Stage Talks with Bellingcat

This week, we spoke to Dr Adam Thomas Smith, Distinguished Professor of Arts & Sciences, Department of Anthropology, Cornell University and Dr Lori Khatchadourian, Associate Professor, Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University about their work at Caucasus Heritage Watch. CHW focuses on monitoring at-risk heritage caught in the cross-fire of the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and was founded in 2020 to monitor and document endangered and damaged cultural heritage using high-resolution satellite imagery. We also discussed Bellingcat's work monitoring similar damage in Gaza and Ukraine. The talk was hosted by Jake Godin on Thursday December 5th 2024. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.Links mentioned: You can find all of CHW's work on their website: https://caucasusheritage.cornell.edu/One of Bellingcat's investigations covering cultural heritage damage in Gaza: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2024/06/26/gaza-israel-destroy-destruction-damage-cultural-history-heritage-archaeology-conflict-war/

This week, we spoke to Dr Mariëlle Wijermars about internet governance in authoritarian states like Russia. We discussed the current strategies of the Russian government in internet crackdowns both at home and abroad and the trend of bots, online propaganda and banned media outlets in attempts at ongoing censorship. The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on Thursday November 8th 2024. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.Join our Discord Server for the next live talk at: https://discord.gg/bellingcatMariëlle's publications: https://mariellewijermars.com/Relevant articles: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/09/30/kremlin-forced-us-tech-firms-shut-down-an-app-its-opponents-were-using-now-what/ https://cepa.org/article/russias-social-media-self-censorship-law-is-misguided-and-the-west-must-avoid-making-the-same-mistake/Bellingcat RuNet webinar: https://www.bellingcat.com/workshops/december-10-2024-bellingcat-online-workshop-on-runet-investigations-4-hour-americas-friendly-time/Example of Russian bot networks on X impersonating Bellingcat: https://x.com/EliotHiggins/status/1838872568041816103Hugo Mercier’s book Not Born Yesterday might be relevant. Interviews include this one: https://youtu.be/P2iIwEqUecA?feature=sharedMariëlle's Horizon project https://www.arm-project.eu/Link to story about telegram: https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20240827-free-speech-and-homeland-kremlin-opportunistic-response-to-telegram-boss-pavel-durov-arrest-in-franceBellingcat's archiver tool: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2022/09/22/preserve-vital-online-content-with-bellingcats-auto-archiver-tool/

This week, we talk to Michael Hilliard. He and his colleagues at the Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs recently released their report titled "The Armed Forces of Central Asia". We discuss the complex geopolitical landscape in Central Asia, and what defence capacity the countries have to tackle their strategic challenges. The talk was hosted by Merel Zoet on Thursday October 24th 2024. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.Join our Discord Server for the next live talk at: https://discord.gg/bellingcatYou can find the first chapter of the report "Tajikistan" here: https://oxussociety.org/the-armed-forces-of-central-asia-tajikistan/

This week we talk to Elizabeth Pearson. Together with her colleagues she recently worked on the REASSURE report (https://voxpol.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Online-Extremism-and-Terrorism-Researchers-Security-Safety-Resilience.pdf )- which is published with the online extremism and terrorism research network VOX-Pol. The report describes experiences regarding safety and security of researchers who work on digital extremism and terrorism. We explored her learnings and took questions from the audience. The talk was hosted by Merel Zoet on Thursday October 10th 2024. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.Join our Discord Server for the next live talk at: https://discord.gg/bellingcatFor advice on looking after your mental health as a researcher you can look to our guide https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2022/11/23/how-to-maintain-mental-hygiene-as-an-open-source-researcher/ and find helpful resources on the DART center's website (https://dartcenter.org/)

This week's stage talk is focused on our new and updated toolkit! We've packed every useful open source research tool into one place to help assist new and old researchers, journalists and NGOs. Johanna Wild, who lead the project, joined us on stage to talk through the new developments. The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on Thursday September 26th 2024. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.Join our Discord Server for the next live talk at: https://discord.gg/bellingcatLinks discussed:Link to article on the Toolkit launch : https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2024/09/24/bellingcat-online-investigations-toolkit/ New toolkit: https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkitBellingcat volunteer community: https://sites.google.com/bellingcat.com/bellingcat-volunteer-communityIf you have questions around joining the Volunteer Community - reach out to volunteer@bellingcat.comInvid: https://www.invid-project.eu/Obsidian: https://obsidian.md/

This week's stage talk is about a militant attack in Burkina Faso that happened in late August, in which over 100 unarmed civilians died. We explore how Bellingcat investigators went to work trying to locate and verify graphic imagery claiming to be associated with the massacre. Content warning: Discussion of civilian harm, abuse and death. The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on Thursday September 12th 2024. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.Join our Discord Server for the next live talk at: https://discord.gg/bellingcatLinks discussed:The investigation: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2024/09/04/burkina-faso-barsalogho-massacre-attack-jihadi-militia-military-human-rights/(You can find the 'screenshots' referenced repeatedly in the recording in the investigation link above)ACLED: https://acleddata.com/Wagner in Africa Discord Channel: https://discord.com/channels/709752884257882135/1054884622955184228 Detail about Chirpwire: https://disinfo.africa/inside-al-shabaabs-digital-propaganda-machine-05cbdb04ed4f Bellingcat's auto-archiver tool: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2022/09/22/preserve-vital-online-content-with-bellingcats-auto-archiver-tool/ How to prevent, identify and address vicarious trauma: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/how-tos/2018/10/18/prevent-identify-address-vicarious-trauma-conducting-open-source-investigations-middle-east/Giancarlo's how to maintain mental hygiene as a researcher https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2022/11/23/how-to-maintain-mental-hygiene-as-an-open-source-researcher/Wassim Nasr: https://x.com/SimNasrHéni: https://twitter.com/MENASTREAM/

This week's stage talk is about using open sources in environmental focused investigations. We spoke to freelance journalist Luiz Toledo about his recent work covering deforestation policy gaps. He uncovered his stories using open databases and FOIA requests. Note that Luiz's mic has some distortion in the recording. The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on Thursday August 29th 2024. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.Join our Discord Server for the next live talk at: https://discord.gg/bellingcatLinks discussed:Luiz's investigations: https://www.icij.org/investigations/deforestation-inc/https://piaui.folha.uol.com.br/desmatamento-amazonia-embargos-icmbio/https://www.occrp.org/en/feature/criminal-gangs-are-logging-the-worlds-last-brazilwood-trees-to-make-violin-bowshttps://www.occrp.org/en/investigation/operation-do-re-mi-the-brazilian-bow-makers-under-investigation-for-dealing-in-endangered-woodLuiz's newsletter: https://news.fiquemsabendo.com.br/ FOIA tools: https://www.404media.co/foia-forum-with-a-pacer-expert-7-31-1pm-est/https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/https://x.com/JasonLeopold/status/1804630789205942322https://portaldatransparencia.gov.br/Environmental/deforestation resources: https://brasil.mapbiomas.org/https://infoamazonia.org/en/https://ambiental.media/https://dadosabertos.ibama.gov.br/dataset/fiscalizacao-auto-de-infracaohttps://cruzagrafos.abraji.org.br/https://climatecrimeanalysis.org/https://oxpeckers.org/https://eia-international.org/

In this week's stage talk we discuss open source research methods of covering protest movements and any corresponding violent action. Using the example of recent clashes in Bangladesh, our team unpack how they go about reporting on this topic, sharing their favourite resources, techniques and advice.The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on Thursday August 15 2024. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.Join our Discord Server for the next live talk at: https://discord.gg/bellingcatLinks discussed in the recording:Investigation: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2024/08/07/bangladesh-overthrow-resignation-sheikh-hasina-footage-open-sourceLinks from UN/ Amnesty on policing and weapons here: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/research/2023/10/repression-trade/Regarding rubber bullet usage https://www.amnesty.nl/content/uploads/2023/03/Amnesty-position-paper-kinetic-impact-projectiles.pdfPolicing manual from Amnesty https://www.amnesty.nl/content/uploads/2017/01/book_1_0.pdfUN : Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/basic-principles-use-force-and-firearms-law-enforcementUN: Guidance on Less-Lethal Weapons In Law Enforcement https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/HRBodies/CCPR/LLW_Guidance.pdfBellingcat Auto-Archiver tool: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2022/09/22/preserve-vital-online-content-with-bellingcats-auto-archiver-tool/Bellingcat's Search Grid Generator tool: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/how-tos/2024/08/05/tracking-your-search-a-guide-to-the-grid-generator/NASA-FIRMS: https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/Bellingcat guide to NASA-FIRMS: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2022/10/04/scorched-earth-using-nasa-fire-data-to-monitor-war-zones/Bellingcat's guide to maintaining mental hygiene as an open source researcher: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2022/11/23/how-to-maintain-mental-hygiene-as-an-open-source-researcher/

This week we were joined on stage by Sam Stecklow, from the not-for-profit newsroom The Invisible Institute. Within the talk we discussed their work on making police complaint data publicly accessible and explored their collaborative models, funding and large data projects.The talk was hosted by Giancarlo Fiorella on Thursday August 1 2024. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.Join our Discord Server for the next live talk at: https://discord.gg/bellingcatFind the full list of links shared by Sam during the talk below:Civic Data Project Live site: http://CPDP.coKicking the pigeon: https://invisible.institute/kicking-the-pigeonCode of Silence: https://theintercept.com/series/code-of-silence/https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/Resources/61e475d6-97b0-4eef-8d62-23766553a041/1121846.pdfhttps://slate.com/news-and-politics/2015/02/laquan-mcdonald-shooting-a-recently-obtained-autopsy-report-on-the-dead-teen-complicates-the-chicago-police-departments-story.htmlhttps://champaign.cpdp.co/https://invisible.institute/ypphttps://invisible.institute/somebody-podcasthttps://chicagopolicetorturearchive.com/https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/10/15/mauled-when-police-dogs-are-weaponshttps://forensic-architecture.org/investigation/the-killing-of-harith-augustus/https://www.btsurface.com/https://chicagomissingpersons.com/https://invisible.institute/illinois-police-datahttps://invisible.institute/data-access-transparencyhttps://ipmnewsroom.org/sean-grayson-sonya-massey-sangamon-county-sheriff-misconduct/https://www.chicagocopa.org/data-cases/case-portal/

This week we were joined on stage by Aram Shabanian, the Open-Source Information Gathering Manager at the New Lines Institute and long time Bellingcat contributor. Aram shared a long list of interesting open source tools that citizens and journalists alike can use to help monitor wildfires. Find the full list of tools shared by Aram here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SJHzw5cSenCvEq7iGEyhHhRKAHq1vOcVlJy4sYAcchM/edit?gid=0#gid=0And additional tools referenced in the chat here: Aram's livestream guide https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2023/11/09/using-livestreams-to-monitor-crises-in-gaza-and-beyond/Look up your local area's wildfire pocket card with this link: https://www.wildfire.gov/wims/pocket-card-tableBellingcat's OSINT Forest area tracker https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2023/08/18/a-new-tool-shows-what-war-has-done-to-ukraines-forests/Canadian map resource shared by an audience member: https://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/interactive-mapOnXMaps: https://www.onxmaps.com/ Link to our Discord channel for tool idea pitches: https://discord.com/channels/709752884257882135/1173992891945861160Wildcad.net: http://www.wildcad.net/WildCADWeb.aspOregon specific references: Odffire https://odffire.com/Arcgis view: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/6329d5e4e13748b9b9f7f33f06a3c376/?fbclid=IwAR2HH7Zxyi-vqihq8pWQJKzynrFK19bKFow-VjTAn3Puz6lZtHpz5JrTgP4Inciweb https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/Oregon Dept of Forestry Course: https://odftraining.thinkific.com/courses/media-accessThe IMSR report shows national fire deployments in the US. In the off season it's updated every Friday. Peak fire season it's daily. : https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/nfnThe talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on Thursday the 18th of July in the Bellingcat Discord server. Music courtesy of Artlist.