Blurring the Line: How Militarisation of Tech is Reshaping our Town Squares

"We are at a war footing as we enter an era where the tech world is increasingly defined by conflict. Innovation has never been driven solely by social needs, market forces or the common good. Military imperatives have periodically played central roles in steering the development of new generations of technologies. For instance, the origins of the internet can be traced back to defence research and initiatives like the ARPANET."

"Now we are witnessing a significant shift: states and corporations are harnessing technology to advance foreign policy agendas and to assert geopolitical dominance. At the same time, the line between 'defence' tech and 'civilian' tech is blurring. The same companies building tools of war are also being entrusted with civilian infrastructure and tasked with delivering public services. This is in stark contrast to the last thirty years of tech innovation based on open research and systems, global access and trade, and Tech Industry focus on consumers"

"Techno-solutionism and the rushed adoption of powerful new systems without adequate oversight are not new phenomena. In the aftermath of 9/11, there was an explosion of surveillance technologies, advancing mass monitoring under the guise of national security and public safety. Many of these tools, originally developed for countering terrorism, have since become deeply embedded in everyday governance with long-term consequences for privacy and human rights."

Technological development is increasingly driven by military imperatives and geopolitical competition, shifting innovation toward defensive and strategic priorities. States and corporations are leveraging advanced technologies to pursue foreign policy goals and assert dominance, while the boundary between defense and civilian technology is eroding. Companies that build weapons also manage civilian infrastructure and public services. Historical patterns show rapid adoption of surveillance and security tools after crises, notably post-9/11, which became embedded in governance with lasting privacy and human rights impacts. Governments are investing heavily in a growing defence tech industry and repurposing commercial systems for national security with limited public debate or regulation.

Read at Privacy International