Standfirst:
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) can illuminate fast-moving crises—if it is collected ethically, verified rigorously, and documented so it can stand up to scrutiny.

What to collect (and why)

• Imagery & video: Satellite, commercial drone, user-generated content (UGC).

• Telemetry: AIS for vessels, ADS-B for aircraft.

• Documents & datasets: Official releases, UN/OCHA updates, World Bank/IMF macro data.

• Local media & NGO reporting: For ground truth and timelines.

Verification workflow (four steps)

1. Provenance: Source mapping; original upload where possible; archive first.

2. Geolocation: Terrain, landmarks, shadows; cross-check with satellite basemaps.

3. Chronolocation: Sun-angle, weather records, metadata, platform timestamps.

4. Corroboration: Triangulate with independent sources (official reports, humanitarian datasets).

Chain of custody & documentation

• Use immutable hashes; log every handling step; store originals read-only.

• Maintain method notes and a limitations section (e.g., compression artifacts).

• Clearly separate facts, inferences, and opinions in the final brief.

Ethics & legal safeguards

• Do-no-harm: blur identities when disclosure could endanger individuals; follow data minimization and necessity/proportionality principles.

• Respect platform terms and copyright; cite sources; obtain consent where feasible.

• Align with international humanitarian law when documenting alleged violations; avoid interfering with ongoing operations.

Products decision-makers actually use

• Incident cards (1 page each): what/where/when/so-what; geolocation image; confidence level.

• Situation map (updated daily): overlays with humanitarian corridors and no-strike areas (if relevant).

• Policy annex: risk implications, options, and collection gaps that matter for decisions.

Editor’s note (opinion): If it isn’t reproducible, it isn’t intelligence—it’s just a claim. Your documentation is the product.

References 

UN OCHA/HDX guidance on humanitarian data; ICRC professional standards for protection work (on data protection & do-no-harm); OECD privacy/AI principles; World Bank data catalog standards; UK GOVSCE/UK OSINT professional guidance (open publications); EU Fundamental Rights Agency guidance on OSINT & privacy (public materials).