Mapping the Use of Open Source Research in UN Human Rights Investigations

Murray, Daragh; Rees, Yvonne McDermott; Koenig, K Alexa

doi:10.1093/jhuman/huab059

Journal article 840 views 114 downloads

Mapping the Use of Open Source Research in UN Human Rights Investigations

Daragh Murray, Yvonne McDermott Rees

, K Alexa Koenig

Journal of Human Rights Practice, Volume: 14, Issue: 2, Pages: 554 - 581

Swansea University Author: Yvonne McDermott Rees

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DOI (Published version): 10.1093/jhuman/huab059

Abstract

Open source information, particularly digital open source information that is publicly available on the internet, plays an increasingly central role in the landscape of human rights investigations. This article provides a thorough analysis of how open source information is used in practice by UN hum...

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Published in:	Journal of Human Rights Practice
ISSN:	1757-9619 1757-9627
Published:	Oxford University Press (OUP) 2022
Online Access:	Check full text
URI:	https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa58947
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first_indexed	2021-12-16T16:18:19Z
last_indexed	2023-01-11T14:39:53Z
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spelling	2022-11-02T13:42:50.6989626 v2 58947 2021-12-07 Mapping the Use of Open Source Research in UN Human Rights Investigations e6e1ae537327fc3f38d2af4a9d9834d8 0000-0003-0111-9049 Yvonne McDermott Rees Yvonne McDermott Rees true false 2021-12-07 LAWD Open source information, particularly digital open source information that is publicly available on the internet, plays an increasingly central role in the landscape of human rights investigations. This article provides a thorough analysis of how open source information is used in practice by UN human rights fact-finding missions, commissions of inquiry and other official human rights investigations. Combining data from semi-structured interviews carried out with investigators with specific experience in open source human rights investigations with a review of reports and other primary and secondary sources, it examines the utility of open source information to UN human rights investigative bodies. It posits that open source research can provide tremendous benefits in planning investigations, supplying lead evidence, and providing direct evidence of violations, thereby overcoming some of the access barriers that investigators face, and potentially giving voice to a wider range of perspectives. On the other hand, this article argues that open source investigations should be approached with a clear eye to their challenges and possible pitfalls. These include the gaps of open source information and the potential to silence already-marginalised communities through open source investigations, as well as the resource-intensive nature of these investigations, the danger that open source information can impact upon witnesses' perceptions, and the risks posed by online disinformation. As open source research is likely to comprise an important component of the human rights investigator’s toolbox in the future, this article argues in favour of the institutional buy-in, resourcing, and methodological rigour that it deserves. Journal Article Journal of Human Rights Practice 14 2 554 581 Oxford University Press (OUP) 1757-9619 1757-9627 accountability; fact-finding; human rights investigations; human rights law; open source information; technology 7 10 2022 2022-10-07 10.1093/jhuman/huab059 COLLEGE NANME Law COLLEGE CODE LAWD Swansea University External research funder(s) paid the OA fee (includes OA grants disbursed by the Library) This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council [grant number ES/R00899X/1]. 2022-11-02T13:42:50.6989626 2021-12-07T12:00:07.3690087 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Hilary Rodham Clinton School of Law Daragh Murray 1 Yvonne McDermott Rees 0000-0003-0111-9049 2 K Alexa Koenig 3 58947__23995__2db73543dac14e689d9b290538fd11c5.pdf 58947.VOR.pdf 2022-05-05T17:15:12.1388034 Output 476582 application/pdf Version of Record true Copyright:The Author(s) 2022. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License true eng https://creativecom-mons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title	Mapping the Use of Open Source Research in UN Human Rights Investigations
spellingShingle	Mapping the Use of Open Source Research in UN Human Rights Investigations Yvonne McDermott Rees
title_short	Mapping the Use of Open Source Research in UN Human Rights Investigations
title_full	Mapping the Use of Open Source Research in UN Human Rights Investigations
title_fullStr	Mapping the Use of Open Source Research in UN Human Rights Investigations
title_full_unstemmed	Mapping the Use of Open Source Research in UN Human Rights Investigations
title_sort	Mapping the Use of Open Source Research in UN Human Rights Investigations
author_id_str_mv	e6e1ae537327fc3f38d2af4a9d9834d8
author_id_fullname_str_mv	e6e1ae537327fc3f38d2af4a9d9834d8_***_Yvonne McDermott Rees
author	Yvonne McDermott Rees
author2	Daragh Murray Yvonne McDermott Rees K Alexa Koenig
format	Journal article
container_title	Journal of Human Rights Practice
container_volume	14
container_issue	2
container_start_page	554
publishDate	2022
institution	Swansea University
issn	1757-9619 1757-9627
doi_str_mv	10.1093/jhuman/huab059
publisher	Oxford University Press (OUP)
college_str	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_title	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_parent_title	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str	Hilary Rodham Clinton School of Law{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}Hilary Rodham Clinton School of Law
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description	Open source information, particularly digital open source information that is publicly available on the internet, plays an increasingly central role in the landscape of human rights investigations. This article provides a thorough analysis of how open source information is used in practice by UN human rights fact-finding missions, commissions of inquiry and other official human rights investigations. Combining data from semi-structured interviews carried out with investigators with specific experience in open source human rights investigations with a review of reports and other primary and secondary sources, it examines the utility of open source information to UN human rights investigative bodies. It posits that open source research can provide tremendous benefits in planning investigations, supplying lead evidence, and providing direct evidence of violations, thereby overcoming some of the access barriers that investigators face, and potentially giving voice to a wider range of perspectives. On the other hand, this article argues that open source investigations should be approached with a clear eye to their challenges and possible pitfalls. These include the gaps of open source information and the potential to silence already-marginalised communities through open source investigations, as well as the resource-intensive nature of these investigations, the danger that open source information can impact upon witnesses' perceptions, and the risks posed by online disinformation. As open source research is likely to comprise an important component of the human rights investigator’s toolbox in the future, this article argues in favour of the institutional buy-in, resourcing, and methodological rigour that it deserves.
published_date	2022-10-07T04:15:52Z
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Mapping the Use of Open Source Research in UN Human Rights Investigations

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