Stage Talks with Bellingcat

This week we spoke to the people behind the Bellingcat Online Open Source Investigation Toolkit, two years after it was first launched. In the conversation, Johanna Wild, Anisa Shabir and Martin Sona explored how they assess new tools, put tools to the test and manage to upkeep the toolkit amongst a constantly changing digital landscape. They also provided invaluable tips on how you can stay safe and precise with your analysis when using open source tools. The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on October 8th 2026. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.

Recorded live in our Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/bellingcat

Links:

Bellingcat Toolkit: https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit

Contact: [email protected]

Support the Toolkit work: https://www.bellingcat.com/donate-bellingcat-toolkit/

Areas in our Discord for tools: Interested in finding or sharing useful tools? ⁠tools-and-sites Need help with a tool? ⁠tool-support

Looking for help with or review of development of your own tool? ⁠tool-development

We spoke about some of these ethical issues and restrictions with AI tools last week with Craig Silverman, listen back here: https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/3202578/

Johanna previously gave a talk when the new toolkit launched here: https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/1675152/

Image/Video category in the toolkit: https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/categories/image-video

Tool Pure Ref: https://www.pureref.com/

Social media category in the toolkit: https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/categories/social-media

Tool zeeschuimer: https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/zeeschuimer

Learn about our volunteer community here: https://www.bc-community.org/

This week OSINT journalist and trainer Craig Silverman joined us to share how he uses AI in investigations, from prompting Claude to become a research assistant to searching with facial recognition tools. This talk specifically dove into his methodology on his recent investigation into a North Korean scam, where fake recruiters were trying to get new hires to download malware. Craig shared invaluable tips on how and when AI could come in use, alongside pointing out the risks involved with using this technology for research.

The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on October 1st 2026. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.

Recorded live in our Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/bellingcat

Links:

Craig's investigation: https://indicator.media/p/i-got-inside-a-north-korean-hiring-scam-what-i-found-reveals-a-troubling-shift-in-tactics

Tools mentioned:

spotlight.buriedsignals.com

https://navigator.indicator.media/

Xuele Doc: https://github.com/Malfrats/xeuledoc

Bellingcat Toolkit: https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit

Bellingcat AI articles: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2026/06/25/how-to-use-ai-to-help-find-civilian-harm-conflict-report-monitor-war-machine-learning-telegram/

https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2025/08/14/llms-vs-geolocation-gpt-5-performs-worse-than-other-ai-models/

Indicator framework: https://indicator.media/p/the-indicator-framework-how-to-tell-what-your-digital-osint-evidence-is-actually-worth

Space in Discord for this topic: https://discordapp.com/channels/709752884257882135/1089154093810978866

This week Bellingcat's Peter Barth joined us to go behind the scenes of his latest investigation into a cold case murder. This talk specifically dove into his methodology for public record requests and how this pursuit led to him finding the answers he was looking for. Full of FOIA tips and tricks, this episode is perfect for anyone looking to do in-depth investigations on cases that may have taken place pre-internet boom.

The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on September 17th 2026. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.

Recorded live in our Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/bellingcat

Links:

Peter's cold case investigation: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/us-canada/2026/08/31/investigating-a-murder-public-records-uncover-new-clues-in-chinatown-cold-case/?utm_source=stagetalks

Peter's slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1aGJNVqzHSgOC4nwsKT7rrw7NpO--a8lWCK8k2Z8apoM/edit?usp=sharing

Merch contest (referenced at beginning): https://www.bellingcat.com/uncategorized/2026/09/14/bellingcat-official-merch-design-contest/

Peter's last talk on cold cases: https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/2101281/

Space in the Discord Server to talk tools for cold case investigations: https://discordapp.com/channels/709752884257882135/1375086026275688488

Muckrock: https://www.muckrock.com/foi/

also a great FOI website: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/

Peter's Texas cold case: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/05/27/pigeon-shoots-and-hitmen-new-leads-in-a-texas-oilmans-cold-case/

This week Bellingcat's Michael Colborne and Pooja Chaudhuri joined us to share their experience of using network analysis techniques to study transnational hate groups. We spent the hour discussing useful research tips and exploring the wider context of how these types of groups operate.

The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on September 3rd 2026. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.

Recorded live in our Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/bellingcat

Links:

Want to learn more about researching this topic? Check out our webinar in October: https://www.bellingcat.com/workshops/hate-symbols-online-extremism-and-how-not-to-amplify-hate-webinar-october-28-2026/

Colombian investigation on AC Bogota: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/05/11/active-club-colombia-politics/

Bulgarian streetwear investigation: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2024/10/09/active-club-far-right-fashion-w2r-bulgaria/

Example of an event in Budapest: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/01/30/neo-nazis-linked-to-terrorist-activities-to-host-budapest-concert/

Hindu nationalist website article: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2024/05/28/how-hindu-nationalist-far-right-india-websites-money/

RSS map: https://rssproject.caravanmagazine.in/map

QANON analysis guide: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2021/11/24/toy-rabbits-chemtrails-and-german-qanon-fanatics-how-not-to-conduct-open-source-investigations/

RSS in Modi Government: https://theprint.in/politics/rss-in-modi-govt-in-numbers-3-of-4-ministers-are-rooted-in-the-sangh/353942/

This week Bellingcat's Kolina Koltai and The Press' Michael Wright joined us to discuss their recent investigation into the website LeakedBB. LeakedBB was a publicly accessible forum with millions of registered users, where intimate images were allegedly shared without consent. Kolina and Michael provided insight into the methodology behind their investigation, how they identified a key admin of the website, and the challenges of tackling the wider issue of non-consensual sharing of explicit images online.

The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on August 13th 2026. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.

Recorded live in our Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/bellingcat

Links:

The investigation: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/07/16/leakedbb-crypto-entrepreneur/

The Press' version of the investigation: https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/361041069/leaked-global-online-forum-trading-leaked-nudes-and-its-christchurch-links

These researchers also recently spoke to The World about this investigation: https://theworld.org/segments/2026/08/07/investigative-report-traces-global-reach-of-revenge-porn-website

Have a story for Bellingcat? https://www.bellingcat.com/contact

OpenCorporates: https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/opencorporates

MrDeepfakes investigation: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/05/07/canadian-pharmacist-linked-to-worlds-most-notorious-deepfake-porn-site/

Motherless (.com) podcast episode: https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/2909687/

Image Angel podcast episode: https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/2962192/

Hunchly: https://hunch.ly/

Autoarchiver: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2025/08/13/the-open-source-tool-that-has-preserved-150000-pieces-of-online-evidence/

This week, we explored how our work is funded - what keeps our open-source collective's lights on? Bellingcat's Sarah Bishop Woods and Mareike Vitt, both members of our Development Team, joined us to explain our new funding structure: a Bellingcat membership model. We discussed what a membership model is, why Bellingcat has adopted it, and the benefits and risks associated with this type of funding. Mareike also stressed that relying on a single source of funding is not enough to sustain an organisation in the current economic climate.

The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on July 3oth 2026. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.

Recorded live in our Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/bellingcat

Links:

Become a Bellingcat member: https://www.bellingcat.com/donate/

Mareike's previous talk is here on wider funding models: https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/1897808/

Bellingcat Toolkit: https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit

Listed member benefits: https://www.bellingcat.com/bellingcat-member-benefits/

Some guidance on how to support Bellingcat from Mareike, we're grateful for all of them:

Amplify. Share our program, newsletters or posts within your networks.

Take initiative. You can create your own campaign for Bellingcat and start raising funds within your peers by e.g. for your birthday, run a half-marathon, live-stream your gaming activity

• Fundraiser for Bellingcat NL (tax-deductible in NL)For raising funds that are tax deductible in NL: https://www.bellingcat.com/bellingcat-member-benefits/
• Fundraiser for Bellingcat US (tax-deductible in the US) For raising tax deductible donations in the US: https://donorbox.org/peer-to-peer-fundraising-for-bellingcat

Targeted support. You can support specific causes at Bellingcat now. We’ve created a dedicated fund to support the Bellingcat Toolkit. Let us know what else you’d like to support. Donations to support the Bellingcat Toolkit specifically: https://www.bellingcat.com/donate-bellingcat-toolkit/

Advise. Your insight is important to us, and we will listen carefully.

Connect. If someone from your network belongs in the conversation, we would be grateful for the introduction.

Any ideas, questions or initiatives, we're here for you: [email protected]

This week, we spoke to SourceMaterial's Costanza Gambarini, fresh off her win at the Press Awards for Environmental Journalist of the Year. We spoke about what makes a good environmental journalist and the practices she follows in her newsroom. The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on July 16th 2026. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.

Recorded live in our Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/bellingcat

Links:

Seeds of doubt: https://www.politico.eu/article/seeds-of-doubt-the-dark-side-of-enis-green-jet-fuel-promise/

Indonesian exports: https://www.source-material.org/indonesian-exporters-palm-oil-pome-fraud-supplied-european-fuel-companies/

Dark Water: https://www.source-material.org/putin-shadow-fleet-illegal-dumping-oil-sea/

Data Centres: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/09/big-tech-datacentres-water

Other investigations mentioned:

https://www.source-material.org/shadow-fleet-security-guard-captains-russia-oil/

https://www.source-material.org/totalenergies-workers-linked-sexual-exploitation-mozambique/

https://www.source-material.org/mozambique-total-lng-military-human-rights/

Contact SourceMaterial: https://www.source-material.org/contact/

Bellingcat Toolkit: https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit

Discord spaces:

#environment-wildlife: https://discordapp.com/channels/709752884257882135/807311724893175878

#Tools-sites: https://discordapp.com/channels/709752884257882135/709755421836967978

#maritime: https://discordapp.com/channels/709752884257882135/920298016123023400

Previous talks mentioned:

Protecting the people in your research: https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/2041897/

Tracking Suspicious Ships: https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/2235217/

This week, we're exploring technology designed to respond to online harms.

We spoke with Madelaine Thomas, founder of Image Angel, about forensic watermarking, how the technology works, and the challenges of building tools to respond to the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.

We also discuss the opportunities, limitations, and alternative approaches to tackling this issue.

The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on July 2nd 2026. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.

Recorded live in our Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/bellingcat

TW: Discussion of sexual exploitation and image abuse

Links:

The company website: https://www.imageangel.co.uk/

And Image Angel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imageangel_/

If you're interested in this talk you might find our previous talk with CNN interesting: (HUGE TW for sexual abuse) https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/2909687/

Revenge Porn Helpline: https://stopncii.org/

Bellingcat Open Source Toolkit: https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit

Tool Development space in our Discord Server: https://discordapp.com/channels/709752884257882135/1485701772625314013

#NotYourPorn: https://notyourporn.com/

This week we spoke to the CNN team behind the investigation into the porn site Motherless. Anonymous accounts. Private chat groups. Hidden online communities. We unpacked how reporters gained access to these spaces, spoke with users sharing intimate imagery of people they knew, and navigated the challenges of reporting in communities designed to stay hidden. It's a conversation about newsroom resources, risk assessment, digital safety, and the realities of reporting where others aren't looking.

The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on June 11th 2026. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist. Recorded live in our Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/bellingcat

TW: Discussion of sexual assault and abuse

Links:

CNN's Motherless Investigation: https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2026/03/world/expose-rape-assault-online-vis-intl/index.html and As Equals series: https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/asequals/

NDR covered this network in 2024, their unit STRG_F's documentary: youtube.com/watch?si=uoUyWe9dQAteJWJA&v=GLrzyOLJUtk&feature=youtu.be - Their research triggered an international law enforcement operation: https://www.ndr.de/der_ndr/presse/mitteilungen/ndr-recherche-loest-internationale-ermittlungsoperation-medusa-aus,pressemeldungndr-638.html

Pelicot investigation: https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2024/12/europe/gisele-pelicot-france-case-messages/

NY Times article hiding CSAM: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/11/09/us/internet-child-sex-abuse.html

Berkeley Protocol https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2024-01/OHCHR_BerkeleyProtocol.pdf

Alexa Koenig talk https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/1908244/

Discord discussion space - Gender Based Violence And Misogyny: https://discordapp.com/channels/709752884257882135/1118448280435687506

Maintain mental hygiene as a researcher: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2022/11/23/how-to-maintain-mental-hygiene-as-an-open-source-researcher/

Reporting on gender based violence: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2023/03/03/sexual-and-gender-based-violence-open-source-researche-osint-digital/

This week we spoke to Bellingcat's Pooja Chaudhuri about the ongoing violence in Myanmar. After tracking developments in Rakhine State for three years, Pooja has recently published a longitudinal data analysis of what has happened to the villages and townships disappearing off government maps.

Within the talk, she guides us through this work and the obstacles faced in order to monitor this difficult to access region.

The talk was hosted by Charlotte Maher on May 28th 2026. Music featured is courtesy of Artlist.

Recorded live in our Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/bellingcat

Links:

Her 2026 report: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/05/27/the-lost-villages-of-myanmars-rakhine/?utm_source=rss

Her previous reporting:

2024: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2024/06/05/myanmar-military-territorial-losses-war-conflict-human-rights-burma/

2025: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/04/29/open-sources-show-myanmar-junta-airstrike-damages-despite-post-earthquake-ceasefire/

Human Rights Watch report: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/05/18/myanmar-no-redress-for-rohingya-muslims-in-arakan-army-massacre

Resources mentioned:

https://acleddata.com/

https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/

https://themimu.info/

https://www.info-res.org/myanmar-witness/

Stage Talk on munitions identification: https://rss.com/podcasts/bellingcatstagetalk/2625938/

Discord spaces:

Myanmar: https://discordapp.com/channels/709752884257882135/1087357245400035350

Bombs, Arms, Drones, Other Killing Machines: https://discordapp.com/channels/709752884257882135/709771086228619337

Asia: https://discordapp.com/channels/709752884257882135/709783693857783929

Contact Pooja on [email protected]