Nico Dekens | Dutch_OSINTguy
AI can generate a convincing Amsterdam street that never existed, then fail to recognize its own fiction when asked to geolocate it. This experiment shows why visual plausibility is no longer proof. For OSINT practitioners, the lesson is clear: seeing is not believing. Only provenance, source tracing, corroboration, and disciplined geolocation tradecraft can separate synthetic evidence, from…
Evidence poisoning is the contamination of the open web with synthetic, manipulated or amplified material that later appears useful as investigative evidence. In an age of AI slop, fake personas, recycled footage and algorithmic summaries, OSINT practitioners must ask not only whether a source can be found, but whether it was manufactured to be found.
AI has made it easy for OSINT practitioners to build and install investigative tools. It has not made it safe to trust them. This blog examines the real risk behind vibe coding, viral GitHub apps, and useful-looking platforms that may expose workflows, distort analysis, or reveal investigative intent. In OSINT, the danger is not only bad code. It is trusting software you do not fully understand.
This is not just random extremism. It is a pipeline. From open platforms to closed chats, vulnerable people can be spotted, shaped, tested, and pushed toward real-world violence as disposable proxies. This piece examines how that works, why Jewish sites and dissidents are attractive targets, and how OSINT investigators can spot the runway before the fire starts.
AI may not replace analysts first. It may break them first. This blog explores how cognitive overload, synthetic media, AI dependence, and algorithmic pressure may erode the human judgment behind OSINT, threat intelligence, and digital investigations. The real danger is not just AI-generated content, but what prolonged exposure to machine-shaped workflows does to attention, skepticism, and…
AI isn’t just speeding up OSINT - it’s reshaping what investigators and leaders believe is true. As hallucinations, data poisoning, and AI-generated narratives flood the information space, critical thinking is collapsing inside intelligence cycles. This blog exposes how AI-shaped distortions already influence investigations, threat intelligence, and decision-making and what must be done to stop…
I’ve been thinking a lot about why conversations around OSINT feel increasingly shallow, even though the tools we use have never been more powerful. We have more data, automation, dashboards and AI-generated summaries than at any point in the history of intelligence. And yet, when I look at how conclusions are drawn, how confidence is expressed, and how often assumptions go unchallenged, I can’t…
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) is entering its most disruptive era yet. What was once a clear, open landscape is splintering into disappearing data, platform restrictions, AI-driven deception, and geopolitical pressure that reshapes information in real time. OSINT is no longer just about collecting data, it’s about surviving a shifting environment that will redefine how investigators work in the…
You think you know Amsterdam? You don’t. Even if you’re born and raised there. For OSINT investigators, analysts, and journalists, searching only for “Amsterdam” means missing half the signal. The city hides behind slang, symbols, codes, and multilingual aliases. This post shows how language masks location, why alias awareness matters, and how Boolean and regex uncover Amsterdam’s hidden digital…
OSINT isn’t about collecting public data, AI already does that better than humans. OSINT is about pressure-testing reality. In digital investigations, organisational security, and business risk, OSINT turns fragmented public signals into defensible understanding. As AI increases visibility but not judgment, OSINT remains a human discipline: questioning sources, timelines, intent, and absence. This…
OSINT intelligence from publicly available sources has become essential in modern investigations. When paired with HUMINT, it strengthens threat detection, verification, and operational planning. Together, they offer deeper insight, improved accuracy, and faster decision-making, making OSINT training vital for today’s law enforcement and intelligence professionals.
A 13-year-old boy sat gaming after school while someone he’d never met groomed him in a private chat. His mother sensed the shift only when his humour sharpened, his tone hardened, and his words echoed patterns seen in the AIVD’s 2025 report. This wasn’t curiosity, it was reshaping. And it’s not rare anymore. Across the world, children are being radicalised entirely online, often before adults…
If you want to know why teens feel broken, watch a fresh account for thirty minutes. It starts with jokes and ends in panic attacks, body shame, and self-diagnosis. Kids aren’t searching for this. The algorithm is choosing their emotions for them, one scroll at a time
Human intelligence is powerful, but incomplete without digital validation. Based on real-world investigations, this blog explores why HUMINT operators, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies must embed OSINT to verify assets, expose hidden online behaviors, prevent deception, and generate trustworthy intelligence in a hybrid, global threat landscape.
Breaking into the OSINT field can feel overwhelming, whether you want to become an analyst, investigator, developer, or instructor. The path is clearer once you understand key roles, essential skills, and how to position yourself. With the right training, networking, and a targeted resume, applying for an OSINT job becomes far easie
You’ve got mountains of data at your fingertips. But how do you turn that raw chaos into sharp, actionable intelligence? That’s where data analysis for OSINT comes in. It’s not just a buzzword or a fancy tool. It's the secret weapon that transforms scattered bits of information into a clear, strategic advantage. If you’re serious about cracking cases, tracking threats, or securing cyberspace,…
Intelligence reports turn raw OSINT data into actionable insight. After two decades in the field, one lesson stands out: collection means nothing without clear communication. The real value lies in analysis, connecting patterns, interpreting meaning, and shaping evidence into a coherent narrative. Effective reports guide decision-makers with clarity, structure, and purpose, tailored to the…
The biggest threat in OSINT isn’t lack of data. It’s ego. The moment you think you understand the dataset, you stop learning from it. The moment you think you can’t be surprised, you stop being useful. Black Swans don’t hide, they just look irrelevant until they change everything. Your dashboard doesn’t need more data. It needs more doubt.
Explore the future of OSINT with AI as we delve into the next two decades of advancements. Discover how OSINT and AI will redefine tradecraft.
Walk through an old temple in Luxor or Karnak, and you’re surrounded by symbols that once carried life-and-death meaning. Hieroglyphics...