Digital Complicity: WhatsApp’s Role in Gaza’s Tragedy
Watan-In the Gaza Strip, merely having a WhatsApp account or being part of a group within the app could tragically lead to the loss of one’s life in an Israeli airstrike or bombing. This reality underscores a disturbing development in warfare automation by the Israeli military, which has deployed a program called “Lavender” supported by artificial intelligence to select targets for its attacks.
Traditionally, verifying targets required manual processes to confirm their identities. However, Lavender marks a significant departure by using AI algorithms to identify potential victims. During the early weeks of conflict, approximately 37,000 Palestinians were targeted, resulting in at least 15,000 casualties between October and November. This revelation comes from investigative reports by Israeli media outlets.
The Lavender system raises ethical and practical concerns. It analyzes data collected through mass surveillance in Gaza to assess the likelihood of individuals being affiliated with militant groups like Hamas or Islamic Jihad. This automated targeting process significantly reduces the time between identification and engagement, leading to civilian casualties and family tragedies.
One crucial aspect of Lavender’s operation is its reliance on data from WhatsApp groups. By analyzing group memberships, the system attempts to identify potential threats. However, this approach is fraught with errors, as many individuals in Gaza participate in groups with strangers or neighbors for communication purposes.
Questions arise regarding the source of this data and whether WhatsApp shares it with military entities. Additionally, there are concerns about the complicity of tech companies like Meta (formerly Facebook), which owns WhatsApp, in facilitating such surveillance and targeting practices.
The Israeli military’s use of Lavender without independent review raises further ethical questions. By bypassing human oversight, the system enables rapid and indiscriminate targeting, disregarding the principles of proportionality and civilian protection under international law.
Critics accuse Meta of enabling these abuses by providing user data to support military operations. The company’s involvement in propagating Israeli narratives during conflicts exacerbates these concerns, undermining its claims of protecting user privacy and promoting freedom of expression.
In summary, the revelation of the Lavender program sheds light on the dangerous intersection of technology and warfare, where automation exacerbates the risks to civilian lives and human rights. It underscores the urgent need for greater accountability and transparency in the use of AI and surveillance technologies in conflict zones.
