In 2021, the ASIS Foundation published research about how social media and artificial intelligence can be leveraged to proactively identify new security issues. Now, we check in with one of those researchers—Chelsea Binns from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice—to see what has changed in the field, the ethics of researching social media, and what’s she’s looking at now.

This episode is brought to you by the ASIS Foundation. Find out more here: https://www.asisonline.org/get-involved/asis-foundation/

Additional Resources

Read the 2021 research, Using Social Media to Gather Security Intelligence, and other ASIS Foundation research online here: https://www.asisonline.org/get-involved/asis-foundation/asis-foundation-research/

Learn how OSINT and social media intelligence can become actionable in this Security Technology article: https://www.asisonline.org/security-management-magazine/monthly-issues/security-technology/archive/2023/december/stopping-an-active-shooter-with-osint/

More and more people get their news from social media. But when algorithms are designed to capture attention—even with traumatic content—what does this mean for protests and de-escalation? https://www.asisonline.org/security-management-magazine/articles/2025/01/burnout/social-media-crisis-response/

Online chatter and conspiracy theories can rapidly affect your organization’s reputation security. Learn more here: https://www.asisonline.org/security-management-magazine/articles/2023/02/reputation-security/redesigning-pandoras-box/

Improving social media governance is crucial for organizations to effectively manage their online presence. Find out more with Security Technology: https://www.asisonline.org/security-management-magazine/monthly-issues/security-technology/archive/2023/december/managing-digital-risk-with-social-media-governance/

Hone your situational awareness skills with this Security Management article: https://www.asisonline.org/security-management-magazine/articles/2022/09/how-to-improve-your-situational-awareness/