Online Safety in First Nations Languages

The challenge was to bridge the digital safety gap for First Nations communities, ensuring that the content is not only informative around this issue but also culturally sensitive. Recognising the diversity of Indigenous languages, Ethnolink faced the task of providing comprehensive translation services to make the eSafety Commissioner’s resources accessible to a wide range of communities.

Many First Nations communities face unique barriers to accessing online safety information—particularly where English is not a first language. The challenge was to bridge this digital safety gap through clear, culturally sensitive content that reflected the linguistic diversity of Indigenous communities. Ethnolink was tasked with delivering high-quality translations that were not only linguistically accurate but also respectful of cultural context, while ensuring the final outputs remained engaging and easy to understand.

Ethnolink partnered with First Nations–owned and operated creative agency Little Rocket, which produced a suite of animated videos designed to help First Nations communities recognise, report, and prevent online abuse. Ethnolink provided professional translation and in-language voice-over services across seven Indigenous languages: Kriol (NT), Torres Strait Creole, Kimberley Kriol, Arrernte, Yolngu Matha, Tiwi, and Pitjantjatjara. Each script was carefully reviewed and adapted to ensure clarity, cultural appropriateness, and accessibility. The result was a set of engaging and informative video resources that promote digital literacy and support safer online experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.