ICRC

Digital Dilemmas

If you were experiencing a humanitarian crisis, would you send a message to your loved ones to let them know you are safe? Probably. However, by doing so, you risk transmitting digital information and exposing yourself to potential cyberattacks.

A single click can have life or death consequences for civilians in conflict zones. To raise awareness among the public and our policymakers about these digital risks, we created the Digital Dilemmas campaign: an immersive and interactive experience in Geneva and New York to alert people to the digital challenges during humanitarian crises.

Designed as an immersive and interactive exhibition on the Place des Nations in Geneva, the experience was well-received by a diverse audience, including the general public, schools, political institutions, and humanitarian organizations. The following year, on the occasion of Switzerland's presidential year at the United Nations Security Council, we took the opportunity to extend the initiative to the UN headquarters in New York, hosting 75 world leaders and urging them to take concrete actions to protect civilians in times of war.

Over one million citizens and politicians from around the world have been made aware of digital risks during humanitarian crises. This experience has received significant international press coverage and continues to generate discussion.