IKPIARJUK/ARCTIC BAY
Facebook is so commonly used as a tool to connect in Nunavut hamlets that many residents might not think twice before posting the latest news. The social networking site's strength, however, has an unfortunate downside when immediacy takes precedence over the consideration of others.
As with all group pages on Facebook, communities have an administrator who monitors comments. In Arctic Bay, site administrator Ina Allurut added that other net-etiquette of keeping comments clean and on point are important for Facebook to continue serving a healthy purpose in small communities.
"There's been a few cases that I've noticed people who are close to those who have passed on have said they've found out through Facebook," said Niore Iqalukjuak, who works with the Qikiqtani Inuit Association and is also the former mayor of Arctic Bay.
Last week he urged fellow hamlet residents to respect proper "net-etiquette" when someone dies and wait a few days before posting anything.
"There are people in all of the Northern communities that have the task of going to all of the family members to notify them of who has passed away," said Iqalukjuak, whose father is also a minister, explaining how in each community it is usually the local church groups who are given this task. "It's not that I don't want them talking about it. Give it a day or two before posting anything so the proper authorities can make the proper notifications to family members elsewhere."
Iqalukjuak said his family has had to rush in some cases to inform families before they heard anything on Facebook so he made the special request, writing: "Sometimes we are so eager to post that we ... do not even think of their family members who may not have heard of the tragic news."
In instances where police are involved, the RCMP is responsible for next-of-kin notifications in small communities, even when next of kin already know unofficially before the police through word of mouth or, in some cases, Facebook.
"We always do official notifications when we're able to positively identify individuals involved," said RCMP Sgt Greg Sutherland.
"Obviously we can't regulate Facebook or what members of the community put on Facebook, and we'll never confirm something based on Facebook. We'll only confirm things based on our investigation."
