The Exploitation of Tokelau: A Small Pacific Community’s Struggle for Control

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Introduction

Tokelau, a small Pacific community, has been taken advantage of by a Dutch entrepreneur named Vincent de Ruiter. In this article, we will explore how de Ruiter’s company, Free-Domains.com, exploited Tokelau by registering the .tk internet domain and selling it to websites looking for free subdomains.

The Exploitation of Tokelau

• Control over its own domain: Tokelau has struggled to maintain control over its own domain, with de Ruiter’s company reaping the benefits.
• Revenue earnings: According to Enosa, Tokelau earns a small proportion of revenue from .tk, which is hardly enough to make an impact on their economy.

The Consequences of the Exploitation

• Limited access to information: Despite the arrival of the internet in Tokelau, the community remains isolated due to expensive data packages.
• Lack of understanding: Even many Tokelau elders had not fully understood the problem with .tk until recently.

The Future of Tokelau and Its Domain

• Debate over political future: Questions over the future of the domain arose at the same time that a debate over Tokelau’s political future has been revived.
• Referendum on Tokelau’s future: A referendum on Tokelau’s future is set to be held ahead of the centenary of New Zealand rule in 2025.

Background Information

• Special Committee on Decolonization: The Special Committee on Decolonization classifies Tokelau as a “non-self-governing territory” under New Zealand’s oversight.