DISENTANGLING THE DIGITAL BATTLEFIELD: HOW THE INTERNET HAS CHANGED WAR
STEVEN FELDSTEINDECEMBER 7, 2022
Journalists have described the invasion of Ukraine as the world’s “first TikTok war,” the most “internet-accessible war in history,” and history’s “most viral” social media war. But this kind of hype tells us only so much about the real impact of digital technology on the current conflict.
So far, three significant digital trends have emerged from the war in Ukraine. First, technological innovation has helped Ukraine to offset Russia’s conventional military advantage, particularly by increasing the participation of ordinary citizens. Second, as these citizens have become uniquely involved in digital warfighting, the lines between civilian and military actors have blurred. Unfortunately, international humanitarian law has not kept pace, leading to growing concerns about how the rules of war apply in a digital conflict. Third, the conflict has generated a massive amount of data potentially useful for holding war criminals to account. However, the proliferation of open-source investigations also creates new risks for analytic bias and procedural inconsistencies.
Governments and civil society organizations that are concerned with upholding the laws of war should take note of these emerging challenges. Digital technology is now a central feature of warfare. The sooner new policies and legal guidance can be articulated, the more effectively international institutions will be able to protect civilians and prosecute violators in future conflicts.
Turning the Tables
https://warontherocks.com/2022/12/disentangling-the-digital-battlefield-how-the-internet-has-changed-war/
