HUMINT, OSINT, or Something New? Defining Crowdsourced Intelligence

STEVEN A. STOTTLEMYRE

Over the past six years, certain crowdsourcing efforts have begun to resemble,and perhaps augment, national security intelligence collection.' As with anybudding field, purveyors of intelligence crowdsourcing have been somewhatinconsistent in their attempts to develop new concepts to describe theiractions, or to incorporate professional ethics into their activities. In thisenvironment, where the line between traditional intelligence collectionoperations and public information collection efforts is increasingly blurred,steps must necessarily be taken to standardize proper intelligencecrowdsourcing practices in order to avoid potential ethical quandaries evenbefore they arise. As part of this effort, constructing a concise definition ofcrowdsourced intelligence becomes vital.

Steven A. Stottlemyre is a career intelligence professional, and North Africaspecialist. He has served in the U.S. Intelligence Community for over a decadein various capacities for the U.S. Departments of State & Defense, and the U.S.Army. Steve 's recent publications include, "Crisis Mapping IntelligenceInformation During the Libyan Civil War: An Exploratory Case Study,". Tactical Flexibility: Libyan Foreign Policy Under Qadhafi, 1969- -2004," and"Libya and the International System: Retracing the Aftermath of the LockerbieBombing." He isa Ph. D. student in World Politics at The Catholic Universityof America, and holds an M.A. in Politics from The Catholic University ofAmerica, an M. A. in Intelligence Studies from American Military University,and an M.A. in Near Eastern Studies from the University of 'Arizona.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect thoseof the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Government.

Color versions of one or more figures in the article can be found online atwww.tandfonline.com/ujic.

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Steven A. Stottlemyre

Steven A. Stottlemyre is a career intelligence professional, and North Africa specialist. He has served in the U.S. Intelligence Community for over a decade in various capacities for the U.S. Departments of State & Defense, and the U.S. Army. Steve's recent publications include, “Crisis Mapping Intelligence Information During the Libyan Civil War: An Exploratory Case Study," “Tactical Flexibility: Libyan Foreign Policy Under Qadhafi, 1969-2004," and “Libya and the International System: Retracing the Aftermath of the Lockerbie Bombing."He is a Ph.D. student in World Politics at The Catholic University of America, and holds an M.A. in Politics from The Catholic University of America, an M.A. in Intelligence Studies from American Military University, and an M.A. in Near Eastern Studies from the University of Arizona.