01711nas a2200229   4500000000100000008004100001260000900042653001500051653001900066653001400085653002500099653001600124653001900140653001200159653002300171653001700194100001900211245008600230300001000316490000700326520114800333       2024                            d  c202410apropaganda10adisinformation10acivilians10adirect participation10adistinction10aarmed conflict10aUkraine10aRussia-Ukraine war10asocial media1 aIsabel Lettner00aPropaganda in Armed Conflict: Exploring Legal Ambiguities and Civilian Engagement  a23-340 v233 a<p>This article addresses the question of whether civilians engaged in disseminating propaganda can be construed as direct participants in hostilities. It focuses on the gaps created by a lack of international law provisions governing the use of propaganda during armed conflicts. The research contends that the categorization and classification of propaganda are vital, given the increasing employment of harmful digital information. An example of Ukrainian strategic communication campaigns illustrates the slippery slope created by easily accessible social media platforms and the danger posed by civilians spreading these so-called “strategic communication campaigns.” The research explores how the principle of distinction and the notion of direct participation apply to Ukrainian civilians. This article finds that multiple gray areas exist when analyzing the applicable legal frameworks surrounding the dissemination of propaganda. The study concludes that civilians spreading propaganda do not qualify as directly participating in hostilities, as the three-prong test of the International Committee of the Red Cross is not met.</p>