American Indian tribal Web sites: a review and comparison

Many Native American tribes have Web sites, but the content of these sites varies depending on a number of factors, including the audience, purpose and context of the site, geographic distribution of tribal members, economic factors, tribal policies, and the digital divide. Some sites are geared primarily to non‐Native tourists and the general public, while others are designed to reach out to those tribal members who live far from Indian lands. Economic factors impact both the type of Web site the tribe can afford and the ability of tribal members to access the Internet. Tribal policies and cultural traditions determine what kind of information can be included. There are also a number of attributes that are common to most tribal Web sites. This article looks at both the similarities and the differences among American Indian tribal Web sites.