The Ethics of OSINT

Giancarlo Fiorella at Bellingcat has written an interesting article about the ethics behind Open-Source Intelligence reporting, with a specific emphasis on the conflicts occurring in Ukraine and Armenia, noting that many of the dilemmas that his organisation faces are not unique to Bellingcat:

As Scientific American magazine recently wrote, simply reporting every finding of an investigation comes with significant risks; the fact that content has circulated on social media does not absolve open source researchers of the need to think critically of the costs of amplifying it or of promoting an incorrect interpretation of what it shows.

This is why values like transparency and humility are a starting point for any ethical consideration. Sometimes, as Aiganysh explained, transparency cannot always override valid ethical concerns: the answer to an ethical dilemma sometimes means, frustratingly, showing less than you would like or even not publishing at all. 

The article discusses various frameworks for ethical open source research that include the Berkeley Protocol on Human Rights Investigation, "The Gray Spectrum," and initiatives from the University of Essex and the Data Society, providing principles and practical steps for ethical decision-making in research.

The article also discusses Aiganysh Aidarbekova's research into public figures suspected of corruption, which sometimes involves investigating the relatives of the subjects. This presents ethical challenges regarding privacy and safety, as researchers must balance transparency with the protection of individuals' rights.

Finally, the article concludes by emphasizing transparency and humility as essential values in ethical decision-making but acknowledges that sometimes the ethical choice may involve showing less information or not publishing at all. It encourages the wider open source community to consider ethical decision-making in their research and continue the conversation.

At IntelEdge we take ethics extremely seriously and when handling requests from our clients that might require more flexibility, we always err on the side of legality and our philosophical ethical code of conduct. OSINT is a powerful tool and as such should be treated respectfully. No one wins when ethics go out the window in the pursuit of information no matter the cost.

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