What does Bellingcat do?

Bellingcat is an independent international collective founded in 2014 by Eliot Higgins. It specializes in open source intelligence (OSINT) to investigate war crimes, human rights abuses, disinformation, and other public interest issues. The organization utilizes publicly available online data, including social media and satellite imagery, to conduct its research. Bellingcat has grown from a personal blog into a global NGO with over 30 full-time staff and numerous contributors across more than 20 countries. Bellingcat offers investigative research, training, and legal support. It produces in-depth OSINT analyses and provides workshops and guides to educate journalists, human rights activists, and the public on OSINT techniques. The organization collaborates with media outlets and human rights groups, contributing to significant investigations such as the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 and various cases of disinformation. Bellingcat aims to democratize intelligence gathering, positioning itself as an "intelligence agency for the people."