An Garda Síochána is to significantly expand its monitoring of social media accounts in an effort to combat online child abuse, far-right violence and other serious offences.
Open-source intelligence, which involves analysing public data sources, including social media activity, has been a part of Garda investigations for many years.
It has been used in many prosecutions, including rape and murder, to tie suspects to the scenes of crimes or to establish their connections with other criminals. Social media posts have recently formed a key part of investigations into the Dublin riots in November 2023.
Gardaí have been gathering posts of people claiming to be involved in the riots and those accused of inciting the violence. A number of people are before the courts on related charges.
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Platforms such as Facebook, X and Instagram have also been monitored by gardaí investigating a spate of arson attacks on locations around the country rumoured to be earmarked for asylum seeker accommodation.
Passive monitoring of social media is also used to prepare for possible public order issues at planned protests. It is also monitored for the sale of drugs and, recently in the run-up to Halloween, the sale of illicit fireworks. However, the extent of such monitoring has in the past been limited by a lack of trained gardaí and the absence of clear policy in the area.
Until now, open-source intelligence gathering has been mainly the preserve of the National Crime Intelligence Unit, a secretive unit that is part of the Garda national crime and security intelligence service.
Gardaí are advancing plans to establish open-source intelligence units in each of the four Garda regions. This will significantly expand both passive and direct social-media monitoring, sources said.
Garda management has also recently put in place a policy document governing the use of open-source intelligence.
“It is imperative that Garda members undertaking OSINT [open source intelligence] enquiries fully understand the concept and function of online platforms,” it states. “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.”
This policy applies only to publicly available data. Gardaí will still require a court order to obtain data from private messaging services.
Despite these changes, many gardaí are calling for additional resources for open-source monitoring, particularly in investigations into online child sexual abuse.
Gardaí from the Cyber Crime Bureau frequently assist the Online Child Exploitation Unit in tracking suspected child abusers using their social media accounts. However, in a recent report, the Garda Inspectorate noted there is a lack of dedicated technology and software for accessing open-source information and that this can lead to “significant delays.”
There are also calls for increased social media monitoring for drug dealing due to the increased number of transactions being arranged over social media. “Therefore, drug units believe that the An Garda Síochána needs to enhance its monitoring of social media sites and open-source information,” the Inspectorate said.
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