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Frequently asked questions
Signal & Shadow is an independent OSINT and digital forensics publication for journalists, researchers and analysts. It publishes sourced, repeatable methods every week. Below are direct answers about what we publish, how access and pricing work, and how we verify our work.
Last updated: 29 October 2026
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Signal & Shadow is an independent publication on OSINT methodology, digital forensics and investigative practice. It publishes step-by-step methods, reference cards, guides and tested-claim briefings every week, and every method is sourced so readers can check it. It launched in July 2026 and is written by Derek Bowler.
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Signal & Shadow is run by Derek Bowler, an independent investigative journalist, OSINT practitioner and digital forensics educator. He is Cork-raised and Geneva-based, created The Agile Newsroom methodology (recognised by the Council of Europe), and most recently worked at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), where he founded and led Eurovision News Spotlight, a 30-organisation OSINT and fact-checking coalition for public service broadcasters. See the Authors page at signalandshadow.io/authors.
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It is written for investigative journalists, fact-checkers, researchers, analysts and students who need repeatable open-source techniques. Newsrooms and organisations can also use it for team training and advisory support.
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OSINT (open-source intelligence) is the collection and analysis of publicly available information to establish facts. Typical sources include satellite imagery, ship and aircraft tracking data, company registries, court records and social media. Signal & Shadow focuses on methods that another investigator can repeat and verify.
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Signal & Shadow publishes five series: The Signal, Methods, OSINT Cards, AI in OSINT and Guides. Each series serves a different job, from a weekly tested claim to a start-to-finish workflow for a whole investigative domain. The archive is searchable.
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The Signal is a weekly briefing that tests one claim against the open record. Each issue shows the sources and steps used, so readers can follow the reasoning. It publishes on Thursdays.
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Methods are step-by-step tutorials drawn from working casework, such as tracing an aircraft from tail number to beneficial operator. They publish on Tuesdays and are available to paid members.
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OSINT Cards are one-page references for a single tool or method, built as print-ready A4 PDFs. They publish on Wednesdays. The first card in each series is free with a free signup; the rest are for paid members.
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AI in OSINT covers where AI speeds up investigative work and where it fails, with tested prompts and field reports. It publishes every second Friday and is available to paid members.
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Guides are practical, start-to-finish workflows for the tools and domains investigators use. They are free to read on the website without signing up, and are published on the web only, not sent by email.
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Weekly. Methods publish on Tuesdays, OSINT Cards on Wednesdays and The Signal on Thursdays. AI in OSINT publishes every second Friday, and Guides publish as they are ready.
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Partly. A free subscription (Intercept) includes The Signal briefing and the first reference card in each series, and all Guides are free to read. Paid membership opens the full set of cards, Methods, AI in OSINT and the Signal archive.
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Signal membership costs €6 per month or €60 per year, which is two months free. It starts with a 7-day free trial. You can start it on the upgrade page.
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Paid members get OSINT reference cards for every technique, weekly Methods tutorials, AI field reports with tested prompts, and the full Signal archive.
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Enter your email in the subscribe form on the homepage for the free tier. To upgrade, use the upgrade page and start the 7-day free trial.
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Yes. Training is designed for journalists and analysts, covering the same open-source methods published in Methods and Guides.
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Yes. Consultancy supports newsrooms and organisations with investigations, audits and standing advisory work.
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Yes. Signal & Shadow has built free browser extensions for investigators, including Claim Check and Dork Builder, and sells digital products such as workspaces and reference packs. See the Products page.
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Every method and finding is held to the published Verification Standards, which set out how we verify, source and correct our work. Each post is also fact-checked line by line before publication.
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Reply to any Signal & Shadow email. We correct every known error of fact promptly, openly and in full. Each correction is appended to the original work, dated and explained, and logged in the public corrections register.
The Signal, the first card in every series and every Guide, free. Upgrade any time for the full toolkit, with a 7-day free trial.