collateral damage

noun3

1. •
   Harm to innocent people that results from policy decisions.

   • Neoliberals readily admit that economic liberalization causes some dislocations, but they view such collateral damage as necessary for the longer term gains of increased productivity and efficiency. — 2009
2. •
   Unintended victims of an attack targeted at someone or something else.

   • The possibility of false claims exists with kinetic attacks as well, but claims about collateral damage from a cyberattack are likely to be even more difficult to refute. — 2009
3. •
   (euphemistic) Damage to civilian property or civilian casualties that is the unintended result of military operations.

   • A certain amount of collateral damage and destruction to the surrounding environment has always been viewed as a necessary but generally undesirable by-product of military conflict. — 1999