Join us for an evening of expert insights by current OSINT practitioners about the possibilities and challenges of working in this field.
Invite only: Get in touch to request a spaceOverview
Join us for an evening of expert insights by current OSINT practitioners about the possibilities and challenges of working in this field.
About The Event
The King's Centre for the Study of Intelligence is delighted to host a roundtable on OSINT and Mental Health. The event will feature a 90-minute roundtable and Q&A with current practitioners, with a drinks reception to follow.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) and content moderation have rapidly expanded across sectors – from national security to journalism and social media governance. These fields often carry an aura of urgency and innovation: the promise of uncovering hidden truths, preventing harm, and holding perpetrators accountable. But what happens when that initial sense of purpose is confronted by the daily reality of the work?
This roundtable brings together OSINT practitioners from BBC Monitoring, the Centre for Information Reslience, and ExTrac to reflect on the psychological and ethical burdens of sustained exposure to graphic content, digital surveillance, and violent online subcultures. How do we distinguish between critical vigilance and emotional desensitization? What infrastructures – if any – exist to support well-being in this type of high-risk analytical work? How can institutions mitigate vicarious trauma and burnout while still meeting operational demands? This session encourages participants to reflect on strategies for setting boundaries and the moral complexity of watching for a living.