What would you do if a bit of online research led you to something deeply disturbing?

In this episode of The Crime Scene Insiders, we're joined by Joshua Richards, founder of OSINT Praxis, to take a closer look at the world of Open-Source Intelligence, and the very real consequences it can sometimes uncover.

Josh discovered OSINT while he was still a student, fascinated by the puzzle of piecing together information from publicly available sources. He started out by showing Minecraft players what could be found about them from nothing more than a username. But that curiosity soon led him down a much darker rabbit hole, when he came across posts involving the sale of human body parts and plans to kidnap people.

Using OSINT techniques, Josh began investigating what he'd found. Starting with little more than an email address, he was eventually able to identify the person behind the posts and pass the information on to law enforcement. Years later, he learned that the individual had been arrested, and that the investigation had potentially saved the lives of two people.

But this episode isn't just about that investigation.

We talk about what Open-Source Intelligence actually is, how seemingly insignificant pieces of information can be connected, and just how much we unknowingly leave behind online. Josh explains how he approaches an investigation, what public records and data breaches can reveal, and why your digital footprint may be far bigger than you realise.

If you've ever wondered how private you really are online, Josh has some practical advice, from passwords and two-factor authentication to social media privacy and understanding what you're putting out there.

We also get into the ethics of OSINT, the line between information being publicly available and it being appropriate to use, and why Josh is careful about the investigations he takes on. And we look at the growing role of AI, and why Josh isn't convinced that current tools are ready to replace the human side of investigation.

This is a fascinating, and at times unsettling, look at what can be uncovered when you know where to look.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of violent crime and kidnapping.

Useful links: If you'd like to get into OSINT, Josh recommends the free UK OSINT community at osint.uk (Discord: osint.uk/discord). If you've come across something concerning online, Crime Stoppers offers a completely anonymous way to report it. And if you'd like to use your skills to help find missing people, take a look at Trace Labs.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.