Open source intelligence sites, such as .gov, .org, .edu, and many .com sites, used to be acceptable choices for research for both finished and raw intelligence. They might not always have been neutral, but their biases were generally discernible and could be filtered from the final product. But the trustworthiness of publicly available data is becoming uneven.
A recent example is the origin of COVID, which is a controversial case, but it illustrates the point. Reportedly, because the theory of a lab leak was put forth by persons that print and social media deemed untrustworthy, news outlets dismissed the theory outright, and impeded the publication of any articles or news pieces that might support it. If the media decides what to publish based on its own social and political biases, rather than on journalistic ethics and standards, then its output is devalued.
OSINT still has much to offer, but approach reporting from all sides with a healthy amount of skepticism, and adhere/defer to IC analytical standards.
Here are a few other tips to keep in mind as you conduct your research:
- Get as close to the original reporting as possible. Even if a fact comes from a generally “reputable” site, take it to the next level. For example, if a source cites a fact from the FBI, try to find it on FBI.gov, or in official testimony.
- The posting date of an article can help narrow your search for the original source.
- Seek corroboration; read the story from multiple sources and perspectives.
- Forums and discussion sites can enrich your research. You might be able to cite one under limited circumstances, but offer clear explanations and caveats.
- Watch out for the occasional satirical site whose content appears real.
- Be aware of opinion pieces that are not clearly delineated as such.
- First reporting is often incorrect; facts are tempered by time.