Platforms as New Frontlines: Gendered Digital Violence and the Gaps in UNSCR 1325

Abstract

As digital technologies increasingly intersect with global conflicts, algorithm-driven platforms like Facebook have become complicit in perpetuating gendered violence in crisis zones. Facebook, which is often described as the internet for Myanmar, is examined in this study as one illustrative case to understand how platform algorithms shape and amplify gendered hashtags and user comments that can escalate into real-world violence. While Myanmar is used as a case study, these interactions are not unique to its context rather it reflect a broader pattern of gendered harm that manifests in other conflict-affected areas as well, shaped by the platform’s engagement-driven business model, designed to maximise user attention. Drawing on Section 11 of UNSCR 1325 which talks about the “responsibility of state to put an end to impunity and to prosecute those responsible for war crimes including those relating to sexual and other violence against women and girls”, this study highlights the urgent need for state intervention in addressing algorithmic war crimes, emphasising the role of digital governance in combating gendered digital violence in conflict zones. While social media offers spaces for identity construction, it also replicates systemic gender biases, allowing traditional forms of sexual violence to persist online. With 2025 marking the 25th anniversary of UNSCR 1325, the study argues that war crimes have evolved beyond physical battlegrounds into algorithmic terrains, where digital violence transcends territorial jurisdictions. To mitigate these harms, the article calls for clear definitions of digital gender-based crimes, increased digital literacy, improved content moderation systems and multi-stakeholder governance frameworks that integrate national and regional cybersecurity laws. Through a gender-inclusive approach to digital security, this research advocates for a more accountable and equitable digital landscape, ensuring that technological advancements do not reinforce structural inequalities but instead foster digital justice and protection.