How open-source intelligence shapes modern investigative journalism with Ben Heubl
In this episode of The Intelligence Spotlight, we sit down with Ben Heubl, an investigative journalist at Süddeutsche Zeitung, who is at the forefront of integrating open-source intelligence (OSINT) into modern journalism. With a career that began in the UK at outlets like The Economist and Financial Times, Ben now focuses on global security, human rights, and environmental investigations, using data and digital forensics to tell stories that cut through noise and disinformation.
When journalism meets OSINT
Ben’s journey into OSINT wasn’t marked by a sudden epiphany. Like many before the OSINT acronym gained traction, he had already been applying its principles. “I was always looking for data. Digging into archives, crawling corners of the internet for something verifiable,” he says. It wasn’t until around 2016 that he came across the OSINT hashtag and realised he’d essentially been doing it all along.
His first motivation was deeply personal: he wanted to understand how visible and vulnerable he was as a journalist. “You realise you’re leaving behind breadcrumbs. Your address, your activity, conferences you attend. So, I started researching myself first.” That self-audit became a doorway to something larger. “Soon I was using OSINT not just to secure myself but to reach out to sources — to build trust in digital spaces.”
The digital handshake
In a world where your source could be a Russian dissident or a soldier in a conflict zone, the rules of engagement have changed. “You can’t just send two lines saying who you are and expect a response. You need to understand who you’re talking to, what motivates them, and whether they can trust you,” Ben explains.
And that, he insists, is also OSINT. “It’s not always about geolocation or tracing weapons. It’s about context, nuance, and approaching someone on the other side of a screen in a way that earns their confidence.”
Telling stories through code and craft
Ben joined Süddeutsche Zeitung in 2022, where the digital storytelling environment gave him space to experiment. One of his recent investigations, 300 Meter Todsfahrt, examined a deadly attack in the US. With intricate data visualisations, scroll-based timelines, and embedded maps, the story offered a compelling reconstruction of the event.
“It wasn’t necessarily about doing the most work, but doing it right. We had to validate what others were saying, talk to people on the ground, and make tough calls on what to include and what to leave out,” he recalls.
From tracking Russian naval vessels to linking shrapnel in conflict zones to specific armaments, Ben’s work often involves building a network of collaborators. “You need people on the ground. And you also need that little black book of trusted investigators — it’s essential.”
The ethics of exposure
As OSINT becomes more accessible, the line between investigation and intrusion grows thinner. Ben is clear about his boundaries. “We never hack. We never impersonate. We don’t take shortcuts.” He stresses that even search queries must be conducted carefully when dealing with sensitive targets. “In one case, just visiting a website could’ve tipped someone off. So we had to run everything through secure, virtual systems.”
That principle extends to source protection. If someone in a conflict zone uses their limited data to send you a tip, he says, there’s an unspoken responsibility to honour that. “You can’t waste that moment. If it doesn’t make it into a piece, it leaves a feeling of guilt. But we’re still a newsroom — not everything can be published.”
OSINT in Germany and beyond
Unlike the UK, where OSINT has grown into a visible community, Germany’s scene is quieter — but it exists. “There are people doing important work, like Mattias Wilson and Samuel Lollagar, and tools like Maltego are German-built,” Ben points out. Still, cultural and legal sensitivities around data privacy mean the German OSINT community is more restrained in how it presents itself publicly.
Asked about his favourite tools, Ben gives a nod to Olson Industries and Epieos for rapid searches, and speaks fondly of Google Earth Pro. “The fact it runs on browser now makes things so much faster. It’s still one of the best tools out there.”
Final thoughts
Ben is quick to warn against OSINT absolutism. “You cannot tell a story with OSINT alone. You need corroboration. You need the human angle. You need to verify every link in your chain.”
But when done right, he says, OSINT is powerful. It is the bridge between raw information and meaningful journalism. And if there’s one principle he stands by, it’s the oldest one in the book: do no harm — to your sources, to your colleagues, or to the truth.
