Smartphones Blur the Line Between Civilian and Combatant

As Russia continues its unprovoked armed aggression, reports fromUkraine note that the smartphones in civilians' pockets may be "weapons powerful in their own way as rockets and artillery." The country has quickly created remarkable apps to keep citizens safe and assist the war effort, including an air-raid alert app. The latter used to be used by more than 18 million Ukrainians for things like digital IDs. Anyone can help locate Russians. The ministry of digital transformation said to use the chat bot to inform the armed forces.

The people of the Ukranian want to help their army in any way they can. Digital technology poses challenges to the traditional distinction between civilians and soldiers.

As soon as a user in a war zone picks up a phone to help the army, both the technology and the individual could be considered sensors. The e-Enemy feature may blur the lines between civilian and combatant activity if citizens are invited to become potential elements.

The principle of distinction between the two roles is a critical cornerstone of international humanitarian law. As they are not combatants, civilians should not be attacked by military forces. If they act as a combatant, they could lose their status.

There is a dilemma about how to classify a civilian who may become involved in a military sensor system. It is not enough to only have the app installed. What matters is actual use. Unless and until they take a direct part in hostilities, civilians enjoy protection from thedangers arising from military operations. The International Committee of the Red Cross says that if civilians engage in military activity, such as using weapons, they lose their protected status. Even if the people in question are not officially members of the armed forces, this is still the case. Losing the status of a civilian can lead to being attacked by military forces.

Accepting that a user-Civilian temporarily loses their civilian status while using such an app would be the most obvious way to resolve this confusion. This may be a minutes-long status-switch, as fast as picking up the phone from one's pocket, taking a photo, or typing a message. Participation in the conflict is a sporadic thing. The problem with this interpretation is that it isn't established and not everyone will agree on it. If someone uses the app a lot, the situation gets more complicated. How would the measurement be done? How would the citizens of the conflict be distinguished? The long-held laws of war are at risk because of the power of certain smartphones.