# OSINT

OSINT, which stands for "Open Source Intelligence," refers to the collection and analysis of information from open and publicly accessible sources. These sources include data available on the Internet, media outlets, social networks, public publications, government databases, and other resources that can be accessed without requiring illegal methods or intrusion techniques.

[*`"The discovery of the potential of open sources dates back to World War II, when the American Office of Strategic Services realized that it could estimate German losses by reading the obituary columns in German newspapers available in Switzerland" [Rawnsley, 2015]`*](/jul1/books/geopolitics/osint-surveys-and-digital-fields.md)[<br>](https://app.gitbook.com/o/MSvvAAHcHgnsP3J2xiaI/s/nUpU0DaXTTKthPc2od45/books/geopolitics/international-relations-since-1945)


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://jul1.gitbook.io/jul1/osint.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.