Abstract Purpose Forcibly displaced populations often rely on digital technologies to maintain familial bonds amidst precarity. This study examines how Syrian families in the Eleonas refugee camp (Athens, 2019–2020) used smartphones to sustain parenting and conjugal intimacies while confronting the dual challenges of infrastructural barriers and state-mediated dataveillance. Design/methodology Drawing on ethnographic research and in-depth interviews, this paper analyzes refugees’ digital practices, including self-censorship tactics (e.g., limiting video calls, altering social media profiles) and innovative uses of platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook to navigate displacement. Findings Smartphones emerged as critical tools for overcoming information precarity and fostering remote co-presence. Despite surveillance by al-Assad’s regime, refugees adapted their digital communication to preserve ties, redefining familial intimacy through shared experiences, photos, and messaging. Practical implications The study highlights the need for humanitarian organizations to address digital vulnerabilities (e.g., surveillance risks) while leveraging mobile technologies to support refugee connectivity and access to critical information. Social implications digital coexistence enables displaced families to reconstruct familiarity across borders, challenging traditional notions of proximity and care. However, unequal access and surveillance exacerbate precarity for marginalized groups. Originality/value This research contributes to literature on displacement and digital media by centering refugees’ agency in navigating both connectivity and control. It introduces “life in media” to describe how familial bonds are reconfigured through everyday digital practices.
Iossif Konstantinou (Thu,) studied this question.