Summary

Eliot Higgins (X; Wikipedia) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the work of Bellingcat. Eliot founded the open-source investigative website in 2014. 


What You’ll Learn

Intelligence


  • Bellingcat’s approach to “investigative journalism”  

  • The rise of OSINT as a tool of journalism  

  • Bellingcat’s relationship with intelligence agencies 

  • Case studies from Bellingcat’s past, including the Skripal Case and the MH17 flight investigation

Reflections


  • Leading by example

  • Accessibility and accountability

And much, much more …


Quotes of the Week

“When I first started doing this work ... I would present geolocation and stuff on stage. The reaction was like I was doing magic tricks, but my point was that. This isn't magic – This is something that you can do and recreate and understand.” - Eliot Higgins.


Resources 

SURFACE SKIM

SpyCasts

DEEPER DIVE

Books



  • OSINT Techniques: Resources for Uncovering Online Information, M. Bazzell (2023) 


  • Deep Dive: Exploring the Real-world Value of Open Source Intelligence, R. L. Baker (Wiley, 2023)


  • We Are Bellingcat: The Online Sleuths Solving Global Crimes, E. Higgins (Bloomsbury, 2022)

Primary Sources 

Wildcard Resource


  • The fable of Belling the Cat

  • The inspiration behind Bellingcat’s name, the moral of this story is simple – It’s one thing to suggest a solution or idea, but it’s a whole other beast to actually take action. 

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