The Problem

There is rising concern around the scale and reach of misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech (MDH) in situations of conflict or violence. In current and recent settings, including in Ukraine, Ethiopia, and Myanmar, such content has been used to incite violence or inflict other harms against civilians or others who are protected under international humanitarian law (IHL). For example, dis- and misinformation may improperly encourage categorizing civilians as legitimate targets; it may distort information necessary for people affected by conflict to access services or reach safety, leading to civilian harm; or it may create false narratives around civilians who may be involved in defending human rights or documenting violations of IHL, undermining trust in those persons and compromising their safety. Moreover, hate speech directed against certain groups may lead to stigmatization, persecution, or escalation in violence, displacement, or potentially even death.

Despite the heightened risks of harm stemming from MDH content in conflict settings, there is limited research about the relationship between MDH and its humanitarian consequences. Increasing understanding about this relationship, including by better defining and understanding how MDH content is harmful in conflict settings, is critical to developing effective policy and legal responses– by governments, tech companies, civil society, and humanitarian and human rights organizations – to ultimately enhance protection in conflict settings.

Our Work

In partnership with the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), our project will use interdisciplinary methods to fill the gap in understanding the harmful effects of MDH on civilians in conflict settings. In addition to producing a typology of harm, the project will explore the relationships between MDH content and its effects on civilians using a series of case studies. Ultimately, we hope to develop policy, legal, and operational recommendations that would support operational humanitarian organizations, such as the ICRC, and influence government and social media platform policies to better address MDH affecting civilian populations in conflict settings.

Our Collaborators

This project is being pursued in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).