Delving Deeper into Open-Source Intelligence
Innovation in Government® Report
The use of open-source intelligence (OSINT) dates to the 1930s, when newspapers and TV and radio broadcasts were the main resources for governments that wanted to keep track of world events and potential threats. Fast forward to today, when social media, geospatial imagery and online videos have proliferated, and OSINT takes on a whole new urgency and complexity.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) defines OSINT as “intelligence derived exclusively from publicly or commercially available information that addresses specific intelligence priorities, requirements or gaps.”
Finding ways to collect and share vital intelligence while protecting individuals’ privacy is a central challenge for the government. The Public-Private Analytic Exchange Program released a report in 2022 titled “Ethical Frameworks in Open Source Intelligence.” The program, which is sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security on behalf of ODNI, brings together government analysts and private-sector partners to explore how they can work in tandem on issues of mutual concern.
The OSINT report notes that there are no national or international guidelines for how information from social media in particular is collected and analyzed, and the public and private sectors take different approaches to related legislation and ethics. “Without a standard policy or framework in place specific to security practices, intelligence analysts and investigators may unknowingly pursue unethical routes to propel their organization’s mission or goal,” the report states.
“OSINT informs the decisions of senior policymakers on nearly every major issue facing the United States,” wrote William Burns, OSINT functional manager for the intelligence community. He added that the community’s OSINT strategy “will help us fulfill our responsibilities and increase the already tremendous impact that the OSINT discipline is having on the safety and security of our nation.”
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