Minutes From RDDC OSINT Seminar 19 April 2016.pdf

The Royal Danish Defence College hosted a seminar on Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) on April 19, 2016, with over 140 participants from diverse backgrounds. Four key speakers addressed the subject from different perspectives. The seminar included discussions in smaller groups, which yielded several key findings:

OSINT must be done correctly, with properly educated and trained operators, to increase its reputation and confidence. It is a useful tool for validating information from other sources and can provide rapid turn-around times. OSINT can assist in creating new intelligence needs and deciding on collection assets. It is also useful in the preliminary phases of knowledge development and in building situational awareness.

The use of OSINT raises ethical and legitimate issues, particularly when it crosses the line into HUMINT. Gaining intelligence from OSINT can be challenging, depending on the topic. OSINT is a cost-effective, easy-to-use, and versatile platform used by private companies, police intelligence, and military units.

Robert David Steele argued that OSINT is underutilized and underfunded and that giving it priority could free resources from traditional disciplines. He suggested that the Nordics create a Nordic OSINT intelligence center to serve as an OSINT exchange hub. The seminar participants generally agreed on the benefits of prioritizing OSINT but raised questions about the fidelity of intelligence acquired from the internet.

The seminar also discussed how NATO should structure itself to create a robust OSINT program, with options including a virtual NATO "Federated Bureau" or a "Central NATO Bureau". Overall, the seminar concluded that OSINT is a valuable source of information and a tool to be reckoned with, and its future looks bright.