Hoover InstitutionStanford University
How Open-Source Information Is Changing Intelligence

The global intelligence community is rapidly changing as new technology allows ordinary citizens to collect and analyze open-source intelligence. Despite the good that has already come from evidence compiled by nonstate actors, open-source intelligence comes with some risks. Mitigating those risks will require action from both open-source intelligence NGOs and government agencies.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the advantages of open-source intelligence?
  2. What are the risks of open-source intelligence?

Additional resources:

  • Read “Crowdsourcing and the Mobs,” by Amy Zegart. Available here.
  • Read about Amy Zegart’s new book, Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence, here.
  • Watch “Why Cyber Is Different,” with Amy Zegart, via PolicyEd. Available here.

Cast

Amy Zegart

Amy Zegart

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