4. OSINT as Part of the Strategic National Security Landscape

This chapter looks at the context, application and benefits of OSINT for use in decision making, as an integrated part of the wider intelligence mix and, as an essential component within the overall Intelligence Cycle. OSINT is a growing and increasingly critical aspect in decision making by LEAs—and has been even before the burgeoning use of social media brought open source to the fore. But, its full integration into the wider intelligence mix, as well as into an overarching information governance framework, is essential to ensure efficient and effective contribution to usable intelligence able to support better informed decision making. Fundamentally, unless the system in which OSINT is used as interoperable as the system is in which decision-making is taking place, the application and value of OSINT will be far less effective, efficient and meaningful. This chapter addresses OSINT in the context of the Intelligence Process and the need to resolve the challenges and issues surrounding the integration and use of OSINT into the Intelligence Cycle. It further discusses how an overarching information governance framework may support OSINT for decision making within the wider Intelligence Mix.