Stage Talks with Bellingcat

This week we're joined by Bellingcat Senior Fundraiser Mareike Vitt. Mareike is here to share invaluable tips on sourcing sustainable funding for open source research and journalism efforts. In the discussion we spoke about the current funding trends and how you as an individual or as an organisation can stand out in grant applications and when reaching out to those all important potential donors. The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on Thursday February 13th 2025. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.Links mentioned:Funds for NGOs : Subscribe to newsletter, frequent overview of current calls for grants, fellowships etc. https://www.fundsforngos.org/ Specific insights for funds for NGOs: https://www2.fundsforngos.org/Funds for Individuals: https://fundsforindividuals.fundsforngos.org/Funds for US: https://us.fundsforngos.org/Sample Proposals for many areas: https://www.fundsforngos.org/proposal_category/sample-ngo-or-nonprofit-grant-proposals/Global Forum for Media Development https://gfmd.info/Overview of current funding opportunities: https://gfmd.info/find-funding/Extensive fundraising Guide: https://fundraising-guide.gfmd.info/Check out other resources e.g. grant writing classes: https://www.nonprofitready.org/grant-writing-classes Bellingcat workshops/training: https://www.bellingcat.com/workshops/Bellingcat's current donation pathway: https://www.bellingcat.com/donate/ Bellingcat's original website campaign is still here! https://brown-moses.blogspot.com/Freelance cross border funding example: https://www.investigativejournalismforeu.net/

In this discussion, Mike Yambo, an open source investigator at Nation, shares his journey of integrating innovative research practices in traditional journalism. He highlights the challenges of balancing speed and accuracy while combating disinformation. Mike explains the critical role of open source methods in covering sensitive topics like police brutality and conflict in Sudan. He also emphasizes the importance of operational security and ethical storytelling, showcasing how 3D models and digital tools can enhance engagement in investigative journalism.

This week, we're back for the new year with a new topic, exploring the nexus of art theft, trafficking, and intelligence. We spoke with Lynda Albertson from the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art about the process of collecting and analysing information related to art crimes. How can open source research help tackle the world's cultural crimes? The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on Thursday January 16th 2025. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.Links mentioned:In our Discord Server you can find our art-crime channel: https://discord.com/invite/bellingcatARCA: https://www.artcrimeresearch.org/Lynda's example 1: https://www.artcrimeresearch.org/bellingcat-stage-talk-1/Example 2: https://www.artcrimeresearch.org/bellingcat-stage-talk-2/Example 3: https://www.artcrimeresearch.org/bellingcat-stage-talk-3/Bellingcat investigations/guides focused on old polaroid analysis: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2023/08/04/solving-world-war-ii-photo-mysteries-with-open-source-techniques/ ,https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2022/08/09/using-new-tech-to-investigate-old-photographs/https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2023/08/16/untangling-the-mystery-of-the-worlds-first-rooftop-solar-panel/Interpol Stolen Works of Art Database: https://www.interpol.int/en/Crimes/Cultural-heritage-crime/ID-Art-mobile-appIndia Pride Project: https://x.com/indiaprideproj?lang=enLost Arts of Nepal: https://www.facebook.com/lostartsofnepal/Carabinieri TPC's smartphone app: https://apps.apple.com/it/app/itpc-carabinieri/id858588594https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=itpc.carabinieri.it&hl=itThe Antiquities Coalition: https://theantiquitiescoalition.org/ARCA training: https://www.artcrimeresearch.org/postgraduate-certificate-programmes/

This week, we decided to change the format a little to mark the final stage talk of the year. We were joined by founder of Bellingcat, Eliot Higgins to discuss how he feels about the last 10 years of open source research as Bellingcat celebrates its decade anniversary. The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on Thursday December 12th 2024. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.Links mentioned:'We Are Bellingcat', the book: https://www.bellingcat.com/book/GQ interview with lost dog conversation: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/politics/article/eliot-higgins-bellingcat-interviewToolkit: https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkitBellingcat Open Source Challenges: https://challenge.bellingcat.com/The Nation open source research coverage of the protests in Kenya: https://nation.africa/kenya/news/eight-hours-of-rage-how-the-finance-bill-2024-led-to-kenya-s-parliament-invasion-4744254First steps into OSINT: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2021/11/09/first-steps-to-getting-started-in-open-source-research/NYT piece on bomb crater detection: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/21/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-bomb-investigation.htmlCommand Line tools video guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3gm-ud91v0Jupyter Notebooks help: https://github.com/bellingcat/open-source-research-notebooksFrank Zappa - Eliot's recommendation: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kv0M4wqpMkWqa5f1mbtlogpYO78mBpkws

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/