Methodology
Methodology in the context of collecting open source evidence refers to the systematic approach and set of principles used to gather, analyze, and validate information from publicly available sources. This involves several key components:
1. Definition of Objectives: Establishing clear research questions or hypotheses that guide the collection process. This ensures that the information gathered is relevant and targeted.
We define our objectives by either analyzing evidence of the same type of crime within a range of dates, or crimes that occurred within a single location (e.g. a hospital)or in standout cases crimes that happened to one individual (e.g. Hind Rajab). This allows us to produce in depth evidence packages that provide insights into patterns of behavior that are supported by evidence.
2. Source Identification: Identifying where to find credible and relevant open-source information. This includes social media, blogs, online news articles, academic publications, governmental reports, and other freely available documents.
We consider open-source evidence to be digital evidence that is posted on public social media accounts and public platforms online. We do not accept evidence from private sources for privacy and security reasons. Each piece of evidence will have its own URL link. Simply put, if it doesn't have a public link URL, we don't consider it open source.
Over 90 percent of the evidence we collect is sourced from the social media accounts of Journalists in both Gaza and the Westbank. We prioritize evidence that comes directly from the people who filmed the incidents. We also collect news reports of victim and witness statements from reputable sources. Most of the evidence is sourced from Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Telegram Channels and YouTube.
3. Data Collection Techniques: Utilizing various tools and techniques to gather data. This may incorporate web scraping, data mining, and manual searches to compile a comprehensive dataset. Ensuring the proper handling of metadata is crucial for establishing context and credibility.
4. Validation and Verification: Implementing processes to assess the reliability and accuracy of the collected information. This can involve cross-referencing multiple sources, checking the credentials of authors, and utilizing fact-checking techniques.
To verify the accuracy and authenticity of the evidence we cross reference it with other posts and sources directly connected to the incident to ensure we are getting the evidence from the source. When there's doubt about who originally posted the evidence, we locate the earliest time and day the evidence was first posted. We also look for mentions and watermarks to verify the original uploader. Identifying the original post helps us identify the witness/victims and date and location of the incident. Once we have compiled all the available evidence, we further analyze it as a cluster (body of evidence) . We view it by incident date, publish date, location and victims’ names and conduct further online searches to obtain more information about each incident.
Most journalists will add a watermark on their videos or have other posts referencing the original source of evidence.
Cause no harm policy: We do not interfere in the lives of the journalists or citizens whose open-source evidence we rely on to protect these individuals and our volunteers. We trust that investigators who are trained and authorized will conduct their own investigations to help verify the information provided by the evidence we share.
5. Analysis: Employing analytical frameworks to interpret the data collected. This step often includes identifying patterns, extracting insights, and drawing conclusions that address the original research questions.
6. Clusters of Evidence: Clusters of evidence refers to multiple pieces of evidence that belong to a single incident or event. Each piece of evidence has limited information and does not hold much value on its own, but when the evidence is viewed as a cluster that it gains value. During our analysis we search for evidence that belongs to an incident or event and group them together to compile the information and to cross reference them to verify accuracy.
7. Conflicting Information: In cases where cluster evidence contains conflicting information, we will conduct further online research. If, for example we cannot determine the death toll or number or persons injured, we will use the number that the majority of sources use or mark it as “Unknown”.
8. Duplicates: In rare instances we will use 2 sources for the same piece of evidence when the post caption provides additional information.
9. Identifying Victims: During our analysis process we attempt to properly identify and name each victim mentioned. We use photos, videos, names written on body bags or shrouds, the written information in the post caption, the dialogue in the video and their funeral videos.
Note: The victims’ names are often spelled differently. We use the spelling provided on their social media account.
10. Translations: Translations are done by volunteers not professional translators or legal transcribers. However, the translations have been verified by volunteers who speak fluent Palestinian Arabic and English.
11. Discrepancy on Dates: Our volunteers are uploading evidence from multiple time zones. When someone posts on social media from Palestine the date and time will show as the viewer’s time zone not Palestine’s time zone (unless you are viewing the evidence from the same time zone as Palestine). Most date discrepancies are by 1 days (24 hours).
12. Coversheets: All of our evidence packages are introduced with a coversheet that provides insights into patterns of behavior we have noticed between different clusters. Where appropriate we may use provide a coversheet to highlight these patterns. We may also present a chronological timeline of occurrences to fulfill our research objectives.
13. Documentation: Keeping a detailed record of the sources, methods used, and findings. Documentation is vital for transparency and for enabling others to replicate the research or follow the inquiry trail.
14. Preservation of Evidence: All the files to the evidence are preserved in multiple locations. We also preserve the link to the evidence.
15. Ethical Considerations: Addressing potential ethical concerns inherent in collecting and using open source evidence. This includes respecting privacy, understanding legal implications, and adhering to best practices in handling sensitive information.
We are committed to continually refining and improving our methodology so that we can take a structured and comprehensive approach to documenting and analyzing war crimes. The purpose of creating these evidence packages is to help support criminal investigations, international reporting and legal proceedings by supplementing evidence with open-source evidence to help fill the gaps. We may employ slight variations on our methodology depending on the type of evidence or research objective we are dealing with which will be clearly stated in the coversheet.
We are not in any way affiliated with law enforcement, court or any political party. We currently do not accept or receive any funding and have no financial connections.
