Respecting indigenous knowledge in the era of big data: A call for ethical research practices

Abstract

Open data expectations in Quaternary science increasingly intersect with Indigenous cultural and intellectual property (ICIP). Research on Indigenous lands and knowledge often proceeds without formal consent or governance, continuing extractive practices. This correspondence argues that ICIP and Indigenous data sovereignty must be integrated across project design, sampling, interpretation, archiving and secondary use. Biophysical data are also culturally situated when they describe landscapes shaped by Indigenous stewardship. Journals, repositories and institutions should require evidence of community permissions and shared decision-making. Ethical research practice demands Indigenous authority over how data are generated, interpreted and circulated.