Over the last decade, humanitarian organizations have digitized many of their systems, from registering refugees with biometric IDs to transporting cargo via drones. This has helped deliver aid around the world, but it's also brought new risks to the people it's meant to protect. Tech and human rights ethicist Aarathi Krishnan points to the dangers of digitization -- like sensitive data getting into the hands of the wrong people -- and lays out five ethical principles to help inform humanitarian tech innovation.

Rushing untested technology into humanitarian aid can put vulnerable people at risk, as seen when Rohingya refugees' biometric data was shared without their consent, forcing some into hiding. The rapid digitization of aid, from drones to AI, often ignores the voices and agency of those most affected. Without clear ethical checks, tools meant to empower can actually deepen exploitation and inequity. Building truly protective systems requires asking hard questions about power, consent, and unintended consequences.

Digital Aid Risks Repeating Colonial Harms Without Ethical Guardrails

5 ethical principles for digitizing humanitarian aid

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