OSINT Unlocked – Building Transparent, Defensible Investigations

On 8 October 2025, Altia hosted its first open discussion webinar focused on one of the most talked-about areas in modern investigation: open source intelligence (OSINT). The session brought together professionals from law enforcement, private investigation, compliance, and technology to explore how transparency, process, and ethics shape effective OSINT practice.

The discussion was led by Toby Langston, Altia’s Law Enforcement SaaS Market Engagement Lead, alongside Stan Yakimov and Dave Sampson, a former police investigator with more than 30 years of experience across digital forensics, fraud, and cyber investigations. What followed was a wide-ranging and highly practical discussion that examined everything from defining OSINT to evidential standards, auditability, and ethical boundaries.

Setting the Scene

Langston opened the session by welcoming attendees from across North America and the UK, from British Columbia to Texas, County Durham to Scotland and outlined a simple goal: to create a community-driven forum for real-world learning. This was not a product demonstration, but an open exchange of perspectives and challenges that practitioners face every day.

Defining OSINT in Modern Investigations

As Sampson reminded attendees, OSINT is not new. It involves accessing publicly available information, though sometimes that access comes at a cost. What has evolved is the scale of available data and the speed at which it can be reached.

Sampson highlighted that every modern investigation now contains a digital component, from CCTV and online communications to social media activity. With that reach comes responsibility. Langston emphasised the need for a clear plan, a repeatable method, and a traceable audit trail. Without structure, valuable findings can become difficult to defend later.

When Search Becomes Investigation

Yakimov raised a question that many practitioners encounter:

When does casual online searching become OSINT that requires an audit trail?

Sampson’s answer centred on intent:

If information is being gathered for a defined investigative purpose, it must follow a defensible and auditable process.

Exploratory reading is different. The moment findings are expected to inform a report, a decision, or a legal process, traceability becomes essential.

Transparency and Ethical Boundaries

Transparency emerged as one of the most powerful themes of the session. It applies not only to information collection but also to how that information is handled and stored.

The group discussed the complexities of leaked or “grey” data. Sampson advised investigators to consider whether they should hold such material, whether they can use it, and whether the source is reliable. Verification, he noted, is just as important as discovery.

An audience member raised the issue of collateral intrusion, asking whether OSINT activity could sometimes appear more intrusive than regulated data such as telecom records. The panel acknowledged this risk and agreed that disciplined, transparent methods, combined with clear rules for retention and disposal, are key to maintaining proportionality. As Langston noted, if information is not relevant, it should not be kept.

Global Perspectives and Reflections

Although laws differ by country, the fundamentals of OSINT travel well. From the UK, practitioners can conduct open-source work relevant to many jurisdictions. While data sources vary, the pillars of accuracy, transparency, and verification remain constant.

As highlighted by the Global Investigations Review, OSINT is defined as intelligence derived from publicly available information that must be “collected, exploited and disseminated… to address a specific intelligence requirement.” This means that context and purpose matter wherever investigators operate.

Investigators working across borders must adapt to regional regulatory frameworks – for instance, privacy laws in Europe versus North America and to differing data ecosystems. Some jurisdictions restrict API access or anonymize data, while others maintain more open public record systems.

For this reason, OSINT practitioners must not only master technical tools but also understand which data sources are permitted, reliable, and accessible in each territory. Cross-jurisdictional investigations depend on interoperability and robust documentation, ensuring that findings can be replicated or validated under local legal standards.

Watch The OSINT Webinar

Key Takeaways

By the end of the session, several key points emerged:

1. Transparency builds credibility. Every step of the process should be traceable and reproducible.
2. Ethics guide access and use. Availability does not always equal appropriateness.
3. Process drives defensibility. Clear, structured workflows protect investigators and strengthen outcomes.
4. Collaboration matters. OSINT sits within a global ecosystem of intelligence and analysis.

Looking Ahead

This inaugural webinar marked the start of an ongoing conversation. Future sessions will explore tools, case studies, and deeper technical discussions, but the first was about shared understanding and best practice.

Altia thanks all who attended and contributed to this valuable discussion.

To suggest topics for future sessions, participants are encouraged to contact the team and help shape the next phase of the OSINT Unlocked series.