Benjamin Strick
@bendobrown.bsky.social
Investigator | Human Rights | Hybrid Wars
- Makes videos on maps, data & #OSINT
- Director of Investigations at @cen4infores.bsky.social
- Prev at BBC Africa Eye. Bellingcat contributor.
- Makes videos on maps, data & #OSINT
- Director of Investigations at @cen4infores.bsky.social
- Prev at BBC Africa Eye. Bellingcat contributor.
X rolled out a new feature overnight showing where accounts are based. This network of “Trump-supporting independent women” that claimed to be “real Americans” are based in Thailand.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
November 23, 2025 at 12:55 PM
X rolled out a new feature overnight showing where accounts are based. This network of “Trump-supporting independent women” that claimed to be “real Americans” are based in Thailand.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
Tanzanian police killed protestors and there are signs of unmarked mass graves where bodies were reportedly dumped.
It was an honour to support the team at @cnn.com to document these horrible events.
edition.cnn.com/2025/11/21/a...
Video here: edition.cnn.com/2025/11/21/w...
It was an honour to support the team at @cnn.com to document these horrible events.
edition.cnn.com/2025/11/21/a...
Video here: edition.cnn.com/2025/11/21/w...
‘Oh my God, this is our Tanzania’: CNN investigation shows police shooting protesters, signs of mass graves | CNN
In the chaotic aftermath of Tanzania’s disputed presidential election last month, police and gun-wielding men on patrol shot at groups of protesters, many of whom appeared unarmed or were holding only...
edition.cnn.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Tanzanian police killed protestors and there are signs of unmarked mass graves where bodies were reportedly dumped.
It was an honour to support the team at @cnn.com to document these horrible events.
edition.cnn.com/2025/11/21/a...
Video here: edition.cnn.com/2025/11/21/w...
It was an honour to support the team at @cnn.com to document these horrible events.
edition.cnn.com/2025/11/21/a...
Video here: edition.cnn.com/2025/11/21/w...
Gotta love a bit of lights at night, especially when you can see them on a global map.
NASA’s Black Marble updates every day and shows every glow, blackout and wandering ship 🛰️⛴️
NASA’s Black Marble updates every day and shows every glow, blackout and wandering ship 🛰️⛴️
November 20, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Gotta love a bit of lights at night, especially when you can see them on a global map.
NASA’s Black Marble updates every day and shows every glow, blackout and wandering ship 🛰️⛴️
NASA’s Black Marble updates every day and shows every glow, blackout and wandering ship 🛰️⛴️
Reposted by Benjamin Strick
Shout out to @bendobrown.bsky.social for his newsletter!
He’s sharing a lot of tips, but reading this also brings me back to the days i just started doing osint. Newsletters like these taught me so much! 🥰
osintfieldnotes.substack.com
He’s sharing a lot of tips, but reading this also brings me back to the days i just started doing osint. Newsletters like these taught me so much! 🥰
osintfieldnotes.substack.com
OSINT Field Notes - from Benjamin Strick | Substack
Digital investigations, tools, techniques and dispatches, from satellites to social media. Short, sharp, and always something you can use, in your inbox every month. Click to read OSINT Field Notes - ...
osintfieldnotes.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Shout out to @bendobrown.bsky.social for his newsletter!
He’s sharing a lot of tips, but reading this also brings me back to the days i just started doing osint. Newsletters like these taught me so much! 🥰
osintfieldnotes.substack.com
He’s sharing a lot of tips, but reading this also brings me back to the days i just started doing osint. Newsletters like these taught me so much! 🥰
osintfieldnotes.substack.com
This is the second edition of OSINT Field Notes: a monthly newsletter on digital investigations, with tools, techniques and notes from the field.
Thank you for all of the warm messages after the first one. It's an honour to work with the community.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com/p/osint-fiel...
Thank you for all of the warm messages after the first one. It's an honour to work with the community.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com/p/osint-fiel...
OSINT Field Notes #2
From simple panorama how-to's and Starlink signals to drone footage, fake architects, and the digital fingerprints that expose hidden networks.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 3:38 PM
This is the second edition of OSINT Field Notes: a monthly newsletter on digital investigations, with tools, techniques and notes from the field.
Thank you for all of the warm messages after the first one. It's an honour to work with the community.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com/p/osint-fiel...
Thank you for all of the warm messages after the first one. It's an honour to work with the community.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com/p/osint-fiel...
Open source documentation by our Sudan Witness team at CIR on mass displacement, detentions & killings during the RSF takeover of El Fasher and the commanders linked to them: www.info-res.org/reports/disp...
November 7, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Open source documentation by our Sudan Witness team at CIR on mass displacement, detentions & killings during the RSF takeover of El Fasher and the commanders linked to them: www.info-res.org/reports/disp...
This is the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica. Absolutely horrific level of destruction, all visible on NOAA imagery. View the map here: storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/melis...
November 3, 2025 at 1:52 PM
This is the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica. Absolutely horrific level of destruction, all visible on NOAA imagery. View the map here: storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/melis...
Reposted by Benjamin Strick
Reminder that mass killings of civilians are happening in Sudan after the RSF’s takeover of El Fasher this week.
And there’s still a severe famine.
And there’s still a severe famine.
New satellite imagery analysis from Yale shows detailed view of the site where footage showed RSF executing unarmed people in the berm just north of Sudan’s El Fasher.
November 1, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Reminder that mass killings of civilians are happening in Sudan after the RSF’s takeover of El Fasher this week.
And there’s still a severe famine.
And there’s still a severe famine.
New satellite imagery analysis from Yale shows detailed view of the site where footage showed RSF executing unarmed people in the berm just north of Sudan’s El Fasher.
November 1, 2025 at 5:31 AM
New satellite imagery analysis from Yale shows detailed view of the site where footage showed RSF executing unarmed people in the berm just north of Sudan’s El Fasher.
Reposted by Benjamin Strick
For y’all interested in getting your own views into things like boat / naval activity in the Caribbean etc, this one’s for you.
I made a newsletter. I went overboard with detail, but I love sharing #OSINT tips and tricks.
I've covered:
- Innovations & resources.
- Free detailed aerial imagery tool.
- DIY power grid map.
- Analysis of leaked data on mass censorship & surveillance.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com/p/osint-fiel...
I've covered:
- Innovations & resources.
- Free detailed aerial imagery tool.
- DIY power grid map.
- Analysis of leaked data on mass censorship & surveillance.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com/p/osint-fiel...
OSINT Field Notes #1 - DIY Power Grid Map, Great Firewall Leak & Birds Eye View Tool
Technical teardown on how to make a custom KML for power grids. Plus: tracking tiny ships, detailed aerial views and a case file on the Geedge leaks. Read time: 8 min.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:11 PM
For y’all interested in getting your own views into things like boat / naval activity in the Caribbean etc, this one’s for you.
Lots of folks sending me interesting case studies on NASA night lights data after I published this tutorial. Amazing to see so many applications used in Mali, North Korea, South China Sea and more.
Check out some case studies and how to use it here 👇
youtu.be/x9JR7myjivs?...
Check out some case studies and how to use it here 👇
youtu.be/x9JR7myjivs?...
How to Use NASA Night Lights Imagery to Track World Events
YouTube video by Bendobrown
youtu.be
October 24, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Lots of folks sending me interesting case studies on NASA night lights data after I published this tutorial. Amazing to see so many applications used in Mali, North Korea, South China Sea and more.
Check out some case studies and how to use it here 👇
youtu.be/x9JR7myjivs?...
Check out some case studies and how to use it here 👇
youtu.be/x9JR7myjivs?...
Reposted by Benjamin Strick
[ #IMINT #SATELLITES ] How to Use NASA Night Lights Imagery to Track World Events (by @bendobrown.bsky.social):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9JR...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9JR...
How to Use NASA Night Lights Imagery to Track World Events
YouTube video by Bendobrown
www.youtube.com
October 23, 2025 at 2:39 PM
[ #IMINT #SATELLITES ] How to Use NASA Night Lights Imagery to Track World Events (by @bendobrown.bsky.social):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9JR...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9JR...
Our world glows differently after dark and NASA’s satellites see it all. From wars to disasters and even the movement of vessels.
So I made a tutorial on how you can read those patterns using night lights imagery. Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9JR...
So I made a tutorial on how you can read those patterns using night lights imagery. Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9JR...
October 23, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Our world glows differently after dark and NASA’s satellites see it all. From wars to disasters and even the movement of vessels.
So I made a tutorial on how you can read those patterns using night lights imagery. Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9JR...
So I made a tutorial on how you can read those patterns using night lights imagery. Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9JR...
Reposted by Benjamin Strick
“We want to send a message to all authoritarian leaders: choose ballots, not bullets.”
Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee on why 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Maria Corina Machado: “She is an extraordinary example of civilian courage.”
youtu.be/2JSAqdkT6z4
Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee on why 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Maria Corina Machado: “She is an extraordinary example of civilian courage.”
youtu.be/2JSAqdkT6z4
Chair of Norwegian Nobel Committeeon why 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Maria Corina Machado
YouTube video by ONEST
youtu.be
October 10, 2025 at 2:44 PM
“We want to send a message to all authoritarian leaders: choose ballots, not bullets.”
Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee on why 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Maria Corina Machado: “She is an extraordinary example of civilian courage.”
youtu.be/2JSAqdkT6z4
Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee on why 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Maria Corina Machado: “She is an extraordinary example of civilian courage.”
youtu.be/2JSAqdkT6z4
Reposted by Benjamin Strick
New from 404 Media: the Discord hack is every users' worst nightmare. Yesterday the hackers started posting Discord users' selfies, identity documents, email addresses, phone numbers, more. I watched in real time. This is risk of tech storing ID for age verification
www.404media.co/the-discord-...
www.404media.co/the-discord-...
The Discord Hack is Every Users’ Worst Nightmare
A hack impacting Discord’s age verification process shows in stark terms the risk of tech companies collecting users’ ID documents. Now the hackers are posting peoples’ IDs and other sensitive informa...
www.404media.co
October 9, 2025 at 3:28 PM
New from 404 Media: the Discord hack is every users' worst nightmare. Yesterday the hackers started posting Discord users' selfies, identity documents, email addresses, phone numbers, more. I watched in real time. This is risk of tech storing ID for age verification
www.404media.co/the-discord-...
www.404media.co/the-discord-...
Reposted by Benjamin Strick
I love me a good newsletter, especially one jam packed with open source investigation goodness. Nicely done @bendobrown.bsky.social 🕵🏽♂️
I made a newsletter. I went overboard with detail, but I love sharing #OSINT tips and tricks.
I've covered:
- Innovations & resources.
- Free detailed aerial imagery tool.
- DIY power grid map.
- Analysis of leaked data on mass censorship & surveillance.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com/p/osint-fiel...
I've covered:
- Innovations & resources.
- Free detailed aerial imagery tool.
- DIY power grid map.
- Analysis of leaked data on mass censorship & surveillance.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com/p/osint-fiel...
OSINT Field Notes #1 - DIY Power Grid Map, Great Firewall Leak & Birds Eye View Tool
Technical teardown on how to make a custom KML for power grids. Plus: tracking tiny ships, detailed aerial views and a case file on the Geedge leaks. Read time: 8 min.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com
October 10, 2025 at 2:14 PM
I love me a good newsletter, especially one jam packed with open source investigation goodness. Nicely done @bendobrown.bsky.social 🕵🏽♂️
Reposted by Benjamin Strick
A great new newsletter. Check out the section on exporting the great firewall.
I made a newsletter. I went overboard with detail, but I love sharing #OSINT tips and tricks.
I've covered:
- Innovations & resources.
- Free detailed aerial imagery tool.
- DIY power grid map.
- Analysis of leaked data on mass censorship & surveillance.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com/p/osint-fiel...
I've covered:
- Innovations & resources.
- Free detailed aerial imagery tool.
- DIY power grid map.
- Analysis of leaked data on mass censorship & surveillance.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com/p/osint-fiel...
OSINT Field Notes #1 - DIY Power Grid Map, Great Firewall Leak & Birds Eye View Tool
Technical teardown on how to make a custom KML for power grids. Plus: tracking tiny ships, detailed aerial views and a case file on the Geedge leaks. Read time: 8 min.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com
October 9, 2025 at 1:35 AM
A great new newsletter. Check out the section on exporting the great firewall.
Reposted by Benjamin Strick
NEW: Since October 2023, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit has released dozens of 3D animations illustrating alleged Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian sites
The style is now unmistakable: satellite zoom-ins, black & white wireframes, and red-textured houses - a new visual language of war
The style is now unmistakable: satellite zoom-ins, black & white wireframes, and red-textured houses - a new visual language of war
October 8, 2025 at 4:58 PM
NEW: Since October 2023, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit has released dozens of 3D animations illustrating alleged Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian sites
The style is now unmistakable: satellite zoom-ins, black & white wireframes, and red-textured houses - a new visual language of war
The style is now unmistakable: satellite zoom-ins, black & white wireframes, and red-textured houses - a new visual language of war
I made a newsletter. I went overboard with detail, but I love sharing #OSINT tips and tricks.
I've covered:
- Innovations & resources.
- Free detailed aerial imagery tool.
- DIY power grid map.
- Analysis of leaked data on mass censorship & surveillance.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com/p/osint-fiel...
I've covered:
- Innovations & resources.
- Free detailed aerial imagery tool.
- DIY power grid map.
- Analysis of leaked data on mass censorship & surveillance.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com/p/osint-fiel...
OSINT Field Notes #1 - DIY Power Grid Map, Great Firewall Leak & Birds Eye View Tool
Technical teardown on how to make a custom KML for power grids. Plus: tracking tiny ships, detailed aerial views and a case file on the Geedge leaks. Read time: 8 min.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com
October 8, 2025 at 1:11 PM
I made a newsletter. I went overboard with detail, but I love sharing #OSINT tips and tricks.
I've covered:
- Innovations & resources.
- Free detailed aerial imagery tool.
- DIY power grid map.
- Analysis of leaked data on mass censorship & surveillance.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com/p/osint-fiel...
I've covered:
- Innovations & resources.
- Free detailed aerial imagery tool.
- DIY power grid map.
- Analysis of leaked data on mass censorship & surveillance.
osintfieldnotes.substack.com/p/osint-fiel...
New from @elisethomas.bsky.social on the laundering efforts of A7, a political and commercial enterprise aimed at enabling large-scale evasion of sanctions levelled against Russia. 👇
New @cen4infores.bsky.social investigation: Sanctions, shell companies and Russian state-backed money laundering.
Here’s how Ilan Shor and the Kremlin are laundering tens of billions of dollars around the world.
www.info-res.org/reports/a7-a...
Here’s how Ilan Shor and the Kremlin are laundering tens of billions of dollars around the world.
www.info-res.org/reports/a7-a...
A7 Abroad: Sanctions evasion as a service
A7, led by convicted fraudster Ilan Shor and backed by sanctioned Russian banks, claims to have moved over $86 billion in less than a year. CIR’s investigation details how A7 uses shell companies and ...
www.info-res.org
October 6, 2025 at 8:16 AM
New from @elisethomas.bsky.social on the laundering efforts of A7, a political and commercial enterprise aimed at enabling large-scale evasion of sanctions levelled against Russia. 👇
Reposted by Benjamin Strick
New @cen4infores.bsky.social investigation: Sanctions, shell companies and Russian state-backed money laundering.
Here’s how Ilan Shor and the Kremlin are laundering tens of billions of dollars around the world.
www.info-res.org/reports/a7-a...
Here’s how Ilan Shor and the Kremlin are laundering tens of billions of dollars around the world.
www.info-res.org/reports/a7-a...
A7 Abroad: Sanctions evasion as a service
A7, led by convicted fraudster Ilan Shor and backed by sanctioned Russian banks, claims to have moved over $86 billion in less than a year. CIR’s investigation details how A7 uses shell companies and ...
www.info-res.org
October 6, 2025 at 8:09 AM
New @cen4infores.bsky.social investigation: Sanctions, shell companies and Russian state-backed money laundering.
Here’s how Ilan Shor and the Kremlin are laundering tens of billions of dollars around the world.
www.info-res.org/reports/a7-a...
Here’s how Ilan Shor and the Kremlin are laundering tens of billions of dollars around the world.
www.info-res.org/reports/a7-a...
Reposted by Benjamin Strick
Is everyone appreciating how utterly sick this is
Shelters that house unaccompanied minors are bracing for "Freaky Friday," the start of an ICE operation that will first issue letters to children, seeking to pressure them to return to the countries they've fled in exchange for a cash payment. If they decline, their parents will be targeted by ICE.
October 3, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Is everyone appreciating how utterly sick this is
Reposted by Benjamin Strick
Pam Bondi's DOJ now running interference for far right influencers arrested by local cops in Portland. Opens investigation into arrest of Nick Sortor www.kgw.com/article/news...
Conservative influencer Nick Sortor among those arrested after fights break out at Portland ICE facility
Sortor posted Friday morning about his arrest on social media, telling PPB to "lawyer up." The Department of Justice has opened an investigation into his arrest.
www.kgw.com
October 3, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Pam Bondi's DOJ now running interference for far right influencers arrested by local cops in Portland. Opens investigation into arrest of Nick Sortor www.kgw.com/article/news...
Reposted by Benjamin Strick
🧵Introducing the Trump Action Tracker website!
Today I’m launching www.trumpactiontracker.info - a live, searchable list of authoritarian‑style actions from Trump’s second term (over 740 actions so far). 1/14
Today I’m launching www.trumpactiontracker.info - a live, searchable list of authoritarian‑style actions from Trump’s second term (over 740 actions so far). 1/14
July 21, 2025 at 8:57 PM
🧵Introducing the Trump Action Tracker website!
Today I’m launching www.trumpactiontracker.info - a live, searchable list of authoritarian‑style actions from Trump’s second term (over 740 actions so far). 1/14
Today I’m launching www.trumpactiontracker.info - a live, searchable list of authoritarian‑style actions from Trump’s second term (over 740 actions so far). 1/14
Investigating War Crimes: The Global Arms Trade.
Great resource from Global Investigative Journalism Network & Iain Overton gijn.org/resource/gui...
Great resource from Global Investigative Journalism Network & Iain Overton gijn.org/resource/gui...
Investigating War Crimes: Arms Trade
This chapter is designed to assist journalists investigating arms sales that may have crossed the line into fueling national and international crimes or systemic human rights abuses.
gijn.org
October 3, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Investigating War Crimes: The Global Arms Trade.
Great resource from Global Investigative Journalism Network & Iain Overton gijn.org/resource/gui...
Great resource from Global Investigative Journalism Network & Iain Overton gijn.org/resource/gui...