RAND Europe conducted a scoping study to explore the use of technologies in security sector governance and management (SSG/M) with the aim of examining opportunities and risks stemming from use cases identified through the research, as well as identifying lessons learned and good practices to foster good-governance efforts when leveraging technological solutions in the security sector.

Novel technologies for security-sector governance and management

Pauline Paillé, Sarah Winder, Elizabeth Moisan

ResearchPublished Sep 8, 2026

RAND Europe conducted a scoping study on the implications of novel technologies for security-sector governance and management (SSG/M) supported by the Security and Stabilisation Department of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

The study explored how emerging solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI), biometrics, machine learning and enhanced surveillance systems are being adopted by security-sector actors and how their use affects public acceptability and consent, institutional accountability, financial sustainability and ethics.

Through a targeted literature review and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, the study investigated how technologies can strengthen efficiency, effectiveness and transparency across SSG/M while introducing significant risks, including privacy and data-protection concerns, algorithmic bias, opaque decision making, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and challenges related to data sovereignty and reliance on private suppliers. The study identified cross-cutting lessons and good practices to guide responsible adoption and foster good governance by emphasising early engagement with end users, adaptation to local context, clear data governance, layered human oversight of automated processes, complementary internal policies and external regulation, and continuous training.

Key Takeaways

Exploring novel technologies and their impact on SSG/M

Nine technology areas were identified as being increasingly used in SSG/M: Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Automated decision support, Biometrics, Blockchain, Digital ID platforms, Data management solutions, Satellite imagery, Social media monitoring, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

These solutions can provide gains in efficiency, effectiveness, situational awareness, and, where designed transparently, strengthened accountability and traceability. However, there are also cross-cutting risks to consider: privacy and data-protection concerns, algorithmic bias and opaque models, cybersecurity and data-sovereignty vulnerabilities, exclusion of digitally marginalised groups, and diluted accountability when private vendors or automated systems shape decisions.

Enhancing good-governance practices for the use of technology in SSG/M

Six cross-cutting practices were identified to embed governance into the full technology lifecycle in the context of SSG/M: 1. Co-design with end users and communities to ensure fit-for-purpose tools and accountability 2. Justify and adapt adoption to local context, infrastructure and perceptions, anticipating misuse 3. Assess need and balance risk appetite and tolerance, including lifecycle costs, while governing data provenance, ownership and cross-border sharing 4. Move beyond human-in-the-loop to multilayered oversight that counters automation bias, allows time to intervene and clarifies responsibility 5. Pair internal policies with external regulation and oversight (transparent approvals, logging/auditing, public consultation and after-action reviews) for accountability 6. Provide continuous and dedicated training for operators and leaders to support the use of technologies in SSG/M.

Recommendations

  • There is a need to bring key stakeholders together, including private-sector companies developing technological solutions as well as state and non-state actors involved in the delivery and management of security services. Relevant actors from adjacent sectors who are also using these technologies, such as humanitarian or disaster-response bodies, could also benefit from widespread engagement.
  • Technological solutions evolve very rapidly and often simultaneously across contexts. As a result, there are limited opportunities to learn from past or ongoing experiences in other contexts in order to replicate good practices and avoid pitfalls that may have been previously identified in different settings.
  • SSG/M good-governance principles should be embedded when considering the use of technologies. To do so, the principles of good governance outlined above should form part of the requirements when considering technological solutions for the provision and management of security services. In addition, the development of a risk-assessment model could be used across fragile contexts to assess the suitability of these technological solutions.

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Paillé, Pauline, Sarah Winder, and Elizabeth Moisan, Novel technologies for security-sector governance and management. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2026. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA4634-1.html.
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This research was prepared for the FCDO and conducted within the Defence, Security, and Justice Program of RAND Europe.

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