Fake News: How OSINT can help you untangle fact from fiction

“Fake news” and its destabilising effects has become a major point of concern in recent years. Many believe 2024 is a critical year, with national elections in the US and elsewhere around the world, the ongoing impact of Russian disinformation campaigns, and concerns around AI spreading false information on an unprecedented scale. 

Yet this issue is far from new. Politically motivated, unreliable, and biased media has existed as long as journalism itself. Navigating unreliable sources is a persistent challenge for researchers, investigators, and those trying to make sense of the media environment.

In this shifting landscape, firms face a dilemma when conducting due diligence and investigations: how can they continue to rely on adverse media as a credible source of information for highlighting potential risks? Compliance professionals need to identify bad actors, including those involved in financial crimes, political corruption, or human rights violations. Adverse media has traditionally been a key tool for this. However, in an age where disinformation can be rapidly spread, amplified, and even generated by AI, ensuring the accuracy and legitimacy of media sources is more challenging than ever.

Adverse media remains a vital tool in risk management, but firms must adapt. The task now is not just collecting information, but also verifying it using methods such as:

• Open-source intelligence (OSINT), 
• Advanced media databases,
• Fact-checking techniques to separate truth from falsehood. 

By adopting robust methodologies for assessing the credibility of news sources and applying both human judgement and technology, companies can continue to use adverse media effectively for compliance without falling prey to the dangers of fake news.

How fake news can derail compliance efforts

In today’s digital age, compliance teams face significant challenges in distinguishing between legitimate reports and disinformation. The reliance on adverse media to identify illegal or reputationally damaging behaviour amongst clients is critical for due diligence. However, the rise of fake news presents a serious risk to this process. Compliance teams must determine the truthfulness of media stories before acting on them, as basing decisions on false reports can have severe consequences.

Here are some examples of how fake news can undermine compliance:

1. Russian disinformation targeting western institutions

Russian disinformation campaigns have been used to damage the reputations of western companies, sow distrust and destabilise markets. For instance, Russian-controlled sites like New Eastern Outlook (now designated as a sanctioned entity by the US) have falsely accused western companies of manipulating global markets, engaging in secret deals with corrupt governments, and exploiting resources in war-torn countries. These fabricated reports could lead compliance teams to falsely flag such companies or their partners as high-risk. Trusting such disinformation could result in costly investigations, lost business opportunities, and strained relationships with legitimate companies.

2. Rival companies planting fake news

Business competitors may spread false stories to damage the reputation of their rivals. For example, Facebook has accused one of south-east Asia’s biggest telecom providers of creating fake accounts to spread misinformation around business failures and market exits by its rivals.  Compliance teams falling for this fake news could hinder these companies’ access to financial services and disrupt their operations.  

3. Politically motivated allegations

Politicised media outlets often publish false stories targeting the rivals of their owners or their political allies. For example, politically connected Pakistani business magnate Mian Mansha won a libel case against a Pakistani media company that had alleged he was guilty of money laundering. Similarly, Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote was named as a potential vice-presidential candidate in 2017, something he strongly denied. Relying on unverified stories could lead compliance teams to misclassify individuals or companies as politically exposed. In turn, this could cause unfair exclusion from business dealings or unjustified reputational damage.

OSINT strategies to combat fake news

Untangling potentially false media reports and double-checking findings can be both time-consuming and difficult for compliance teams. However, leveraging good OSINT research tools can streamline the process by offering reliable, well-organised, and easily accessible information. Here are several OSINT strategies that help combat fake news:

1. Using reliable media outlets

One of the most effective ways to combat disinformation is to prioritise reliable media outlets known for rigorous editorial standards. Adverse media databases can provide curated lists of sources that adhere to journalistic integrity. As such, these sources are less likely to spread fake news or politically biased content. By using reliable sources, compliance teams can trust the adverse media they are using.

2. Validation across multiple outlets

Another important strategy is to cross-reference stories across multiple reputable outlets. Fake news often lacks consistency, with discrepancies arising between unreliable sources and more credible ones.  By comparing how different trustworthy outlets report the same event, compliance teams can validate information and spot potential red flags. This helps to avoid basing decisions on isolated or unverified reports.

3. Fact-checking support

OSINT tools often incorporate fact-checking features that flag dubious claims and provide supporting evidence. Access to built-in fact-checking services like Snopes or PolitiFact allows researchers to quickly verify whether a story has been debunked. This reduces the time spent manually investigating suspicious reports.

4. Providing information on source history, reliability and ownership

Disinformation campaigns often originate from sources with hidden agendas or political affiliations. Investigators should seek transparency about the ownership, funding, and editorial history of media outlets. By assessing the background of a source, compliance teams can better evaluate its reliability. Some outlets have a history of spreading disinformation or connections to a particular political group. Investigators should scrutinise reports from these sources more carefully.

5. Access to original reports

Many fake news stories distort legitimate research or official reports to promote false narratives. OSINT tools can provide access to original documents, studies and government reports. Using them, teams can verify claims against the primary source.

6. Linking to related stories including rebuttals

OSINT tools sometimes provide links to related stories, which could include those publishing rebuttals or offering counter-narratives to false claims. If a story has been debunked or challenged by another credible outlet, compliance teams can quickly access those reports to understand the broader context and ensure they’re not acting on incomplete or misleading information.

7. Archiving content for historical searches

OSINT platforms often archive content, allowing researchers to conduct historical research. This is especially helpful in tracing the development of a story over time and identifying patterns of disinformation. By examining how a narrative has evolved, compliance teams can determine a media report’s role in a disinformation campaign. They’re able to see whether it’s  refuted, repeated, or weaponised, and by whom. The ability to access archived content ensures that compliance teams have a long-term view of a subject. Consequently, they can avoid making decisions based solely on the latest reports.

OSINT strategies are key to fighting disinformation

There is no silver bullet to sifting out fake news from reliable press coverage. However, by using the OSINT strategies outlined above, compliance teams can reduce the risks posed by disinformation. By leveraging reliable media outlets, cross-referencing multiple sources, and accessing fact-checking tools, they can make informed decisions without falling prey to false narratives. 

Adverse media and open source data provide invaluable information for compliance and investigation teams. This means it’s vital to establish robust processes for using them in the face of evolving disinformation tactics.