21,01,2026

 

  

  

  

Knowing that anyone (employers, ex-partners, or strangers) can find your "digital trail," are we becoming a more cautious society, or have we simply given up on the idea of privacy?

In the past, we trusted a few major news outlets. Now, we often trust a random person on X (Twitter) who provides "receipts" (screenshots/data). Which system is more prone to manipulation?

During global conflicts, we often see real-time footage from regular people before we see it on the news. Does this "raw data" help us understand the truth, or does it just create more confusion?

Tools like Google Street View or flight trackers are technically OSINT. How have these tools changed your personal sense of safety or curiosity when exploring the world?

Do you think people who know how to find information online have an unfair advantage in life (jobs, dating, legal issues) over those who are less "tech-savvy"?

Social Media Intelligence

 

The time we spend online is increasing every moment, which also means we leave a trace of ourselves online. Have you ever thought about what happens to the information you leave behind yourself online? And what does it say about you? You might think, how does publishing a selfie or a photo from my vacation can be considered intelligence? 

 

You need to remember that behind every click online, you leave a digital fingerprint – metadata. It can provide others with your location, time zone, and information about your device, among other things. 

 

The background and details of your photo can also provide information. 

By analysing the landscape or architecture, it can provide information about your location. It is called geolocating and is just the tip of the iceberg. 

People and organisations who know how to use the tools for exploring the depths of the internet and data can access and use the information to gather intelligence.

 

Another type of Open-source intelligence is SOCMINT (SMI), or Social Media Intelligence. The name says it all: data and information collected from social media sites, forums, media sharing and blogging platforms. It mainly gathers audio and video files, photos, eyewitness accounts, news reports and official documents. 

 

Almost every person nowadays has access to a mobile phone. Whether they are standing in the centre of Paris, hiding in a bunker in Ukraine or dealing with a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. The world is connected by the internet, and the speed of information shared online is unimaginable. The data can help document crimes, spot warning signals, provide an understanding of current events, and help expose propaganda and disinformation. 

 

As the need for social media analysis and monitoring grows, the information gained can be more than just market research, security, and business development. 

 

Social media platforms can be misused and abused. They can be used to incite violence or to coordinate and commit crimes. Blogs and chat rooms are being used by extremist groups and criminal networks to spread their agenda and recruit like-minded individuals. 

 

The increased use of social media platforms has changed the way that journalists collect information for their work. In the past, journalists relied on sources like news articles and conversations. But today, journalists can use a variety of easily accessible tools to find information themselves. 

 

For journalists in modern times, learning how to use OSINT can be a valuable and even crucial skill. But with such great things also comes the responsibility of verifying information and making sure to report the truth.  

The value and risks of OSINT

 

In both the past and present times, information has had value and power. There is a reason for the saying, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” And now more than ever, when information online moves at the speed of light, the accuracy and authenticity of information are increasingly valuable. It is more important than ever for journalists to be able to find and report the truth. And OSINT can be of help there.

 

One of the key advantages of OSINT is that it is often more cost-effective than traditional methods of investigative journalism. Rather than hiring a team of researchers or private investigators, journalists can use free or low-cost tools to collect and analyze information.

 

Of course, with any tool, there are also potential cons. 

• OSINT is ever-changing and even time-sensitive, and journalists must carefully weigh the reliability and accuracy of the information they gather. 

• Online sources can hide behind a user name or even be anonymous. 

• Information can be manipulated, and misinformation and disinformation campaigns are increasingly common. As such, it is crucial that journalists verify the accuracy of their sources before publishing a story.

 

In addition, there are concerns about privacy and ethical issues when using OSINT. Journalists must be careful not to invade the privacy of individuals, particularly if they are not public figures. Additionally, some sources of information may be obtained illegally, raising questions about the legality and ethics of using such information.

 

Despite these challenges, OSINT represents a powerful tool for journalism in the digital age. By providing fast and cost-effective means of gathering information, tracing connections, and verifying sources, it can help to uncover stories and shed light on important issues. With the rise of disinformation and fake news, OSINT has become more important than ever in ensuring that journalists can provide accurate, reliable reporting.