The Centre for Science & Security Studies (CSSS) invites you to join a panel discussion with Dr Matthew Ford on war in the smartphone age.

About this event

The evolution of civilian communications systems and their growing integration into military operations are reshaping both the conduct and representation of war. Civilians can now produce, publish, and consume information in real time using handheld smart devices. This shift is transforming patterns of involvement in conflict—turning the smartphone into a weapon and enabling ordinary individuals to play a direct role in the kill chain. The capacity to do this at speed and scale and with an immediacy that can be broadcast live online is having dramatic effects on the politics of violence.

To understand how this transformation has occurred, it is essential to examine how smart technologies function and how armed forces collect and process intelligence to identify and target enemies. In this panel we reflect on how the technologies being developed in Silicon Valley are shaping the way that wars are conducted, represented and documented.

This discussion is critical because Big Tech is redistributing power away from states and toward private technology corporations. As militaries look to make use of artificial intelligence to enhance their capabilities, they become dependent on companies that alone possess the expertise and infrastructure to build and control these systems. Yet armed forces remain caught between the lofty promises of technological innovation and the harsh, unpredictable realities of contemporary warfare.

These growing expectations raise urgent questions about transparency, control, and accountability. If democratic oversight is to be maintained, the public must develop a deeper understanding of how wars are fought in the digital age. Without that awareness, state power risks becoming subordinated to an industry that operates largely beyond public scrutiny

Panel members

Dr Matthew Ford (Swedish Defence University) is an Associate Professor in War Studies at the Swedish Defence University in Stockholm, whose research focuses on technology, connectivity, and the conduct of modern warfare.

Professor Mark Galeotti (UCL SSEES/RUSI) is a British historian and Russia-security expert, serving as director of the consultancy Mayak Intelligence, an Honorary Professor at UCL’s SSEES, and a Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).

Arthur Snell (former diplomat)  is a British former diplomat, intelligence expert, and host of the geopolitics podcast "Behind the Lines with Arthur Snell" (https://shows.acast.com/behind-the-lines-with-arthur-snell)

Joelle Rizk (International Committee of the Red Cross)  is the Digital Risks Adviser in the Protection Department at the International Committee of the Red Cross, leading efforts on digital protection, harmful information, and online risks for civilians in armed conflict.

 

This event is free and open to the public. Register here to secure your place