Too much of a good thing? Emergent online harms during early adoption of low-earth orbital satellite systems in remote northern communities

The rapid deployment and adoption of Low-Earth Orbital (LEO) satellite systems present new opportunities – and challenges – for rural/remote communities, which have until recently lacked access to high-speed, reliable Internet services. Such impacts are pronounced in small-population Indigenous communities seeking to balance cultural and language resurgence while navigating engagement with settler states and extractivist economies. However, there are limited primary data available regarding the cultural and socioeconomic implications of LEO services in these unique communities, or assessing how end-users experience Internet speed, affordability, and reliability. In this context, we present the outcomes of community-engaged, longitudinal research investigating the adoption of LEO services by Indigenous residents of a remote, fly-in community in Nunatsiaq/Denendeh (commonly known as the Northwest Territories/NWT, Canada). Our findings illustrate emerging tensions regarding perceived positive and negative outcomes: while LEO systems have resolved technical access, respondents simultaneously report growing concerns associated with online harms. These findings contribute to digital divide theory and practice, necessitating increased attention to third-level divides related to patterns and outcomes of use.