No more secrets? De-monopolizing intelligence

Intelligence scholars have described the contemporary availability ofOpen-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and the entrance of civil society actorsinto the field of intelligence as a “democratization of intelligence”, therebyportraying a fundamentally positive and inclusive enterprise. Assessingthe implications of the recent explosion of OSINT groups and activists fortraditional state intelligence actors, this chapter instead introduces theconcept of de-monopolization. A turn to de-monopolization bringsattention to the competitive aspects arising when civil society actorsenter the field of intelligence. The chapter outlines two different forms ofcompetition currently affecting state intelligence actors: a competition forinsights and a competition for epistemic authority. Describing thesecontemporary tendencies and their impact on state intelligence work, thechapter then discusses how an increase in OSINT by civil society actorsgenerates new tasks for intelligence actors, introduces new ideals, andpushes state intelligence agencies to defend their expertise in public.