Study title

This data collection contains transcripts of interviews carried out with experienced human rights investigators. Throughout these semi-structured interviews, participants were invited to share their views and experiences on: the extent to which OSINT has affected investigative practices; the representativeness of open source research sources to affected populations; the tools that assist in data gathering and verification; and the challenges and opportunities presented by this type of evidence.Technology is rapidly transforming how investigations of human rights abuses are carried out. Traditionally, investigations relied upon witness testimony and on-site evidence to prove the existence of human rights violations. More recently, however, human rights investigations have been turning to Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), such as social media content and satellite imagery, to overcome the physical, security, and societal barriers to gathering reliable evidence. In August 2017, the International Criminal Court issued its first arrest warrant based on social media evidence. OSINT has the potential to democratise the flow of information on international human rights violations in an unprecedented way. By allowing investigations to be carried out remotely, and by enabling information to be received directly from witnesses and victims rather than through intermediaries, OSINT can break down some of the barriers that have silenced some voices in traditional investigations and prioritised others. However, new issues arise with these types of investigations. The huge volume of evidence retrievable from social media can make it difficult for investigators to extract truly useful information. There are further issues of informational bias that can be attributed to algorithmic bias or to misinformation posted online, intended to obfuscate or exaggerate human rights abuses. By combining a unique multidisciplinary methodology, drawing on socio-legal, computer science, and...