Monitoring will also cover child abuse and other serious offences.

An Garda Síochána are expanding their use of open-source intelligence, which uses public data sources, such as social media, to investigate crimes. The significant expansion of this use of intelligence is hoped to tackle online child abuse, far-right violence amongst other serious offences.

As part of the ongoing investigation into last year’s Dublin Riots, social media analysis has been instrumental in linking instigators to the crime scene and proving their involvement, resulting in multiple arrests and court proceedings. Social media monitoring has also been used to investigate the targeting of asylum-seeker sites by far-right groups and to help Gardaí prepare for potential violent protests.

Up until now, open-source intelligence gathering has primarily been handled by the National Crime Intelligence Unit, a branch of the Garda national crime and security intelligence service. However, plans are now underway for Gardaí to create open-source intelligence units in each of the Garda regions. This is expected to significantly expand social media monitoring.

An Garda Síochána have also introduced a policy on open-source intelligence which will apply to publicly available data. A court order will still be necessary for Gardaí to access private information. It states: “It is imperative that Garda members undertaking OSINT [open source intelligence] enquiries fully understand the concept and function of online platforms. All available techniques will be used in accordance with law and in a proportionate manner, ensuring the constitutional and human rights of all are respected and protected in pursuit of preventing, detecting and investigating criminal offences.”

Despite the expansion of monitoring, many members of the Gardaí have requested additional resources for open-source monitoring, particularly in cases of child abuse and drug related investigations.

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