Several weeks ago, Global Fund for Women Program Associate, Elaine Howard, complained to the creators of a popular iPhone game about its blatant disrespect for indigenous cultures. The game "Pocket God" allows users to play an "all-powerful god that rules over the primitive islanders." It depicts the torture of islanders who are set on fire and tossed to sharks by the user, and many Pacific islanders find the game degrading and disgusting.

"How do you think people would react if you created a game where you were God and you could create and kill as many Mexicans as you wanted? Or Asians?" Ms Howard, who lives in the US, wrote.

"People would be outraged. I hope you don't decide to advertise your application in New Zealand or Australia because you will get a backlash of the same intensity."

Pacific academic Dr Malakai Koloamatangi, from New Zealand's Canterbury University, said he found Pocket God "totally degrading".

"To claim they are not Pacific Islanders is ridiculous. Everything about them is Polynesian.  How can they justify encouraging the torture of a race in this way? It's disgusting."

He said the game only strengthened the stereotypes from which Pacific people around the world were trying to break free.

To read more about this story, please see the below:

iPhone Game Under Fire for Alleged Racism

Pocket God iPhone app 'degrading'

Torture of cartoon islanders 'degrading'

Pocket God torture game is offensive, say Islanders

Pocket God iPhone app 'degrading'