Introduction¶

In conflict zones, technology amplifies both harm and accountability. This outline surfaces how surveillance, data collection, and digital evidence shape civilian risk and post-conflict justice.

Patterns of use and misuse¶

• Mass surveillance and tracking: IMSI catchers, spyware, and commercial data brokers used to locate activists, journalists, and aid workers.
• Biometric databases: enrolment at checkpoints without consent; later repurposed for targeting or discrimination.
• Open-source intelligence (OSINT): citizen investigators geolocate atrocities; regimes scrape the same data to identify dissidents.
• Connectivity control: shutdowns and throttling to disrupt organising, coupled with targeted disinformation to fragment narratives.

Evidence and documentation¶

• Chain of custody: secure capture, hashing, and metadata preservation to make digital evidence admissible.
• Context over virality: structured fact patterns (who/what/where/when) to avoid misattribution.
• Safety by design: redaction and face-blurring for civilian protection before publication.

Safeguards and governance¶

• Data minimisation: collect only what is necessary for protection or accountability; set deletion triggers.
• Security baselines: threat modeling, encrypted channels, and tamper-evident storage.
• Ethical release policies: publish only when risk to individuals is mitigated and consent is obtained where feasible.

Conclusion¶

Tech in conflict is never neutral. Secure practices and clear governance are essential to reduce harm while preserving pathways to justice.