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Social Media Commemorates 50th Anniversary Of 1967 Referendum

More than 90 percent of Australians voted 'Yes' in support of Indigenous rights.

Social media is playing a role in commemorating the 50th anniversary of the landmark 1967 referendum in which an overwhelming majority of people voted 'Yes' in support of the rights of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

On Friday, Twitter launched an emoji featuring both the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags -- a first for the social media site which has never featured the flag of an indigenous group until now.

The launch not only coincides with the anniversary of the 1967 referendum but also National Sorry Day and the beginning of the AFL Indigenous round.

Luke Pearson, founder of @IndigenousX -- a rotating Twitter account that provides a platform for Indigenous people to share their knowledge, opinions and experiences with an audience of over 30,000 people -- said that the emojis were a "welcome addition to the already buzzing Twitter landscape".

"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag emojis have long been sought after by Indigenous social media users," Pearson said.

How to get the emoji

Just use any of the following hashtags:

• #1967Referendum

• #RightWrongs

• #IndigenousAU

• #IndigenousX

• #IndigenousRound

• #MarnGrook

• #ReconciliationWeek

• #Reconciliation2017

• #NRW2017

The Museum of Australian Democracy (MoAD) at Old Parliament House has commemorated the upcoming anniversary through a chatbot on Facebook Messenger that delivers users bite-sized information about the referendum.

The chatbot gives users bite-sized pieces of information.
MoAD
The chatbot gives users bite-sized pieces of information.

Marni Pilgrim, MoAD's digital engagement manager, said that she hoped the chatbot would help the museum "spark a conversation about the significance of the 1967 referendum".

"We're hoping it will be an effective way for people to get the facts, hear Indigenous perspectives on the referendum and reflect on its continuing relevance today," she said.

"The 50th anniversary of the referendum presented an opportunity to share the importance of this national milestone in a way many of our visitors hadn't experienced before -- in a messaging app on their phone."

How to use the 1967 Referendum chatbot:

1. Open the Facebook Messenger app on your iPhone or Android device.

2. Search for 'Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House' and tap.

3. Tap the 'Get Started' button.

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