Call for inputs for a thematic study by the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances on “new technologies and enforced disappearances”

At its 125th session, the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (hereinafter, ‘the Working Group’) announced its intention to conduct a thematic study on the issue of new technologies and enforced disappearances.

For the purposes of the study of the Working Group, the expression ‘new technologies’ is used in a broad sense, as to refer to technological innovations occurred mostly over the past 20 years, including hardware and software information and communication technologies (ICTs) – encompassing satellite imagery, digital social networks and online datasets –, the use of artificial intelligence and development of deep learning, as well as digital forensic and biodata.