recreating a digital version of someone without clear cultural frameworks or consent processes risks breaching tikanga and undermining the mana of individuals and their whānau.
There are also concerns about how Māori data could be collected, stored and used in such systems. Taiuru warns that without strong protections, Māori information – including whakapapa and personal histories – could be appropriated or misused by offshore corporations with little accountability to iwi or hapū.
The emergence of this technology is being seen as part of a broader challenge around Indigenous data sovereignty, where communities seek greater control over how their data is governed, shared and protected.
Taiuru is calling for urgent discussion in Aotearoa about how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence intersect with Māori values, and whether existing laws and policies are sufficient to safeguard cultural interests.
He says both Government and Māori communities need to take proactive steps, including strengthening data protection frameworks, asserting Indigenous rights over data, and ensuring tikanga Māori is embedded in decisions about the use of new technologies.
The issue highlights growing tensions between rapid technological development and the need to uphold cultural integrity, as Māori voices call for a more cautious and considered approach to innovation in the digital age.
