The proliferation of bias and propaganda on social media is an increasingly significant concern, leading to the development of techniques for automatic detection. This article presents a multilingual corpus of 12, 000 Facebook posts fully annotated for bias and propaganda. The corpus was created as part of the FigNews 2024 Shared Task on News Media Narratives for framing the Israeli War on Gaza. It covers various events during the War from October 7, 2023 to January 31, 2024. The corpus comprises 12, 000 posts in five languages (Arabic, Hebrew, English, French, and Hindi), with 2, 400 posts for each language. The annotation process involved 10 graduate students specializing in Law. The Inter-Annotator Agreement (IAA) was used to evaluate the annotations of the corpus, with an average IAA of 80.8% for bias and 70.15% for propaganda annotations. Our team was ranked among the bestperforming teams in both Bias and Propaganda subtasks. The corpus is open-source and available at https://sina.birzeit.edu/fada
Sustainable energy transitions are key to achieving climate justice for all. Carbon dioxide emissions’(CO2) unequal distribution globally is one of the many issues preventing climate justice. Efforts to reduceglobal CO2impacts are vital for environmental justice efforts and a future free from climate change is-sues. Researchers have long been interested in how the rise of global governance initiatives, such asmultilateral treaties, impact environmental outcomes across the world. However, little is known abouthow global governance concerning energy usage and technologies impacts CO2emissions across theworld. Using two-wayfixed effects regression analysis from 1996 to 2011, we test how 24 multilateralenvironmental treaties with an energy focus impact CO2emissions per capita, CO2emissions as a per-centage of gross domestic product, and total CO2emissions for 162 nations. The multilateral energytreaties were collected from Ecolex. This analysis assesses how the legitimacy of global contracts mayimpact actual decreases in CO2emissions, resulting in climate justice outcomes. Additionally, thisanalysis considers how factors of institutional state governance, including control of corruption, rule oflaw, political stability, government effectiveness, and regulatory quality moderate the impact of multi-lateral energy environmental treaties and CO2emissions. Wefind that stocks of environmental treatyratification are associated with decreases in all three types of CO2emissions. Renewable energy con-sumption, GDP per capita, and urban and total population are associated with increased CO2 emissions.We alsofind some support for the idea that treaties are associated with larger decreases in emissions innations with higher levels of state governance. Understanding how state accountability, transparency,and legitimacy factor into the effectiveness of multilateral environmental treaties on reducing CO2emissions is essential to combating climate change issues.
This chapter explores whether blockchain technology and its core operational principles – such as decentralisation, transparency, equality and accountability – could play a role in enhancing the protection of human rights in the application of financial information retrieval ecosystems. In this chapter, the legal analysis of such an application focuses on data protection, specifically privacy. Thus, it first discusses how blockchain technology application plays a vital role in realising and challenging data protection. In essence, the chapter seeks to establish how such technological enhancement will securely facilitate governmental and business operations in dealing with data/information from a human rights perspective.
This chapter seeks to examine the principle of legal certainty in connection with blockchain technology. It explores whether blockchain technology – featured core operational characteristics – fulfils the rule of law’s principle of legal certainty. The chapter discusses the principle of legal certainty and explores how blockchain technology has been designed to contest legal order and some regulatory norms. The chapter then draws on the notion of legal certainty and assesses the technology’s law/legal-compliance potentials. It finally concludes that blockchain technology theoretically falls short of satisfying the principle of legal certainty and proposes legal remedies to address such a shortcoming.
This blogpost discusses communication blackouts in Gaza as a form of Israeli cyberattacks against civilian objects, considering their violent nature in means or effects. It evaluates the legality of such cyberattacks under the principles of distinction and proportionality, in conjunction with the Customary Rule 54: prohibition of attacks against objects indispensable to the survival of civilian population.
A set of rights and freedoms are protected by constitutions and interpreted by the competent judiciary. The increasing use of information and communication technologies (ICT s) creates new legal challenges to rights and their judicial interpretation. This article aims at analysing the prospects of the Palestinian Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) concerning digital rights, while considering political and legal challenges. In doing so, it begins with a brief introduction to the concepts of digital right and digital constitutionalism. The article further describes the status of digital rights in Palestine and evaluates the role of the SCC in the adjudication of the constitutionality of the laws in relation to human rights protection on the internet. It finally offers proposals for understanding the necessity for constitutional protection of digital rights in Palestine through judicial review. It argues that the Palestine needs constitutional modernisation to address the legal implications of technologies on human rights.
Despite their pronounced potential, unacceptable risk AI systems, such as facial recognition, have been used as tools for, inter alia, digital surveillance, and policing. This usage raises concerns in relation to the protection of basic freedoms and liberties and upholding the rule of law. This article contributes to the legal discussion by investigating how the law must intervene, control, and regulate the use of unacceptable risk AI systems that concern biometric data from a human-rights and rule of law perspective. In doing so, the article first examines the collection of biometric data and the use of facial recognition technology. Second, it describes the nature of the obligation or duty of states to regulate in relation to new technologies. The article, lastly, assesses the legal implications resulting from the failure of states to regulate new technologies and investigates possible legal remedies. The article uses some relevant EU regulations as an illustrative example.
Early in his writings, Elia Zureik connected Israeli surveillance of Palestinians as an extended conduct of settler colonialism and neoliberal apartheid, arguing that Israel’s Colonial Project in Palestine shows how central surveillance is to the maintenance of that project. More precisely, in his article in 2020: Settler Colonialism, Neoliberalism and Cyber Surveillance: The Case of Israel, he pointed out that the use of new technologies, especially the use of algorithmic predictions and biometrics, including facial recognition, has transformed Israel to a high-tech surveillance state, spreading fear among and tightening its control over the occupied Palestinian people.
Departing from the notion of “cyber surveillance” in relation to control and settler colonialism, and building on Elia’s work, I will address three main points in turn. First: The status of Palestinians under Israeli cyber surveillance and digital oppression. Second: The use of AI-enhanced facial recognition systems to track Palestinians, systematizing massive surveillance and automating harsh restrictions to their rights and freedoms as part of a structural settler colonial oppression. Third: The role of social media platforms in facilitating cyber surveillance and digital oppression. I will conclude with a brief examination of the legality of the deployment of these technologies under international law of occupation.
This chapter examines the role of corporations in the light of sustainable development and briefly provides for an understanding attached to the term corporate responsibility, this includes corporate social, environ- mental and technological responsibility. The chapter analyses the relevant existing legal principles, namely the United Nations Global Compact and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Right and further deter- mines the legal and moral value of these instruments. It brings examples of judicial cases brought against tech, internet and communication, and oil corporations. These examples are further examined from a legal and environmental point of view. Finally, the last part suggests dynamic and systematic practices that might abet corporations to avoid environmental damages, human rights abuses through the implementation of due diligence and precautionary measures in order to foster the achievement of SDGs.
Environmental crimes in times of war have received comparatively little legal attention in MENA even when there is clear evidence that they are caused by deliberate and belligerent human action. This panel will explorehow international laws and framework account for environmental damage caused by conflict, and how can adequate legal frameworks be created and/or adapted in MENA to hold perpetrators to account?
The Fourth Geneva Convention (GC IV), in its Article 49, prohibits individual or mass forcible transfers and obliges an occupying power to provide civilians with proper safe conditions. The situation that Israel has created both before and during its attacks and siege/blockade of Gaza is described as a humanitarian disaster that heralds the breakdown of society. Israel has attacked hospitals, ambulances, homes, shelters, UN buildings and schools. Potable and clean water is scarce, leading to devastating consequences and increasing the risk of disease, disease transmission and poor hygiene conditions in the most densely populated area in the world, whose population has been forced into a much smaller space and overwhelmingly crowded shelters. The majority of Palestinians do not have accommodation and lack minimum conditions as regards hygiene, health, safety and nutrition. This post discusses this situation in the light of the GCIV – Article 49 – and assesses the legality of Israel’s transfer of Palestinian civilians during the hostilities and the fulfilment of the legal requirements of satisfactory conditions.
International humanitarian law (IHL) does not only oblige States who are directly engaged in an armed conflict to fulfil their obligation to respect its rules and principles during the conduct of hostilities and take measures to stop violations. IHL also places an obligation on all State Members to the Geneva Conventions to ensure respect and take measures to stop violations. The unfolding events in the Palestinian territory, occupied by Israel, specifically after Hamas’ attack on Israel, have clearly attracted the attention of many international law researchers and scholars. Some tried to defend Israeli bombing campaigns on Gaza, the starvation of its 2.3 million people and the imposing – rather tightening – of a total siege, justifying such actions under the principles of proportionality, distinction and the obligation to warn. Importantly, the discussions went on to look at self-defence, humanitarian access of relief aid and the classification of the conflict.
Yet none of the authors of these posts discuss obligations on their own countries, particularly those who are recognizing the right of and even aiding Israel’s assault on Palestinians and their mass killings. The discussion, as of yet, has not brought the matter of States’ obligations to ensure respect for international humanitarian law in connection to Palestine. This post seeks to contribute to the discussion by considering the position of non-belligerents under Common Article 1 of the four Geneva Conventions. It starts with an overall view on the situation and moves to analyse and apply Common Article 1 on the unfolding events in Palestine. This post finally ends with a description of the needed urgent actions.
This chapter addresses four main points of discussion. First, it examines Israeli practices in the oPt and their impact on the Palestinian environment. The examination considers the destruction and exploitation of natural resources, land contamination, and the (mis)management of waste by the Israeli authorities and military, as well as by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, respectively. Second, the chapter reviews relevant IHL provisions, namely, the customary rules of IHL and the 1907 Hague Regulations, the Fourth Geneva Convention and Protocol Additional I, and the Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques (ENMOD), which may be applied to protect the environment in the oPt. In addition, it examines international principles that provide protections for the environment under military occupation and oppression. Specifically, it will look at related principles embodied in the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the 2015 Draft Covenant on Environment and Development. These two environmental instruments will help to assess how IEL could potentially complement the protection of the environment under military occupation. In the third section, the chapter examines Israel’s responsibility under international law, and points out possibilities to hold Israel accountable for environmental damages in Palestine.
This article seeks to demonstrate the nexus between agent-related technology and the protection of the environment in armed conflicts, looking at how agent-based modelling and simulation (ABMS) can be used as a tool to protect the environment in armed conflicts. It further analyzes the precautionary principle and due regard, as relevant rules, and explains the legal benefits of deploying ABMS to protect and preserve the natural environment. The article argues that the deployment of ABM Shelps States to better understand the environmental effects of conflicts, reassess their military activities and comply with the relevant applicable rules and norms.
Despite their pronounced potential, unacceptable-risk AI systems, such as facial recognition, have been used as tools for, inter alia, digital surveillance and policing. This usage raises concerns in relation to the protection of basic freedoms and liberties and upholding the rule of law. This article contributes to the legal discussion by investigating how the law must intervene, control and regulate the use of unacceptable-risk technologies that concern biometric data from a human-rights and rule of law perspective. In doing so, the article first examines the collection of biometric data and the use of facial recognition technology. Second, it describes the nature of the obligation or duty of states to regulate in relation to new technologies. The article, lastly, assesses the legal implications resulting from the failure of states to regulate unacceptable-risk technologies and investigates possible legal remedies. The article uses some relevant EU regulations as an illustrative example.
Information and Communication Technologies raise new legal issues, risks and implications regarding the rights and legal protection of individuals in cyberspace. Constitutions generally protect basic rights and freedoms. Departing from the importance of constitutional protection concerning basic rights and freedoms, this article aims at assessing the constitutional and legal status of digital rights in Palestine, while considering the political and legal challenges. It studies the concept of digital rights and their protection in the Palestinian Basic Law, as constitutional norms. The article finally analyses the available constitutional remedies to address implications of the new and emerging needs to protect human rights in the cyberspace. The article argues that the existing constitutional principles should be understood broadly from a human-rights-centred approach to address risks and implications of technologies on human rights.
Israel, as an occupying power, has the obligation to protect Palestinians against all acts of violence. this article examines israeli settler violence from the lens of this obligation and of the law of state responsibility. In doing so, it first provides examples of settler attacks against Palestinians, with particular emphasis on acts of violence that are backed up or facilitated by state security forces. Second, in an analysis of these acts of settler violence, it argues that these belong to the category of state-backed crimes. Third, it outlines what constitutes state responsibility for wrongful acts, as codified in international law, and demonstrates that acts of settler violence are crimes that are attributable to the state, which trigger state responsibility. Settler violence against Palestinians, which is often lethal and always injurious, is not and has never been a matter of domestic law enforcement.
This anthology offers a comprehensive understanding of certain issues in relation to law and sustainable development. It addresses some of the most important challenges and answers how the law can be deployed to achieve sustainable development goals. Its central themes discuss sustainability from a business, technology, tax, human rights, procedures and jurisprudence perspective at the Swedish and international levels. Introducing pioneering incentives, this anthology highlights a pragmatic account and current obstacles to achieving sustainability at the law-making level as well as societal and economic encounters. This anthology thus makes an important contribution to alleviating the global effort to sustainable development. It would be of great interest to practitioners, academics and students.
This paper seeks to answer whether the use of blockchain technology enhances sustainability in supply chains during e-procurement. This paper takes the issue from a legal perspective and discusses whether the benefits of public e-procurement may constitute possible means to enhance sustainability with the use of blockchain technology. It investigates blockchain technology and its features to improve data protection and transparency in the area of public procurement. It further addresses whether States have the obligation to ensure sustainability in their public e-procurement processes, whilst maintaining data protection and confidentiality. The paper is based on a survey of primary sources of law, best practice and available literature, adopting the legal analytical method. The paper is limited to suggesting the use of blockchain technology to disclose history and processes of suppliers to ensure their alignment with sustainability. It does not attempt to include identified States, rather it adopts a wholistic approach to the issue.
Palestine refugees are excluded from the scope of the international refugee protection system. The agency that is currently protecting them, UNRWA, is under threat. What would the end of UNRWA mean at the European level? This article explains the special situation of Palestinians, the history and role of UNRWA and the consequences that a dissolution of UNRWA would entail. It analyses the situation from an EU perspective, as the CJEU has already delivered several landmark judgments. The article concludes that an abolition of UNRWA would place Palestinians in a better position, as the European Union would be obliged to protect all those persons that currently fall under UNRWA’s mandate and are hence excluded from obtaining refugee status. This is a finding that seems to be totally ignored or at least underestimated by the International Community. Nevertheless, the dissolution of UNRWA might lead to an unprecedented deterioration of the situation of Palestinians living in UNRWA’s operating areas.
The Syrian war has caused catastrophic damage to the lives and livelihoods of millions of people. Chemical attacks in particular have been tremendously devastating to both humans and wildlife ecosystems. Building on previous research in international humanitarian law (IHL) and the protection of the environment, this article identifies the immediate and long-term impact that the use and storage of chemical weapons has on the environment as against the shortcomings in legal coverage for the same. This article further argues that existing IHL provisions addressing the consequences of environmental warfare are fragmented at best, even when applied to a current case that most would consider to be highly applicable to IHL.
Automated administrative decisions (AADs) have been deployed in the public sector to increase efficiency and accessibility. However, AADs challenge the principles of the rule of law, particularly, the principle of legality (PoL). This chapter examines whether AADs are in compliance with the PoL. In order to adequately answer the question at hand, this chapter first discusses the PoL and its legal force. Secondly, it discusses AADs, their benefits and legal implications in relation to public administration. The chapter, finally, studies the entangled relationship between AADs and the PoL in the public sector and argues for the importance of upholding the PoL in the process of automated decisions made by public authorities.