Should states use Social Media to warn civilians in armed conflict?
In a new essay for Ethics & International Affairs, Dr Henning Lahmann, Assistant Professor of International Law & Technology at eLaw, addresses the question whether states should resort to social media to warn a civilian population ahead of military operations.
Although the emerging practice might have some benefits, the piece argues that in the current conditions of the online information ecosystem, communications via social media to issue effective warnings ahead of military operations cannot discharge a state's legal obligation pursuant to Article 57(2)(c) Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions.
This is beacuase in a high-stress situation like intense military operations, any communication channel used must be reliable and trustworthy for the recipients of critical, life-saving information. This is not the case if (1) the same party to the conflict is responsible for rendering the digital communication environment physically (by attacking infrastructures) or substantially (by spreading false or misleading information) unstable; (2) officials belonging to the party use the same channels to communicate war aims that suggest evacuation orders to be pretextual; and (3) the party uses the same channels/platforms to deceive the adversary.
The full essay is available on the website of Ethics & International Affairs.