DIGITAL SOVEREIGNTY & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE UNDER INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

Abstract

This study discusses digital sovereignty and information management related to
Indigenous peoples in light of international standards focused on Indigenous data
governance. The work stems from the problematic tension between the principles of Open
Science and the right of Indigenous peoples to the protection of their traditional knowledge,
considering that information systems and digital repositories frequently reproduce colonial
practices, invisibility, and external control over Indigenous information. In this context, the
research aimed to analyze international standards, principles, and guidelines capable of
guiding more ethical, participatory, and culturally sensitive information management
models. Methodologically, the research is characterized as descriptive, with a qualitative
approach, using literature review and documentary research on websites of international initiatives related to Indigenous data sovereignty. The results demonstrated that models
such as the OCAP® principles, the CARE principles, the TK Labels and BC Labels of Local
Contexts, the Mukurtu CMS, and the Indigenous Navigator contribute to strengthening self-
determination, informational justice, and community control over digital data and cultural
heritage. Furthermore, it became evident that these models incorporate ethical, political,
cultural, and technological dimensions that are fundamental to building more inclusive
information systems. It is concluded that the international standards analyzed offer
important contributions to the governance of indigenous information, although challenges
persist related to data sovereignty, protection of sensitive knowledge, technological
infrastructure, and the representation of indigenous worldviews in digital environments.