Two New Reports Point to Need for Digital Protection in Humanitarian Crises : Shared by Tom McDermott

Two important reports published this week examine how digitalization is transforming humanitarian action and armed conflict, each from a distinct but complementary perspective.

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International Humanitarian Law and the Growing Involvement of Civilians in Cyber Operations and Other Digital Activities During Armed Conflict

Authors: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Swiss Chair of International Humanitarian Law

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This report examines how civilian involvement in cyber operations during armed conflicts—from hacker groups to technology companies—exposes them to risk of being targeted as combatants. It clarifies when civilians lose protection under International Humanitarian Law and establishes obligations for states, civilian hackers, and tech companies operating in conflict zones.

Data Protection in Humanitarian Action

Author: Wojciech Wiewiórowski, European Data Protection Supervisor

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This piece introduces a new book marking ten years of progress in data protection for humanitarian organizations. It explores how personal data of refugees and disaster victims can become a tool of oppression if it falls into the wrong hands, and examines the ethical and legal challenges humanitarian organizations face in protecting beneficiary information.

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Why Both Matter

Key overlap: Both reports recognize that digitalization has created unprecedented risks for vulnerable populations in crisis situations—whether from being misidentified as military targets or having their personal data exploited.

Critical difference: The ICRC report addresses physical safety under the laws of war—when can civilians conducting cyber operations be attacked? The EJIL article addresses information safety under data protection law—how do we prevent sensitive data from causing harm to those we're trying to help?

Complementary value: Together, these reports reveal that humanitarian actors in conflict zones face a dual challenge: ensuring their digital activities don't make people into legitimate military targets while simultaneously protecting sensitive personal data from misuse.

Both reports deserve careful reading by anyone involved in humanitarian action, cybersecurity, or international law. They provide essential guidance for navigating the complex digital landscape of modern humanitarian crises.