About

Open source journalism, also known as OSINT, visual investigations, or visual forensics, is an innovative and powerful form of journalism.

Such journalists use digital information — satellite imagery, photos and videos uploaded to social media, flight tracking data, audio recordings, cryptocurrency transactions, and much more — as evidence.

Deploying open source investigative techniques, reporters have revealed the vast scale of China’s detention program for Uighurs in Xinjiang, the Russian military unit that committed war crimes in Bucha, the way the January 6 riots unfolded, how Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh was killed, and many other critical stories.

Many news organizations desperately want to dive into this critical form of reporting but lack the technical know-how. In response, this conference is for seasoned experts and raw novices.

A keynote will be given by Christo Grozev, an expert in using open source methods to investigate authoritarian regimes and the lead investigator on the team that identified the Russian agents who poisoned Alexei Navalny. We’ll soon announce other speakers and lay out the full conference program on this website.

Stay connected by following us on social media for the latest updates.

We’re grateful to the lead sponsor of the conference, the Google News Initiative, and to our co-sponsors CNN, Crankstart, and the Western Wind Foundation.

See you in LA this February!