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What are open source investigations? -

Technology, forensic investigation, and journalism merge together with a variety of disciplines and skill sets to conduct incredible journalistic investigations on a variety of subjects using public data. 

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Misinformation and fake news -

In an age of mass misinformation and distribution of fake news, citizens have taken a significant role in documenting crimes and abuses. Pictured are posters displayed at the Bremen's central station with the text: "Donkey, dog, cat, shark. - Disinformation changes history! - Even your election on 23.2?"

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Social media networks -

Social media networks, blogs, and other publicly accessible sharing platforms all play a significant role in gathering and analyzing information.

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Fake data -

Given the prevalence of AI-generated images and other fake data, investigators must verify the accuracy and legitimacy of the information.

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Processing time -

The aspect that takes the most time in terms of these investigations is certainly the processing time. There is a massive amount of raw data available to investigators, which they have to make sense of.

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Volume of data -

The volume of user-generated data only continues to grow and expand, therefore, there needs to be a special adherence to guidelines and the correct utilization of tools.

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Privacy and credibility -

In addition to the volume of data, issues of privacy and credibility of information are also key aspects that offer challenges to investigators.

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Aggregation and analysis -

Information is then aggregated and analyzed accordingly. This is done in compliance with privacy, legality, and human rights, among other guidelines.

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Widely used -

This investigative method is not just limited to journalism. It is also widely used by law enforcement, cybersecurity technicians, and corporate security entities.

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Technicians and entities -

Cyber security technicians monitor different threats. Law enforcement profiles different suspects and gathers evidence accordingly, while corporate security entities conduct thorough background checks.

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Journalistic perspective -

From a journalistic perspective, open source investigations look for the facts of the situation, seeking to uncover stories that may be very different than they appear.

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Information sources -

In addition to social media content, other information sources also include geospatial data, academic publications, media, public records, and other online resources.

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Training -

There are a number of organizations providing training that anyone can do to learn the ins and outs of open source investigations. They are not just limited to those in journalism or any of the other relevant professional fields.

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Invaluable skill -

The need for open source investigations spans many different sectors, making it an invaluable skill in today’s investigative work.

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Investigation of crimes -

Crimes in Ukraine, Palestine, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (pictured), among many other locations throughout the world, have been investigated, with open source data presented in courts and used in different contexts.

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Ukrainian children's hospital -

For example, in July 2024, a Ukrainian children’s hospital was subjected to a missile attack that killed two and injured 50. Russia denied responsibility for the attack and was involved in a campaign in the immediate aftermath which placed blame on a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile system.

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Russian Kh-101 cruise missile -

Using footage collected from social media, as well as a 3D model of the missile, Bellingcat conducted an analysis that determined that the source of the munition was a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile.

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Colombian mercenaries -

Bellingcat also conducted another investigation on Colombian mercenaries in Sudan following the disappearance of Colombian national Christian Lombana Moncayo. Pictured is a Colombian mercenary in Ukraine.

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Geolocated journey -

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) circulated images of Moncayo’s documents after an ambush. Bellingcat geolocated his journey through Libya through Moncayo’s last social media post—a common site where mercenaries arrive to get to Sudan.

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Mapping transit -

Bellingcat put together testimonies and other findings to map out the transit of Colombians through Libya into Sudan and used satellite imagery to locate the exact ambush site.

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Forensic Architecture -

In collaboration with the Palestine Land Society, using 3D modeling, geolocation, and other analytical tools, Forensic Architecture was able to map out one of the military campaigns enacted by the Israeli military in the formation of the Israeli state.

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Nakba -

The military campaign targeted several Palestinian villages at the time, destroying homes and infrastructure and forcibly displacing its populations—an event known as the ‘Nakba’ (meaning catastrophe in Arabic).

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al-Dawayima -

Focusing on the village of al-Dawayima, the organization was able to outline critical historical context as an example of the other military campaigns that were conducted in conjunction.

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Marathon Petroleum Corporation -

Forensic Architecture also investigated one of the largest refineries in the western hemisphere: Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s facility, located in Garyville, Louisiana.

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Cancer risk -

The communities surrounding the area are subjected to a cancer risk seven times higher than the national average due to the toxic air surrounding the facility.

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Chemical spill -

In August 2023, a hydrocarbon chemical mixture began leaking, amounting to the second-largest chemical spill in the last 30 years, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

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Increased hospitalizations -

The facility claimed that surrounding communities would not be affected, despite increased hospitalizations in the spill’s aftermath.

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Digital reconstruction -

Using satellite imagery, data mining, 3D modeling, and fieldwork, among other tools, Forensic Architecture was able to produce a digital reconstruction of the spill to demonstrate concentrations of pollutants in the atmosphere and how they, therefore, harmed communities in the region.

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Harm and accountability -

These phenomenal initiatives not only manage to provide a detailed overview of how events likely occurred but also attribute harm and accountability to the parties involved.

Sources: (Al-Jazeera) (Bellingcat) (United Nations) (Open Source Investigations) (Neotas)

See also: Must-see movies themed around journalism

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