CheckFirst signs the ObSINT Guidelines

Uniting Europe's OSINT community to promote excellence in public-facing investigations, fostering collaboration, and enhancing the impact of open-source intelligence research across the region

As a founding member of ObSINT, the European Open Source Intelligence Organisations Observatory, CheckFirst is thrilled to join forces with other leading organisations dedicated to public-facing open-source investigative work. Our collaborative project, initiated by the European Fact-Checking Standards Network Project (EFCSN), an EU-funded endeavour, brings together EU DisinfoLab, The Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), OSINT Curious, Centre for Information Resilience, OpenFacto, and Logically.

Together, we aim to create a centralised hub of resources for the OSINT community, fostering transparency, collaboration, and knowledge sharing among stakeholders.

Our collective’s primary mission is the development of the Guidelines for Public Interest OSINT Investigations (“OSINT Guidelines”), a comprehensive framework for organisations engaged in open-source research. A first version of these guidelines was just published and ObSINT is committed to improve them in the future. Spanning over five chapters, these guidelines outline best practices, methodologies, tools, skills, documentation, and working environments for conducting effective and ethical investigations.

By encouraging organisations to adopt these OSINT Guidelines, CheckFirst and our partners at ObSINT seek to elevate the quality and consistency of open-source intelligence work across Europe. Furthermore, we actively invite input and engagement from the wider OSINT community to continually refine and expand these guidelines.

Through ObSINT’s collaborative approach, we aim to make a significant impact on the future of public-facing open-source investigative work. By providing a central platform for knowledge sharing, the Observatory empowers organisations, researchers, and enthusiasts to conduct more accurate and ethical OSINT investigations.

Join us and our fellow ObSINT members today in shaping the future of public-facing open-source intelligence in Europe. Visit the ObSINT website to explore the Guidelines, access valuable resources, and engage with a vibrant community of OSINT practitioners.

About us

We empower the fight against disinformation. Check First is a software and methodologies company founded by a developer and two journalists. We focus on creating the best tools and practices for the peculiar job of countering and monitoring fakes and influence campaigns, and gain time in the process by fostering collaboration. Our best asset is the complementarity of our founding team, making us approach problems in a comprehensive and innovative way.

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