Smartphone and ICT Use among Ukrainian Refugees: Technology Support during War, Flight, and Adaptation in Germany

In conflict-ridden environments, timely and accurate information is critical for those dealing with the dynamic of events. When individuals have to flee, it becomes evident that refugees frequently rely on information and communication technologies (ICT) for information acquisition, travel coordination, and maintaining connections with related parties. Based on 17 interviews, this research explores how Ukrainian refugees, who sought protection in Germany due to the 2022 Russian full-scale invasion, use ICT before, during, and after their flight. By providing empirical findings, the results show in depth how contextual factors, such as infrastructural instability, privacy concerns, and an advanced digitalization, interrelate with user behaviors. Analyzing the multifaceted civilian ICT use in the context of war and flight, this exploratory research contributes to the existing research on HCI in migration contexts and connects to several topics of CSCW. By contrasting case specifics, this work highlights what makes Ukraine a special case in this research area. Furthermore, this paper examines both existing and emerging affordances of ICT in the context of flight and identifies the crucial role of messenger groups for information gathering in all phases of the flight. Lastly, collaborative dimensions of the identified affordances are discussed.