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# The Kit

The Kit is a collaborative, self-learning resource that makes investigative techniques and tools used by experienced investigators more accessible to people and communities who feel motivated to start their own investigations, collect and verify information, build evidence and create a better understanding of issues without losing sight of ethical or safety considerations. The Kit is a resource of [Exposing the Invisible (ETI)](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/).
 
 
Please contact our team with feedback, questions, suggestions for additional content or intentions to collaborate on expanding the Kit by writing to [eti@tacticaltech.org](mailto:eti@tacticaltech.org) (GPG Key fingerprint: BD30 C622 D030 FCF1 38EC C26D DD04 627E 1411 0C02).

 
 

![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/about_break.png)

## Exposing the Invisible

[Exposing the Invisible (ETI)](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/) is a [Tactical Tech](https://tacticaltech.org/) project that has been actively experimenting with ways to promote investigation as one of the most important forms of public engagement. Through a series of films, interviews, guides and resources, ETI looks at different techniques, tools and methods along with the individual practices of those working at the new frontiers of investigation.
- [eti@tacticaltech.org](mailto:eti@tacticaltech.org)
- [GPG Key](https://keys.ttc.io/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xB0D6B0CF9491FED8) fingerprint: B0D6 B0CF 9491 FED8

## Tactical Tech

[Tactical Tech](https://tacticaltech.org/) is a Berlin-based non-profit organization that investigates the evolving impact of digital technologies on society. Through their work they aim to educate, advocate and create practical solutions that contribute to the wider socio-political debate around digital security, privacy and the ethics of data.
- [@info\_activism](https://twitter.com/info_activism)
- [facebook.com/tactical.tech](https://facebook.com/tactical.tech)
- [ttc@tacticaltech.org](mailto:ttc@tacticaltech.org)
- [GPG Key](https://keys.ttc.io/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xF6B047919EC6096D) fingerprint: 0X9B7146F981654FBEE17A0CAAF6B047919EC6096D

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[Get started with The
Kit](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/preamble.html)

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Investigation is Collaboration: How to Make It Work
==============================

By Ankita Anand

![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/investigation-collaboration-cik-illustration.png)

```cik-in-short
```
**In Short:** Never investigate alone. Collaboration is essential to
your safety, well-being and effectiveness as an investigator, no matter
the context. But what does it mean to collaborate and what kind of
collaborations are possible? This guide will help you plan, organise and
run your collaboration with investigators, sources and others in order
to make the most out of your own skills and the expertise of others on
your team.

Never investigate alone!
-----------------------

If anything, this is what this guide would like you to remember forever.

Collaborations take place in our personal and professional lives every
day. If we talk of the latter, we see that in any workplace there are
people with different skill sets and experiences who come together to
meet a common goal and agenda. In the context of investigations,
collaboration usually happens when a group of people with varying
backgrounds are concerned about an issue of public interest. But since
each person's skill set and capacity are limited, everyone needs the
help of others who bring their own expertise and resources to the table.
Even if a person has a diverse set of skills, bringing in different
people also helps each person give undivided time and attention to their
specific tasks, which is especially important for projects of a larger
scale.

Not everyone on the team has to be directly engaged in investigating the
subject itself. Essential collaborators could include people who
effectively present the findings of the investigation to an
organisation, government, court of law, or the general public. Another
example is someone who regularly works with data, like an analyst or an
economist, who could help the team make sense of the numbers involved in
a corruption case. And a graphics designer could know how to present it
to an audience in a simple and comprehensible manner. A visual artist
and/or a photographer could also lend a hand by capturing the outcome of
the investigation in a riveting format, along with a website developer,
if needed. Journalists and news organisations could help make the
newfound information accessible to a wider audience. Activists,
academics and researchers can aid an investigation with anything from
the background research, verification and fact-checking phase to the
publication and awareness-raising phases.

Collaborations can take place across various levels. There could be one
between a local citizen and a researcher at an NGO working in the
national capital. Then there are cross-border investigative teams
working at regional and global levels. Local facilitators are especially
helpful to an investigation, because they grant investigators access.

What are the benefits of collaboration?
----------------------------------------

The advantages of collaboration are infinite: finding better evidence,
creating a stronger impact, exchanging information or knowledge, filling
expertise or access gaps and, last but certainly not least, ensuring
safety and security support for the members of the collaborating group.
Gone are the days when investigating alone was the key to securing one's
exclusivity on uncovering wrongdoing or breaking the news. Even the most
hardened investigative journalists admit now that "lone wolf"
investigations are no longer a good idea (if they ever were). [Networks of collaboration](https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2018-03/sambrook_e-ISBN_1802.pdf) can make the uncovered information and its outreach much stronger.

People coming together to expose wrongdoing or speak truth to power aids
investigations both in findings and presentation, better protects
investigators, and creates more pressure on authorities and governments
for accountability. For many people, it might be hard to know where to
look for support, funding, and collaboration platforms. But identifying
even one collaborator whose job involves investigations can connect you
to other collaborators and the resources needed to carry out the
project. To help with the process of investigations, the other portions
of this *Exposing the Invisible Kit* detail best practices, tools and
techniques.

### Different people, different skills

It would take one person a lifetime or more to learn all the skills used
in different kinds of investigations. In a collaboration, you can have
several uniquely skilled people working toward the same goal
simultaneously. Even if one person has more than one skill, which is
exciting and useful for low-budget projects, it is always better if your
project generates work and income for multiple people who have years of
training and experience in the field.

### Reaching a wider audience

Each person is a member of a community, whether it's a social circle or
professional network, and the people in those circles and networks have
their own communities in turn. Having multiple people in a team means
the findings can be distributed in a non-linear way to a greater number
of people. The more people, the more potential avenues to get the word
out. Some of these have large audiences, like a news organisation, an
organisation with a huge number of newsletter subscribers, an individual
using savvy audience engagement tools, or a person with a strong social
media presence. A wider reach equals a stronger impact.

### Circumventing travel restrictions

Collaboration has taken on a renewed significance in light of the many
pandemic-induced travel restrictions. There are also perennial
impediments like visa rules and budget limitations. Whether it's your
own country or elsewhere in the world, in lieu of travel, the most
viable option is to connect with people already located there to get the
job done.

### Sharing the work

A large-scale investigation might seem attractive because of its
potential to make a big splash with far-reaching revelations. But once
you start peeling the layers and drowning in documents, it is common to
be overwhelmed by confusion and anxiety as the initial excitement fades.
A partner or team helps you stay sane and reminds you that you are not
alone.

### Ensuring accountability

If you have taken up a project voluntarily and it is not supported by
any organisation or a committed group, it might be put on hold or you
might give it up altogether. Having a collaborator means a sense of
mutual accountability, which could lower the chances of the project
getting shelved.

### Securing workplace equality

Local investigators often work the hardest to investigate issues
afflicting their community, yet they are not recognised enough. If an
investigator is relying on a local person to facilitate the
investigation, it is only fair that the resident should be treated as an
equal collaborator in the story. If the collaborator is a journalist,
recognition could come in the form of a joint by-line and shared
payment. When it's an associate who does not wish to be named or is
helping with the logistics but is not directly engaged in the
investigating, compensation for the time or expenses incurred might be
sufficient. In the case of an activist, a citizen investigator or a
group of active members of the community, you could connect them to
resources that would help them carry forward their work.

### Bringing authenticity

Some investigators are rightfully criticised for parachuting, a negative
term used for an outsider who comes to a local area (sometimes working
with a lot of untested assumptions), quickly conducts an investigation,
and leaves immediately. In these instances, a possible misrepresentation
of local realities, history and context could occur. If a such a story
misinforms influential people like policymakers, the lives of entire
communities would suffer the consequences of policies made on inaccurate
bases. Partnering with someone who brings deep local knowledge helps
avoid the exploitation of a local community or their misrepresentation.

### Offering perspective

No matter how well informed, one person cannot bring a panoramic
perspective to a story, especially in a limited time. When individuals
from different backgrounds collaborate, they bring to the table
questions and connections the person living there would not even think
of, because you tend to take for granted a lot of facts about the
situation you are embedded in. An outsider's perspective makes you
realise that some of those things need to be questioned or explained in
the investigation so a greater number of people can comprehend the
findings.

### Enhancing safety

Attacks on whistleblowers have gone up tremendously even in what were
previously considered "safe" places. But there's safety in numbers -
working in a group helps protect you and your work.

If a report is suppressed in one country, it can be amplified in other
places.

```cik-example
```
>**Example:**
>
>- _**[Forbidden Stories](https://forbiddenstories.org/)**_ is
> an example of a programme that aims to continue and publish the work
> of journalists facing attacks.
>
>- _**[The Signals Network](https://thesignalsnetwork.org/)**_
> is an organisation that enables safe and ethical collaborations
> among media and whistleblowers to advance the public interest and to
> encourage transparency and accountability.

Just as a local person enjoys more trust in their community, an outsider
may also be able to access people and places by virtue of the privileges
they have as a foreigner. An investigator from the local community could
at times be too "under the radar." Also, foreigners who intend to leave
after the investigation will be much safer from risks than someone who
has to go on living there.

### Bringing gender and cultural diversity

Team-mates of different genders help gain access to different places and
people. A woman who has faced sexual violence might prefer to talk to a
woman, while certain religious places might allow entry only to men.
LGBTQI+ investigators and/or those sensitive to marginalised communities
may gain access to their respective communities easier than others at
times.

But not everything is just about getting access. A more diverse team
helps respect the right of the interviewee to talk to someone who is
closest to their lived experience, studied it enough, or received
relevant training. This way your investigation can better understand the
interviewees. They do not have to do the labour of sharing the entire
background of their lived realities, which allows for deeper and more
meaningful interviews. A mix of cultural identities in collaborators
also brings unique points of view and learnings to the investigation.

Putting together the (dream)team
--------------------------------

![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/investigation-collaboration-01-cik-illustration.png)

When building a strong, well-balanced team, think of what your project
needs and what to look for in colleagues to support it. List the skills,
sources and resources you already have, as well as the ones needed for
the investigation. Also think beyond the immediate team. You can engage
subject matter experts for either part of the investigation or
throughout. You can also reach out to a support network of friendly
advisors who are not a part of the team but are willing to have an
informal chat about their experiences.

We suggested a list of questions to ask yourself below, but make sure
you tailor your own list to your specific environment and needs.

### What to look for in a team

#### Complementary skill sets, fluency in local languages, and access:

- What are the documents/places/people you don't have access to and
who is in a position to gain that access?

- If you are going to a place where you do not speak the local
language, or even if you would be conducting remote interviews of
people whose language you do not speak, who can assist you as a
reliable local investigator or a translator?

- If a community is known for being closed-in and not interacting with
outsiders, is there a local activist or other civil society members
working with the community for years who could be an ally that helps
you gain entry and trust?

#### Subject expertise:

- Is the investigation likely to get you into hostile situations? If
yes, do you know someone who has hostile environment or
de-escalation training and can share it with the team?

- Are you expecting to receive a lot of sensitive information from
your sources digitally? If yes, can you find someone who can ensure
digital security for the investigation?

- If your findings are going to be presented online, and especially if
you have a lot of young people as your audience, can someone help
design an interactive platform?

- If the investigation is going to produce a lot of on-site, visually
strong findings, could you connect with a filmmaker or a
photographer?

- If the case has a lot of legalese, or if those exposed are likely to
file defamation cases, could you touch base with a lawyer working on
similar issues?

### Planning and organising the team

#### Make a plan:

Plan out your investigation and identify what roles you might want to
fill for the execution of your investigation plan. Having a rough plan
gives you a sense of activities you may undertake and the roles and
skills of your those you want to work with. For a look at the most
important elements of an investigation, check out the guide _**["What
Makes an Investigation"](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/investigation-concepts.html)**_
elsewhere in the *Exposing the Invisible Kit*.

#### Reaching out to potential collaborators:

You might know investigators directly or know others who do. If any
organisation has done work on the issue, you could contact them for
collaboration, and they could also tell you about others they have
worked with and might still be interested in pursuing the subject. When
reading about the topic of your interest, you could get in touch with
the authors to ask if they, or the sources they interviewed, would like
to join your investigation.

Social media is also a good place to establish contact if you cannot
find their contact details otherwise through online searches. People
regularly use LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to connect with
new people. You don't have to be on all these platforms to make
connections. For example, many people have their emails in their Twitter
bios, which you can access without creating a Twitter account for
yourself. If you don't find the people you are looking for, you can
contact any affiliate organisations or colleagues and request an
introduction.

When possible, online or offline workshops, conferences and other
investigation-related events are some of the best settings to meet
potential collaborators, launch ideas or proposals for collaboration,
and have introductory meetings that can kickstart new projects.

#### Collaboration platforms:

There are several specialised platforms to help connect journalists and
other civil society investigators and sources looking to collaborate.
These platforms often work for any investigation topics. _**[Help A Reporter Out / HARO](https://www.helpareporter.com/)**_ helps investigators find the right people to work with. _**[Hostwriter](https://hostwriter.org/)**_ and _**[Global
Investigative Journalism Network - GIJN](https://gijn.org/)**_ are a couple of
platforms where collaborations regularly take place. Hostwriter's _**[Unbias the News](https://unbiasthenews.org/)**_ project
invites collaborative and cross-border stories for publication. _**[Project Facet](https://www.projectfacet.org/)**_ also
facilitates collaborations.

But even online social media groups and individual profiles related to
investigations can be used to reach out to potential partners. Just go
on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and type out words like "investigation"
or "investigative," "OSINT - Open Source Intelligence." On Facebook, for instance, by adding the
"Groups" filter when searching for such key words you will find groups
of investigators you can ask to join. These groups could be region- or
subject-specific. Keep in mind that some are private groups and will
often need to run a background check on your social media profile or ask
around about you to verify that you are trustworthy.

```cik-note
```
> **Note:**
>
> Some investigative meet ups and conferences also end up making a
> social media page or a discussion forum on their website, like:
>
> - _**[Dataharvest](https://dataharvest.eu/)**_ - the European
> Investigative Journalism Conference.
> - _**[ARENA](https://dataharvest.eu/in-the-arena/)**_ - the
> organisation running Dataharvest - also hosts a discussion group and several _**[topic-based networks](https://journalismarena.eu/the-networks/)**_ that you can check and apply to join if relevant to your work.
> - The Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) has an online
> helpdesk, which also includes advice on how to _**[identify networks and
> possible sources and collaborators](https://helpdesk.gijn.org/support/solutions/articles/14000036507-contacts-and-networking)**_.

You could also start a group of your own, add some relevant people you
know, and in due course other investigators looking for team-mates might
join.

#### Funding for collaboration:

Collaborations need funding, because, apart from expenses of the
investigation's logistics, all team members should be compensated
fairly. _**[Clean Energy Wire](https://www.cleanenergywire.org/)**_, _**[Hostwriter](https://hostwriter.org/)**_, _**[Journalismfund.eu](https://www.journalismfund.eu/)**_, _**[European Journalism Centre](https://ejc.net/)**_,
_**[n-ost](https://www.n-ost.org/)**_, _**[Pulitzer Center](https://pulitzercenter.org/)**_ are all groups that
encourage investigative collaborations with financial support. But if
you read carefully many other grants also allow the possibility of
having a two- or three-member team. Unless it is explicitly mentioned
that only individuals can apply, feel free to write to the grant giving
organisation and ask if you can apply as a team. In addition, check out
the lists of _**[Fundraising](https://helpdesk.gijn.org/support/solutions/articles/14000036512-fundraising-and-grants)**_
and _**[Grants & Fellowships](https://helpdesk.gijn.org/support/solutions/articles/14000036514-fellowships)**_
resources that GIJN provides on their website.

#### Inviting collaborators to join:

Many individuals secure a grant first and then ask around for
collaborators. This way they let people know that they have a funded
project in hand, not merely an idea in their head. With the confidence
of funding, new team members feel more reassured about investing their
time, granting the initiator a more diverse pool to choose from.

But this method has its flip side. Sending grant applications can be
time consuming. It could be a lot for one person to take on, especially
if it's a large-scale project. If someone manages to win a grant, it
could lead to an unsaid hierarchy in the team. The initiator or "leader"
might feel that they have already put in more work than the next person
and should have more say in the project. A new joiner might have some
genuine concerns about the project but may not raise them because of the
guilt that the "project lead" has done most of the work.

If there is a collaborator who can invest the time to join the initiator
right from the beginning, it benefits everyone. For one, the proposal
would be a realistic one. Let's take the example of an international
collaboration. A collaborator would not promise to bring information
from their region which, as a resident of that country, they know would
be impossible to get. The budgets drawn would be more specific to the
economic situation in both the countries. The timeline would be drawn
based on both persons' schedules, rather than one person killing
themselves to meet the deadline the other has already promised to the
funders.

#### Choosing the right collaborator(s):

People signing up to join a project usually share their work experience,
why they are interested in the idea, what they could bring to it, and
how. But remember that CVs and bios tell you what a person has done, not
who they are, which you need to know in order to work with them.

```cik-tip
```
> **Tip:**
>
> **Invest effort in knowing someone and trust your intuition**
>
> Apart from the email exchanges that establish preliminary contact,
> interest and information, try to have video calls, or at least voice
> calls. Get to know each other; see if you share compatibility by
> discussing your work interests, ways and ethics of working, your
> motivations and expected outcome with respect to the investigation.
> Ask about the kind of collaborative work they have done in the past
> (it doesn't have to be an investigation). Find out if they are a team
> player by discussing potential areas of conflict or describing a
> scenario and asking how they would deal with it. Don't ignore your
> intuition because of certain facts, like the accomplishments listed on
> their CV. Having these chats prior to choosing a collaborator is
> crucial.

#### Agreeing on collaboration conditions and any compensation:

When employers see resumes, they hire people to do an assignment and pay
them on delivery. Even if not always explicitly acknowledged, something
of a power hierarchy still exists. The hired person gets paid only when
they deliver. If they don't, they stand to lose that pay, along with
their own reputation in the eyes of the organisation.

In the case of collaborations supported by organisations, people
sometimes get paid, at least in part, in the beginning. You could be in
a kind of partnership where the person you are choosing is not an
employee, but an equal partner. You don't want to face a situation where
money has already been disbursed, and you are having to chase members
who have not delivered what they promised. If it is a case where you
alone were the project initiator at the time of the grant's approval and
involved partners later, then as the "lead" you run the risk of losing
the organisation's trust for failing to deliver.

For these reasons, a **jointly prepared agreement is a must**. Some
questions to consider when preparing an agreement include:

- How and when should the team communicate to share updates and raise queries?

- What deliverables are expected from each person and by when?

- How frequently will each member share their findings? (This is
especially important if a team member pulls out later for an
unforeseeable reason to ensure the team has access to their work.)

- What's the backup plan in case the team cannot deliver something promised?

- What is a reasonable amount of time within which people can be
expected to respond to messages? If a person doesn't respond after
that time period, can the team move forward without them, and in
some cases restrict access to shared data for non-communicative team
members? (This isn't necessarily anything against the
non-communicative person. Rather, if they have been locked out of
their systems, or, worse, are facing some kind of detainment,
restricting their access would not only protect the data but also
the investigator.) If they turn up later with an explanation for
their silence, how would the team then proceed?

- What is the final aim of the investigation? To share the findings
with an affected community/to submit it to a tribunal/to get it
published by the media?

- What will happen to the data/evidence/documentation after the investigation is over?

```cik-tip
```
> **Tip:**
>
> **Develop a Shared Code of Conduct**
>
> In addition to crafting an agreement outlining collaboration details,
> work management and timeline, spend time as a team to develop your own
> code of conduct focused on mutual expectations on ethics, diversity
> and inclusion. As a start to any good collaboration, this code of
> conduct should be drafted collaboratively, and you could organise an
> online or physical (if possible) meeting dedicated to it alone.
> Consider brainstorming on and listing aspects such as: what is
> acceptable as behaviour and what is not; what happens if someone
> breaks the code; how to give constructive feedback; how to avoid or
> address tension, frustration and aggressive behaviour; how to respect
> each other's privacy and safety -- what is allowed and what isn't in
> this respect, etc. If you collaborate in a larger team, you could even
> assign one or two team members to assist any conflicts or tensions
> that arise.
>
> - See more advice about how to set up a code of conduct or
> shared conduct agreement in Tactical Tech's _**[*Gender and Security resource*](https://gendersec.tacticaltech.org/wiki/index.php/Complete_manual#Shared_agreements)**_ pack for trainings and collaborations ["Zen and the art of making tech work for you.”](https://gendersec.tacticaltech.org/wiki/index.php/Complete_manual)

#### Getting the paperwork in order:

If an organisation is sponsoring the investigation, it might require
each team member to sign a contract with them. If lieu of a third-party
contract, the initiator should draw up something in writing to ensure
the delivery of certain tasks within a timeframe for a specified fee.

Before you and the team hit the road
-----------------------------------------

```cik-warning
```
> **Safety First!**
>
> Ensuring the safety of collaborators and trying to foresee challenges
> is a vital part of your investigation. Use the _**[**'Do No Harm'** principle](https://holistic-security.tacticaltech.org/chapters/strategise/3-6-security-and-the-do-no-harm-approach.html)**_ so that no participants in the investigation whether sources or
> collaborators are negatively impacted by it.
>
> ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/collaboration/holistic-security.png)
> *Screenshot from Tactical Tech's Holistic Security manual: <https://holistic-security.tacticaltech.org/>*
>
> This involves understanding the work environment, choosing the right
> tools and platforms for communication and conducting risk assessment.
> For more on issues to consider when safeguarding your team, sources
> and investigation see the section: *Contingency Planning.*
>
> **Risk is inherited:**
>
> If you and your collaborators carry little to no risk (e.g., living
> and working in a safe area), but you are interviewing a person
> experiencing high risk (e.g., living in a dangerous area or working on
> controversial issues), you inherit that risk. Your risk level will be
> higher for a period of time before and after the interview. If you
> interview someone for a report or an article that will be published,
> be prepared for your risk to increase at the time of publication. When
> investigating individuals in positions of power and influence, be
> prepared for a prolonged, higher risk if they become aware of your
> investigation.
>
> On the other hand, much like how you inherit other people's risks,
> they inherit yours. Operating in a low-risk area or having a low-risk
> profile does not mean you pose no risk to others. On the contrary -
> you may increase the risk of others you interact with. This can happen
> when your usual behaviour in a low-risk area may very well put you at
> risk in other areas. Simple acts such as communicating on a mobile
> phone may be safe to someone in a low-risk area, but that same act can
> easily subject someone to danger in a high-risk area.
>
> These considerations need extra care when working across regions or
> issues, where team members may be based in varied contexts and operate
> under particular risks or threats. The entire team should become aware
> of everyone's possible vulnerabilities and work to set out a safety
> assessment and mitigation plan that can address those risks. Remember
> that a team is always as safe as its highest risk member.
>
> - Read our _**[_Safety First!_](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/safety.html)**_ article in this Kit for basic safety considerations when investigating.
> - Consult Tactical Tech's _**[_Holistic Security Manual_](https://holistic-security.tacticaltech.org/index.html)**_ for a detailed approach that integrates self-care, well-being, digital security, and information security into traditional security management practices of collaborative projects and organisations. The manual was initially designed with human rights defenders in mind as a target audience but it is equally relevant for investigators and anyone working collaboratively to expose issues affecting their communities.

### Briefing the team

An often-overlooked step is explaining the project to new team members.
Project initiators have an intimate knowledge of the investigation, but
not everyone starts with that level of understanding. First, you have to
get everyone on the same page. Otherwise, you would end up launching
into the execution plans for the project when some collaborators still
have questions related to the project's initiation.

After sharing the proposal approved by the funders and the supporting
documentation with new members, tell them about the back stories not
necessarily included in the application. Tell them how you came upon the
idea, why the story is important to you personally, and any other aspect
of the project that can help others create their own connection to the
work you're about to do. This goes for the budget too - explain why you
chose what sum for each category of expenses, and what your calculations
were based on. If there is a stipend included, was it a fixed amount
allotted by the granters, or did you also budget for it? If the latter,
what was the time investment you had in mind? If the time needed seems
more than the investigators' fee, is it because there was an external
cap on it by the funders? Or is it because you felt it was important to
divert part of that fund to some expenses? If the latter, is there a
plan where they can be paid better later after the findings have been
shared publicly? If the working grant is not split equally, what was the
rationale behind that? Does it indicate a disproportionate division of
labour too?

The reason people often collaborate is because the project is too big
for one person to take on. In the case of larger projects, team members
might have to say no to other assignments. For such a long-term
involvement, it would be naive not to consider the financial well-being
of all the collaborators during that period, especially freelancers.

### Defining roles

A well-defined division of labour is paramount to collaboration.
Figuring out who oversees what right at the outset avoids confusion and
misunderstandings later. Once the tasks are assigned, it is also easier
for individuals to plan their schedule according to how much time each
of their tasks will take them. Decide if there should be a project
coordinator everyone is comfortable with, someone who solicits updates
and sends reminders when needed. Some projects have a person solely
dedicated to managing the team and making sure they stay on schedule.

### Logistics

When there is no organisational structure to fall back on, one or more
team members will have to take on the role of logistician. This may
sound like a basic task, but there are investigators who dont want any
part of making these arrangements, which could be anything from making
schedules to doing currency exchanges for the team. In such situations,
teams have to figure out how the work can be divided equally.

### Credits and acknowledgement

How should each person be credited? For example, should the report list
names in alphabetical order or should it be on the basis of whoever
wrote the most? People often skip these things because they are
embarrassed to come across as petty or self-important. But wanting to be
appropriately acknowledged for your work is a genuine concern. If
questions remain unanswered in people's minds or if unarticulated
grudges linger, they strain relationships and, by extension, the
project. If an initiator talks about these things themselves, they are
avoiding putting people in a position where the joiners debate whether
it is right to raise these points. The initiator then also establishes
their good intent and transparency.

### Ethics and methodology

Sit together and agree on common ethics and methods of working. It's
important to approach this conversation with an open mind, because
different people could have different opinions. It is best to have some
common understanding at the start, rather than having to deal with it in
the middle of the investigation. For example, there are investigators
who are completely against sting operations or pushing their sources to
reveal information, while others consider these methods fair play when
the result could lead to exposing a wrongdoing.

```cik-note
```
> **Note:**
>
> The ethics question extends to decisions about software tools and
> platforms you may choose to use. While open source tools may sometimes
> present limitations to the investigation task at hand, oftentimes they
> can also present an alternative to commercial tools that may not fully
> respect the privacy of your data. For examples on navigating the
> choices of platforms and the trade-offs, please refer to Tactical
> Tech's article _**[_Technology is Stupid: How to choose Tech for Remote
> Working._](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/en/articles/technology-is-stupid)**_

### Schedule

Some people like to sleep early and some late. Sometimes our schedules
are decided by sources or the limited time during which an on-the-ground
investigation site might be open. But when that is not so, like in any
organisation, stick to the working hours you have drawn so that people
can switch off, rest, talk to their families or go for a walk. Theres
no such thing as round-the-clock working with perfect productivity.

Check with your partners about their non-negotiables. Beyond what time
do they not work? What do they feel about dealing with an unexpected
development in the investigation if it happens on a weekend or a
holiday?

### Health requirements

If the team has to visit a site that involves a long trek, do all
members feel up to it physically? If not, can those who stay behind help
the team with working on some other aspect of the story? Do some
colleagues need to stick to strict mealtimes as a health requirement? If
yes, and if the team is working on an erratic schedule due to factors
beyond their control, maybe such colleagues could carry some dry food
items with them. The teammates who are vegan or vegetarian might also
find it useful to do the same, in case they do not always find their
preferred options in all places or times.

### Budgeting

Many grants are flexible about how much money is spent for a specific
purpose as long as it is spent on the investigation. This leaves many
financial decisions to the team. Someone could want to spend more on
accommodation, while another team member may want to spend more on
hiring services like filming. It is important to agree beforehand on a
more detailed breakdown of expenses, even though the funders might have
approved a less detailed budget.

Funders pass budgets with caveats around what their support would or
would not cover. Still, during the investigation unexpected categories
of expenditure might emerge. If possible, and if you do not need to
urgently make the expense, it is good to quickly check with the sponsors
if these kinds of costs would be reimbursed. It might not be a bad idea
to request to be connected to the accounts team of the funding
organisation as well. Many accounts department have extremely specific
rules about the items that would be covered, how the billing should be
done, etc. Sometimes both the recipients of the support and the points
of contact at the supporting organisation are not fully aware of these
minutiae. It is better to have this clarity before spending the money.

```cik-note
```
> **Note:**
>
> **What reality teaches us**
>
> Each investigation brings to light some new realities funders and
> their financial departments might not have encountered before.
> Regularly sharing these realities with them could lead to newer rules
> that support the unpredictability of investigations. For example, the
> accounts section of an organisation once insisted on a printed taxi
> bill, while the driver in the rural area who had taken the
> investigator around was not literate and so was unable to provide it.

Before investigators and funders sign memoranda of understanding, the
former could bring to the table such concerns or lessons learned from
past experiences. Money often tends to create an invisible hierarchy
between the giver and the recipient. So the team might feel hesitant
about raising a bunch of queries. But to ask, discuss and then agree in
advance is much more feasible than to ask for terms of contracts to be
changed in hindsight. Funders who regularly support investigations
understand some unpredictable situations that might arise in
investigations and do try to be flexible. But for that to happen it is
important that the team keeps an active and honest line of communication
open with them.

### Letters of intent

One thing that reassures monetary supporters about the investigation's
findings becoming publicly known are letters of intent. These are
letters issued by media houses to team members saying they would like to
publish the outcome of the investigation. Many investigators drop the
idea of applying for funds because they feel hesitant to ask for these
letters, do not hear back from publications or find it awkward to ask
someone for it a second time after their first grant proposal failed. To
get around this, you should remember that:

- You are not really asking anyone for a guarantee. In fact, many
publishers, when they mention their interest in publishing, also add
a clause saying "subject to editorial standards", or something to
that effect. Letters of intent usually do not function as a binding
legal agreement.

- You are also not in a legal agreement with the publication to
publish with them. If at some point you realise your story is better
suited for another house, you could inform the initial publication
of this, thanking them for their support.

- Publications often have limited travel budgets. If you pitch an
investigative story to a newspaper/website that can only pay the
writing or the photography fee, they would actually be happy to
break the story at a cost much lower than what they would otherwise
need to pay to facilitate such an investigation.

- You do not need to secure letters from the biggest news
organisations. If you think some smaller groups have been more
responsive in the past, you could request them as well. The funders
would also be looking at your past work or the preliminary research
your application shows to know about your credibility. Therefore,
your chances of getting the grant do not depend entirely on
statements from other organisations.

- If there is an editor who would be happy to provide the letter but
might be too busy to send it in time, ask if they would prefer a
basic template to look over and sign. The template could just have a
couple of sentences saying the publication is interested in the
investigation and would like to publish the findings if all
editorial requirements are met.

### Post-production

What happens after you've collected the information and put together the
story/report? Will one or all team members decide on the platforms (as
in organisations, websites, events, etc.) for putting the investigation
findings out in the public domain, should that be your goal?

For instance, if you plan on reaching out to NGOs and/or media
organisations to publish your findings, there should be a shared
understanding on this based on the reputation, distribution capacity,
response and publication time, fees and other factors that such a
publishing platform may bring to the table. If you plan on creating and
managing your own publishing space(s) online or offline, this will need
to be agreed and planned all throughout the investigation process, not
left for the last minute as getting stories out for dissemination and
awareness it's a whole project in itself and requires some particular
skill-sets to do it effectively.

### Contingency plans

What to do when a team member goes AWOL, has to pull out mid-project, or
does not turn in the work expected from their part of the collaboration?
What contingency plans can you fall back on? One way to minimise these
kinds of losses is for the project coordinator and maybe another team
member to periodically keep collecting updated work, notes, data sets,
even expense receipts, etc., from the investigators at regular
intervals.

```cik-warning
```
> **Safety First! - contingency planning**
>
> Contingency planning is meant to provide you with a back-up plan in case your initial plan fails or is affected in any way.
> Contingency planning should be part of your overall safety planning and of the safety procedures that you should embark on early on in your planning activities.
>
>It is easy to get lost in logistics like booking tickets and hotels. But before diving into that, pause and do a safety assessment of the place you are visiting. No assessment is one-size-fits-all. A place can be completely safe for one team member yet fraught with risks for others, depending on their identity (gender, religion, language, etc.) and relationship with the place.
>
>It is also important for each member of the team to do an honest self-assessment of risks they could face, and not feel the pressure to be "brave" and dismiss all considerations. If there is hesitation around this, it is good to remember that threats faced by one person could impact the entire team and investigation, so it is best not to downplay any risks.
>
>
>**Some questions to consider are:**
>
>- What are the possible risks at *each location* the team plans to
> visit for their investigation?
>
>- Are low-risk members willing to take the lead during travel, for
> example by asking questions, while the high-risk ones keep a low
> profile?
>
>- Should the team split up if some aspects of the work can be done
> without involving the high-risk members at all?
>
>- Is there someone in the advisory group that has worked in the area
> before and can help the team with tips?
>
>- What is the team's safety protocol? Have the members discussed an
> exit plan (in case of a stampede/physical aggression/a team member
> having an accident, etc.)? Is it safer to move with a fixed vehicle
> and a driver, or to keep changing? If the visit is to a crowded
> place with no parking spot nearby, will it be quicker to leave by
> readily available transport, if any? Is there a local
> person/organisation that can be named/called in case of emergencies?
> Has everyone saved numbers for the emergency services, embassies and
> their hotels? Are there people (personal/professional) "back home"
> who have all these numbers (and flight/train/bus details of the
> team) and have been asked to use them to ferret out information
> about the team's whereabouts if they have not heard from the members
> for a certain amount of time (decided in advance)? Are people aware
> of the local traffic rules if they are driving or for when they
> would be walking around as pedestrians? What is the security
> question and answer (an innocuous question asked over phone or text
> like "how's the weather there" with an "ok" meaning all's going fine
> and "it's warm" meaning the situation is not safe, and so on)?
>
>- What should be the guiding factor while choosing a place to stay?
> Will a place situated in the city be safer because of the crowd
> around and access to help if needed? Or will a place on the
> outskirts suit the team's needs better if the idea is to be more
> inconspicuous? If there's a team of four with two high risk and two
> low risk members, do they need to stay separately per their safety
> assessment and stay in touch virtually, and also to limit
> surveillance if one place is more "on the radar" than another? What
> are the cultural considerations to be taken into account? Will it be
> better for people of the same gender to stay in a place of lodging?
> Or will mixed groups looking similar to families/friends/office
> teams draw less scrutiny?
>
>- What is the safety assessment of the local people helping the team
> and the interviewees, and how can you prioritise their safety?
>
>- If the team is going to take photographs, is it safe to use a camera
> or to leave it in the hotel, opting instead for phone cameras?
>
>- How will the material be stored and backed up safely every day?
>
>- When the team faces questions about who they are and what they are
> doing, what is the common answer the team has decided on? Are there
> risks arising out of the team members' individual or collective work
> publicly available online? How has the team prepared to deal with
> related questions and suspicions?
>
>- Does everyone have health insurance and their policy details? Is
> health information (allergies, blood groups, pre-existing medical
> condition, etc.) in a shared document that can be referred to by
> medical professionals if any health-related emergencies arise?
>
>- Does any place require any personal protection equipment?
>
>- Are there any legal issues involved with visiting a place or
> carrying data out of a place? Does the team have a legal advisor on
> board who could help with such assessments specific to that region?
>
>- Which identity cards would the team members be carrying?
>
>- If the travel is to another country, has the team gone through the
> Foreign Office Travel Advice for the place?
>
>- Has the team considered risks other than ones directly related to
> the investigation, like petty theft leading to loss of cash,
> documents, etc., and prepared accordingly (carrying limited amounts
> of cash, deciding whether it would be safer to carry a document on
> leaving it at the hotel, etc.)?
>
>- In the event of extreme stress/traumatic events, can the team
> support each other? Are they connected to mental health
> professionals they can call during such times? (When covering trauma
> related stories, you should discuss with your funders if there is
> budget for mental health services if needed.)
>
> If this list is any indication, there are a lot of questions to
> consider when travelling in a team. But these questions are all
> necessary to keep you and your collaborators safe and effective when
> conducting your investigation. Once you have templates ready for one
> investigation, you can keep using the same for others, modifying them
> as you gain experience in collaborative investigations (and hopefully
> sharing those suggestions with us so we can add to this guide!).

### Travelling

Not all projects come with a budget that allows for team members to
travel and investigate together. But if there is money to cover the cost
of travel and accommodation, there is an immense amount of merit in
doing it.

Meeting your team face-to-face is irreplaceable. There is nothing like
it for team building. It offers support to the other investigators and,
at times, reduces the safety risk a member might take on in
investigating alone. When interviewees see there is a team, or that
people from more than one place are involved in investigating, and that
it would be published in multiple places, they sometimes respond better
and take out more time because they feel what they have to say will
reach more people.

At the same time, the presence of a "foreigner" could raise suspicions
for some. So, consult the resident investigator on whether there is any
interview or site visit to which the other team members should avoid
going, and where these other members should wait in the meantime keeping
a low profile, letting the local investigator take the lead in
questioning.

```cik-tip
```
> **Tip:**
>
> For further reading on how to prepare and act when going to a foreign
> or possibly hostile location, check the _**[_Interviews guide_](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/interviews.html#interviews-requiring-special-approach)**_ and the _**[_Field guide_](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/field-research.html)**_ in this Kit.

### Crossing borders

Borders can be tricky in-transit places where you do not have the
comfort zone of your usual location and are yet to receive the support
of your team in the foreign location. You are on your own. Be patient,
calm and cooperative at all times. There could be various checkpoints to
go through, and you could be questioned either for a routine stop or an
informal chat. Sometimes language barriers can lead to miscommunication.
But if your body language remains relaxed, and you maintain a sincere
intent to understand and cooperate, you run a lower risk of giving the
impression of the "suspicious foreigner".

If you are going as a media person, be prepared to answer what you will
be reporting on. Again, discuss with the local contact and the team
beforehand. Without going into the details, you can give a broad answer.
Some countries need you to take a media permit/accreditation once you
land within a few days of arrival. Don't forget to do it because you
have got wrapped up in the investigation, or it can be a problem when
you return. Some of this information is not clearly available online and
while your local collaborator may find out, if it is the first time for
them, even they miss out on some details of the process. If this is
pointed out to you at any point while entering or exiting the country,
accept the mistake and be willing to pay the fine (from the contingency
fund that should be available in your budget). It is not unusual that on
seeing a cooperative passenger who has made an honest mistake, the fine
also gets waived off if it is up to the discretion of the officials.

You might be taken through several doors, left to wait in several rooms
and interviewed by a series of officials. It helps to have the
confidence of a person who has followed the entire travel and visa
procedure correctly, checked all the boxes, has all the papers, and has
been patient and truthful. Then that one error would appear like what it
is, an aberration, rather than a pattern. That's why when you are going
through visa rules and are not sure about whether some document is
needed or not, it is better to have that extra piece of paper rather
than not. For example, if the visa is given on arrival and the fee can
be paid either at the time or online, it could be a safer bet to already
pay online.

Since we are talking especially in the context of collaboration here, it
is important to note that an individual working on their own might have
their own way of going about things. For instance, they may not
understand why media accreditation is needed in the destination country
if they already have a press card from their home country. An individual
might want to argue the point. But it is hard to build a strong argument
without knowing the local laws perfectly well. And if a heated debate
leads to the officials calling up your partner in the country and
bringing them unwanted attention, it might not be a great thing for the
investigation and for the local team member who has to go on living
there after the team leaves. In a team, taking decisions in isolation
could imperil everyone.

### Accommodation

Figuring out where to stay during the investigation should be done in
discussion with the person who knows the place locally. A tourist may
only look at the cost of a room and the facilities provided. But
investigators need to decide if they should stay within the city to have
better access to interviewees and places, or whether they would like to
stay on the outskirts to avoid standing out too much and being noticed
by too many people. If the plan includes a lot of sitting together in
the hotel and researching/writing/thrashing out ideas, check if the
hotel has a power back up and a quiet conference room.

### Balancing your personal needs with the team's collective priorities

It is best to carry things like toiletries, instead of assuming the
hotel or even nearby shops will have it. These items do not take up a
lot of space or weight, and it is ideal that when the team arrives, they
are all ready to plunge into the work soon in the limited time rather
than having to hunt for the shampoo or cereal they cannot do without. If
you do leave behind something and cannot quickly and quietly find it
during team breaks or resting periods, try to do without it, unless it
is something crucial like medicines. Do not keep exclaiming about how
you are amazed that a "basic" item is not available and stress out the
resident team member who is trying hard to make you feel at home. They
are not your holiday planner or your tour guide. They are already
dealing with extra work because of ending up as the default "host" due
to their local knowledge. Unless an on-site investigation is going to
take place in each team member's location, you may not have a chance to
return the favour. Adapt, adapt, adapt.

### Exit plan

Despite all your safety precautions, sometimes you could find yourself
in an unexpected and unsafe scenario. An exit plan is a method you
outline beforehand that helps you get out of these situations and return
to safety. No investigation is worth your life. Of course, ideally you
would like to protect both your investigation and your well-being. But
your exit plan should also consider a case where the former might not be
possible. Your plan should include a strategy that prioritises the lives
and safety of your team above all else. If you can get out of a
threatening situation by giving up the evidence you have collected at
the site, you should do it.

Before you go for a site visit, have an agreed upon exit plan at the
ready. Again, the resident investigator can advise on this (it could be
an activist, a journalist, a guide or a local authority taking you to a
place). They may also have the upper hand when it comes to being
familiar with the local language. Once agreed on the exit plan, each
member can repeat it to the team, so it's confirmed that everyone has
understood the same thing. A tense, urgent situation does not give you
the luxury to go into a corner and whisper an exit strategy into
existence then and there. If the situation is slightly different from
what you had prepared for, wait a few moments for the local member to
improvise. If it seems they are stuck, any team member can lead with
something closest to the plan devised. That's why it's crucial to spend
enough time together before embarking on the investigation so team trust
can develop.

In theatre, there is an exercise called the "trust fall" where the group
holds hands standing in a circle and one person starts leaning back,
taking the group with them. People's bodies are stressed, and they fear
the fall. But they go with the flow trusting that the group will tune
with each other's bodies so well, and the people to their left and right
will hold on to them so tight, that they would only lean back to the
point where they do not fall. That is the ideal level of trust to be
cultivated amongst a team of collaborators.

On the "job"
------------

![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/investigation-collaboration-02-cik-illustration.png)

### Regular communication

This cannot be emphasised enough. Keep each other updated even if there
has not been any major development on the work front. It's always better
to share updates yourself. Nobody likes to be the bad cop who keeps
asking for status reports or sending reminders.

Talk regularly. If some decisions are taken in meetings, put them down
in writing and share the document with the minutes. Documents shared
online can be updated anytime but when you are setting up time to talk,
be mindful of time zones. Signal and Wire are examples of safer
applications investigators use to communicate, compared to something
like WhatsApp or regular phone calls. Also try to use safer email
services like riseup.net or ProtonMail.

### Timeline

A big project could take months, even years, to complete. The enthusiasm
at the beginning of a project begins to wane over time. Other individual
projects can start demanding team members' attention. If things get
stagnant, try to reignite the sense of community by finding ways to
connect with each other. Keep reading up on the subject you are
investigating and sharing links and notes with others.

### Interviews

If you are asking team members to interview a source either alone or
with you, make sure you brief them properly. Let them know what gets the
source talking and what trigger points to avoid. This way you will get
the maximum amount of information, and you won't lose your trust with
your source. In some cases, it could be useful for your partner to ask
some questions you don't want to ask because of your old relationship
with the source, questions that might not be welcome from you but might
be allowed for if asked by a new or a foreign investigator.

If one person is going to ask questions that are likely to make the
interviewee threatened or aggressive, then try to hold such interviews
in public places like cafes with another partner nearby and at a safe
distance. For more on interviews and sources, see _**[_Interviews: the
Human Element of Your Investigation_](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/interviews.html)**_
and _**[_How to Manage Your Sources._](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/manage-sources.html)**_

### Sharing resources and information about the project

As the project develops, there will be updates to share, source details
to add to, and new questions to look into. Decide on digitally safe,
easy-to-navigate platforms where you can share these items. (And don't
keep information to yourself! Collaborations are not competitions.)
Choose the apps on which there is consensus. If someone is new to a
platform, do some handholding until they get used to it.

And remember, sharing isn't just limited to the project at hand! The
most successful and long-lasting collaborations are based on camaraderie
and solidarity. When not working, talk to each other about your other
projects and interests. If you have ideas, contacts or information about
resources that would help advance each other's career, share generously.

### Social media sharing

A lot of investigators keep sharing mini-reveals or "teasers" on social
media during the course of an investigation. If you are someone who does
that, discuss it with the team first. Is everyone comfortable with these
snippets of ongoing work getting out? Is it even safe for the people
involved? Will it create impediments for the remainder of the
investigation? A common and seemingly innocuous trend is travellers
sharing pictures of their boarding passes online. In investigations,
this could mean alerting the wrong people to your trip, and the details
and bar code on the pass could easily facilitate identity theft.

If you intend to take and share photographs not directly related to the
investigation but that show the team members, consult everyone first.
They may not want their pictures on social media for personal reasons.
Plus, a seemingly innocuous photograph can also raise questions such as,
"why is this group of people hanging out together at all?"

There is also the question of the security of sources and interviewees
if you share their visuals. Or if you share their statements before the
investigation is over, you might be putting them at risk.

### Documenting methodology

A group of investigators, each with a unique set of skills, coming
together is not an everyday occurrence. The methodology of your
investigation will probably make for as exciting a read as the
investigation itself. It also wins the audience's credibility. Allot
time in your schedule to document this periodically.

### Check-ins

Our personal and professional lives are constantly overlapping, what
with working from home and social media platforms that have our vacation
photographs alongside the link to the latest sample of our professional
work. You might be out working, but your mobile phone could still
receive a slightly worrying text from home. Instead of pretending that
people's lives exist in watertight compartments, allow for a safe space
and time regularly for check-ins.

It is not about fulfilling a formality or asking people to share
something personal they do not want to. A genuine concern for the team's
well-being can mean simply asking after them, being open to listening,
offering whatever support you can and sharing notes about self-care
practices. Knowing each other's lives and struggles helps to engender
empathy. It can help foster a sense of loyalty, belonging and commitment
within the team.

### Acknowledging people's work and contributions

In team work sometimes individual contributions and efforts get lost.
Take a moment to appreciate, congratulate and celebrate people when they
make contributions that take the team one step closer to a successful
investigation. Being specific with your compliments is a good way of
letting the recipient know you are sincere. Thank the colleague who
always checked in with everyone about how they were doing, name the
person who managed to keep all the collected information organised in
one place, and so on.

### Being sensitive to cultural diversity

Be respectful to the various backgrounds, races, age groups, genders,
nationalities, religions, languages, histories, and sexualities your
team members have. Try to educate yourself a bit about their cultures
before you start working with them. And remember, it is not their job to
explain things to you or teach you these basics.

This is valid for your relationship with team members and also for
anyone else you might be collaborating with or counting on during your
project. It is important to always be aware of your and your team's
position with respect to other groups you are working with. If you
consider travel to and interaction with communities, for instance, you
as a guest visitor might enjoy more or less freedoms than the host. More
freedoms might create more space for your actions as investigator(s) but
might endanger and expose your hosts, and vice versa -- nobody is
neutral or invisible. Risk is inherited.

Collaboration follow-up
-----------------------

Publishing the results of a collaborative investigation is a cause for
celebration for the whole team. But it can also feel anti-climactic at
times. Not all investigations enter the public domain with a bang. Some
excellent deep dives take a while before people go through and process
it all. Impact could take months or could happen in indirect ways that
the team might not immediately see. Don't let your team spirit and
satisfaction of a job well done get overshadowed by these factors.
There's nothing wrong with a slow burn.

After well-deserved celebrations and much-needed rest, you can take the
collaboration a step further by listing for yourselves places and people
you would specifically like to share the findings with. The internet is
replete with new information and investigations every day so not all of
your target audience groups might have seen it. Also, think of
innovative approaches to take it to people: a presentation in your
community, a performance with a local arts or political theatre, a
publication that might want to translate and distribute the results in
another language, the possibilities are endless.

When sharing publicly, credit and acknowledge all who contributed to the
work, whether as active investigators or otherwise (except the ones who
have requested anonymity). Share your findings with those as well who
could give constructive feedback, starting with all your advisors and
supporters.

Please make sure that everyone is paid on time. It is not only
frustrating for a team member to keep sending reminders for the pay they
have earned but also disrespectful towards them. Late payments can
adversely affect a person's financial situation too. Many choose not to
work again with those who keep delaying payments.

Pulling off a successful collaborative investigation is no small feat, but the rewards match the challenges. The relationship between team members who come together to resist crises of all sizes is something that could last for a lifetime. With this tried and tested trust and comfort level, you could think about follow-up investigations or launch new ones. The follow up work also helps in building the impact over time, so save all your notes and transcriptions safely and carefully. An efficient team with a successful investigation behind them is also more likely to get funded in future.

It might seem easy and uncomplicated to work alone. But in today's fast
polarising society collaborative investigations cultivate connections,
make us empathise with the problems of different regions and groups of
people, and propel us to look for similarities in each other rather than
differences. Out of our shared problems we find common solutions.

<hr class="thick">

**Acknowledgements:**

*This guide would not have been be possible without meetings, collaborations, support and feedback from many peers in the field of research and investigation. Many people have contributed their experience, knowledge and kindness. Thank you to: Manuel Beltran, Xavier Coadic, Wael Eskandar, Felix Farachala Valle, Coco Gubbels, Alison Killing, Tyler McBrien, Beatriz Quesadas, Laura Ranca, Nuria Teson, Marek Tuszynski.*

<hr class="thick">

*Published on 15 June 2021*

## Resources

*Note: many of the resources below address journalists but most tips and advice can be equally relevant to investigators who are not journalists.*

### Tips on how to collaborate

- _[10 best tips for collaborations between journalists and coders](https://hackastory.com/10-best-tips-for-collaboration-between-journalists-and-coders/)_. by Albertine Piels / Hackastory.

- _[10 tips for successful collaboration among journalists](https://gijn.org/2018/01/15/10-tips-for-successful-collaboration-among-journalists/)_. By Guilherme Amado, Xin Feng, Titus Plattner & Mago Torres / GIJN, 15 January 2018.

- _[Citizen investigations Guide](https://gijn.org/citizen-investigation-guide-overview/)_. By GIJN.

- _[Collaborative journalism workbook](https://www.projectfacet.org/collaborative-journalism-workbook/)_. A workbook for planning and managing the details and logistics of editorial collaboration. By Project Facet.

- _[Collaborative data journalism guide](https://propublica.gitbook.io/collaborative/)_. By Rachel Glickhouse / Propublica.

- _[Collaborative journalism videos)](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=collaborative+journalism)_. Various tips, interviews, tutorials.

- _[Collaboration: preparing for potential challenges](https://ijnet.org/en/resource/collaboration-preparing-potential-challenges)_. By Sarah Gustavus / IJNET 9 January 2019.

- _[How to create a data journalism team](https://gijn.org/2017/07/11/how-to-create-a-data-journalism-team/)_. By Fabiola Torres López / GIJN, 11 July 2017.

- _[Journalists offer tips for collaborating on data journalism projects](https://ijnet.org/en/story/journalists-offer-tips-collaborating-data-journalism-projects)_. by Korey Matthews / International Journalists Network (IJNET), 13 February 2019.

- _[Poynter articles and news on 'Collaborative journalism'](https://www.poynter.org/tag/collaborative-journalism/)_.

- _[The power of journalism collaboration is also the power of inclusion - here's how to harness it](https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/05/the-power-of-journalism-collaboration-is-also-the-power-of-inclusion-heres-how-to-harness-it/)_. Christine Schmidt / NiemanLab, 20 May 2019.

- _[The collaborative journalism checklist](https://ijnet.org/en/resource/collaborative-journalism-checklist)_. by IJNET, 9 January 2019.

### Collaborating across borders

- _[Cross-border collaborative journalism: A step-by-step guide.](https://www.routledge.com/Cross-Border-Collaborative-Journalism-A-Step-By-Step-Guide-1st-Edition/Alfter/p/book/9781138613638)_. A book by Briggite Alfter, 2019. For more publications about cross-border collaboration by veteran journalist Briggite Alfter, visit her [website](http://www.alfter.dk/).

- _[Cross-border collaborative journalism – reading material(https://journalismarena.eu/cross-border-collaborative-journalism-reading-material/). Recommendations from Arena For Journalism in Europe.

- _[Cross-border journalism: An exercise in international team-working](https://en.ejo.ch/specialist-journalism/cross-border-journalism-an-exercise-in-international-team-working)_.

- _[Cross-border data journalism - webinar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz5Ddxr8aWU&t=87s)_. by International Center for Journalists (ICFJ).

- _[How do I run a journalistic collaboration across borders?](https://blog.hostwriter.org/how-do-i-run-a-journalistic-collaboration-across-borders/)_. by Hostwriter.

- _[How editors and journalists can use Hostwriter's new tool to collaborate](https://blog.hostwriter.org/how-editors-and-journalists-can-use-our-new-tool-to-collaborate-during-the-pandemic/)_. By Hostwriter.

- _[Tipsheet: How to build a team for a cross-border project](https://blog.hostwriter.org/tipsheet-how-to-build-a-team-for-a-cross-border-project/)_. By Piotr Drabik / Hostwriter.

- _[Tips for journalists interested in cross-border collaborations](https://ijnet.org/en/story/tips-journalists-interested-cross-border-collaborations)_. By Patrik Egwu / IJNET, 11 February 2021.

- _[Tips for leading cross-border journalism teams](https://ijnet.org/en/resource/tips-leading-cross-border-journalism-teams)_. By Taylor Mulcahey / IJNET, 9 January 2019.

- _[Unfamiliar ground: A few tips on international reporting](https://journalists.org/2012/03/22/a-few-tips-on-international-reporting/)_. By Lam Thuy Vo, 22 March 2012.

- _[Why Hostwriter is launching a cross-border newsroom in 2021](https://medium.com/hostwriter/why-hostwriter-is-launching-a-cross-border-newsroom-in-2021-e091c7acec05)_. By Tabea Grzeszyk
/ Hostwriter.

### Local collaborations

- _[A model collaboration that's working to rebuild local news in Colorado](https://gijn.org/2019/07/30/a-model-collaboration-thats-working-to-rebuild-local-news-in-colorado/)_. By Christine Schmidt/ GIJN, 30 July 2019.

- _[Case studies in collaborative local journalism](http://www.digitalnewsreport.org/publications/2019/case-studies-collaborative-local-journalism/)_. By Joy Jenkins, Lucas Graves, 2019.

- _[Collaborating with small, local media](https://ijnet.org/en/resource/collaborating-small-local-media)_. By Heath Haussamen / IJNET, 9 January 2019.

- _[Canadian publication, The Discourse, collaborates with their community: Case study](https://ijnet.org/en/resource/canadian-publication-discourse-collaborates-their-community)_. By Jacky Habib / IJNET, 9 January 2019.

- _[In Las Cruces, Mexico, local newsrooms collaborate on large-scale investigation](https://ijnet.org/en/resource/las-cruces-new-mexico-local-newsrooms-collaborate-large-scale-investigation)_. IJNET.

### Newsroom collaborations

- _[12 tools to make your newsroom more collaborative](https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/12-tools-to-make-your-newsroom-more-collaborative/s2/a557349/)_. By Daniel Palumbo, 11 July 2014.

- _[25 ways community members can support your newsroom](https://gijn.org/2019/02/18/25-ways-community-members-can-support-your-newsroom/)_. By Emily Goligoski and Stephanie Ho / GIJN, 18 February 2019.

- _[Brazil: Anti-disinformation campaign launched at Abraji conference](https://gijn.org/2018/07/06/collaborative-disinformation-campaign-for-brazil-launched-at-abraji-conference/)_. By Repórter do Futuro / GIJN, 6 July 2018.

- _[Collaboration and the creation of a new journalism commons](https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/D87D4B74)_. By Carlos Martínez de la Serna, 2018.

- _[How they did it: News collaboration exposes how special interests use 'model' litigation](https://journalistsresource.org/tip-sheets/reporting/news-collaboration-model-legislation/)_. By Denise-Marie Ordway, 10 March 2020.

- _[Partnerships and collaborations can help expand your reporting and reach](https://gijn.org/2019/04/15/partnerships-and-collaborations-can-help-expand-your-reporting-and-reach/)_. By Caroline Porter / GIJN. 15 April 2019.

### Other types of collaborations

- _[A new collaboration sets a higher bar for working with whistleblowers](https://gijn.org/2018/08/06/a-new-collaboration-sets-a-higher-bar-for-working-with-whistleblowers/)_. By Rowan Philp, 6 August 2018.

- _[How Forensic Architecture supports journalists with complex investigative techniques](https://gijn.org/2020/06/29/how-forensic-architecture-is-supporting-journalists-and-civil-society-with-complex-investigative-techniques/)_. By Olivier Holmey, 29 June 2020.

- _[New models: How academics, nonprofit news and government are collaborating](https://gijn.org/2018/11/13/hidden-costs/)_. By Peter W. Klein, 13 November 2018.

- _[The case for a collaborative project coordinator](https://ijnet.org/en/resource/case-collaborative-project-coordinator)_. By Sarah Gustavus, 9 January 2019.

- _[Working together 101: How academics and journalists can collaborate](https://source.opennews.org/articles/working-together-101-how-academics-and-journalists/)_. By Laura Laderman and Sinduja Rangarajan.

### Case studies

- _[After Mexican journalist's murder, colleagues come together to investigate](https://gijn.org/2019/09/17/after-mexican-journalists-murder-colleagues-come-together-to-investigate/)_. By Carolina de Assis / GIJN, 17 September 2019.

- _[Brazil's Agência Pública: Where journalists innovate and collaborate](https://gijn.org/2018/04/09/brazils-agencia-publica-journalists-innovate-collaborate/)_. By Carolina de Assis, 9 April 2018

- _[Cities for Rent - Investigating Corporate Landlords Across Europe](https://cities4rent.journalismarena.media/)_,
cross-border collaborative investigation coordinated by [ARENA for Journalism in Europe](https://journalismarena.eu/), launched in May 2021.

- _[Collaborating Across Borders During COVID-19](https://blog.hostwriter.org/collaborating-across-borders-during-covid-19/)_. Hostwriter.

- _[Indian journalists challenge government over coronavirus transparency](https://gijn.org/2020/05/06/indian-journalists-challenge-government-over-coronavirus-transparency/)_. By Sukhada Tatke / GIJN, 6 May 2020.

- _[How an innovative health website in South Africa is covering Covid-19](https://gijn.org/2020/05/13/how-an-innovative-health-website-in-south-africa-is-covering-covid-19/)_. By Eduardo Suárez / GIJN, 134 May 2020.

- _[How Latin American Media outlets are collaborating on Covid-19 investigations](https://gijn.org/2020/05/04/how-latin-american-media-outlets-are-collaborating-on-covid-19-investigations/)_. By Marina Estarque / GIJN, 4 May 2020.

- _[How Lava Jato brought together Latin America's investigative journalists](https://gijn.org/2019/08/14/how-lava-jato-brought-together-latin-americas-investigative-journalists/)_. By Catalina Lobo-Guerrero / GIJN, 14 August 2019.

- _[How they did it: The Azerbaijani laundromat](https://gijn.org/2017/11/08/how-they-did-it-the-azerbaijani-laundromat/)_. By Stella Roque/OCCRP, GIJN 8 November 2017.

- _[How they did it: Enslaved land investigation](https://gijn.org/2017/08/22/how-they-did-it-enslaved-land-investigation/)_. By Ana Prieto / GIJN, 22 August 2017.

- _[How 90 outlets are working together to fight misinformation ahead of Mexico's elections](https://gijn.org/2018/06/13/how-90-outlets-are-working-together-to-fight-misinformation-ahead-of-mexicos-elections/)_. By Joseph Lichterman / GIJN, 13 June 2018.

- _[How they did it: ProPublica's engagement journalism](https://gijn.org/2017/10/25/how-they-did-it-propublicas-engagement-journalism/)_. By Eunice Au / GIJN, 25 October 2017.

- _[Investigative journalism in the V4: How Polish, Hungarian, Slovak and Czech Reporters work together](https://visegradinsight.eu/investigative-journalism-in-the-v4/)_. By Lorenzo Berardi, 24 April 2019.

- _[It's about people, not only algorithms](https://medium.com/jsk-class-of-2018/its-about-people-not-only-algorithms-7eee6cae54bb)_. By Guilherme Amado, 11 June 2018.

- _[Operation car wash: An 11-country project on cross-border corruption](https://gijn.org/2017/06/20/operation-car-wash-an-11-country-project-on-cross-border-corruption/)_. By César López Linares, 20 June 2017.

### Analysis

- _[Comparing models of collaborative journalism - .pdf document](https://collaborativejournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2017/09/Models-for-Collaborative-Journalism-research-paper.pdf)_. By Sarah Stonbely, 2017.

- _[Global teamwork: The rise of collaboration in investigative journalism](https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2018-03/sambrook_e-ISBN_1802.pdf)_. Edited by Richard Sambrook, published by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford.

- _[What investigative journalism will look like in 2020](https://gijn.org/2020/01/15/what-investigative-journalism-will-look-like-in-2020/)_. By By Eunice Au / Global Investigative Journalism Network, 15 January 2020.

### Organisations supporting collaborative investigations

- _[Journalismfund.eu](https://www.journalismfund.eu/)_

- _[Hostwriter](https://hostwriter.org/)_

- _[ARENA for Journalism in Europe](https://journalismarena.eu/)_

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Key	English	Italian
about.preview	# The Kit The Kit is a collaborative, self-learning resource that …	# Il Kit Il Kit è una risorsa collaborativa di autoformazione che…
about.content	# The Kit The Kit is a collaborative, self-learning resource that makes investigative techniques and tools used by experienced investigators more accessible to people and communities who feel motivated to start their own investigations, collect and verify information, build evidence and create a better understanding of issues without losing sight of ethical or safety considerations. The Kit is a resource of [Exposing the Invisible (ETI)](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/). <br> <br> Please contact our team with feedback, questions, suggestions for additional content or intentions to collaborate on expanding the Kit by writing to [eti@tacticaltech.org](mailto:eti@tacticaltech.org) (GPG Key fingerprint: BD30 C622 D030 FCF1 38EC C26D DD04 627E 1411 0C02). <br> <br> ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/about_break.png) ## Exposing the Invisible [Exposing the Invisible (ETI)](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/) is a [Tactical Tech](https://tacticaltech.org/) project that has been actively experimenting with ways to promote investigation as one of the most important forms of public engagement. Through a series of films, interviews, guides and resources, ETI looks at different techniques, tools and methods along with the individual practices of those working at the new frontiers of investigation. - [eti@tacticaltech.org](mailto:eti@tacticaltech.org) - [GPG Key](https://keys.ttc.io/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xB0D6B0CF9491FED8) fingerprint: B0D6 B0CF 9491 FED8 ## Tactical Tech [Tactical Tech](https://tacticaltech.org/) is a Berlin-based non-profit organization that investigates the evolving impact of digital technologies on society. Through their work they aim to educate, advocate and create practical solutions that contribute to the wider socio-political debate around digital security, privacy and the ethics of data. - [@info\_activism](https://twitter.com/info_activism) - [facebook.com/tactical.tech](https://facebook.com/tactical.tech) - [ttc@tacticaltech.org](mailto:ttc@tacticaltech.org) - [GPG Key](https://keys.ttc.io/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xF6B047919EC6096D) fingerprint: 0X9B7146F981654FBEE17A0CAAF6B047919EC6096D <hr class="thick"> ### [Get started with The Kit](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/preamble.html)
about.basename	about
ad-watch.preview	# ad.watch - Investigating Political Advertisements on Facebook By …
ad-watch.content	# ad.watch - Investigating Political Advertisements on Facebook By Manuel Beltrán and Nayantara Ranganathan ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/ad-watch-cik-illustration.png) ```cik-in-short ``` IN SHORT: Two investigators trace their process of creating the project ad.watch, an open-research-style investigation into political advertising on Facebook. This case study traces the project's evolution - with its revelations, roadblocks, techniques and tools - from a limited endeavour to a growing resource that facilitates investigations on political ads around the world. --- This is about how we came to publish _[ad.watch](https://ad.watch/)_, a project uncovering information about the political advertisements (ads) published on Facebook and Instagram. Much of the advertising on the internet is personalised, a method commonly referred to as [targeted advertising](#term-targetads). Targeted ads use psychological, behavioral and other kinds of information about people to present each of us with a different message. The difference may be in the content, design, delivery or other characteristics. The tailoring of messages is complemented with information about its effectiveness, allowing for the testing of assumptions created during the psychological or behavioural profiling. Because politicians today use online platforms to advertise their campaigns and promote their messages, and these platforms deliver the ads on the basis of personal information, the phrase "the personal is political" has gained a whole new dimension. Ads are personalised according to our personal data and behavioural patterns, and we receive these targeted ads on our personal screens. However, understanding these mechanisms is not straightforward. The advertising delivery infrastructure operates invisibly, with platforms going to great lengths to obfuscate their mechanisms and establish many barriers to understanding how they function. Often, even advertisers don't get the full picture of who their ads reach, or why. We are Nayantara and Manuel, and we created ad.watch to understand the new channels, over which propaganda is created and circulates online. Data on political ads on social media platforms ----------------------------------------------- ad.watch compiles political ads posted on Facebook and Instagram from over 300 political actors in 39 countries. It includes visualised data and stories that allow you to browse through these ads and analyse them individually or as datasets per country, political party and other categories. The project emphasises that in order to understand how political propaganda functions online, we cannot simply study how it looks or what it says. Crucially, we must also pay attention to how it circulates. That means looking at information about how ads cater to different categorisations of people -- according to where they live, their age, their perceived gender and so on. At the time of writing this methodology case in the end of 2019, it has been more than five months since we released the project. The responses to it have been overwhelmingly positive, and it has been used by journalists covering elections and social media to investigate issues in a number of countries. > "I've been an investigative reporter for a long time, and data like this are essential for reporting on campaign activity in the digital age. Only looking at contributions and expenditures in disclosure reports isn't enough anymore," posted a user who shared the link to ad.watch on [HackerNews](https://web.archive.org/web/20200130082354/https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21091221). The project has been featured in news outlets and tech reporting sites like [Vice](https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pa7edb/this-tool-lets-you-see-facebooks-targeted-political-ads-all-over-the-world), [Huffington Post](https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/ad-watch-facebook-ads-library-political-advertising-fake-news_in_5d41ab92e4b0db8affb1df0d?) and [The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/society/in-the-crosshairs-of-facebook-ads-understanding-the-new-infrastructures-of-political-propaganda/article30122412.ece). Television media like SkyNews in the UK and ORF in Austria used the data to uncover stories about UK politics and the Austrian elections. It has also fed into ongoing conversations on political ads and platform policies and has been presented in art exhibitions in The Netherlands, Argentina, Norway, the United States and India. But we did not get to this point easily. The questions we asked ourselves changed over time, and our expertise and skills didn't always match the tasks we wanted to complete. Trying to understand the operations of such an obscure infrastructure of an exceptionally powerful company was a mammoth task. Since we did not have a specific goal at the outset, we followed threads that were interesting for us and tried getting around obstacles. We therefore narrate the story of the investigative journey of ad.watch through different practical, ethical, technical and political considerations. ### Making sense of the Indian elections We were in India in April 2019 when the Indian general elections began. It was supposedly the largest exercise of democracy in history. Because of the size of the country, with its population of over 1.3 billion people and the large number of Parliamentary seats (545), elections were to happen in seven phases over a one-month period from 11 April to 19 May 2019. Different regions had elections on different days. As we were both curious about technology and politics, we began to observe the role of the internet, data and social media companies in the elections. We became particularly interested in understanding how forms of new media were functioning during the electoral process. The role of TV, newspapers and other traditional media for political campaigning is fairly well understood -- it has regulations that apply to it, and has been the subject of popular culture for a while. But there was little public awareness and insight into the relationship between social media and targeted political advertisements and how that would be approached by regulators, by the public and by curious researchers like us. Social media platforms have grown quickly and in some cases dominate the media ecosystem during elections. Internet phenomena like "trending topics" (topics that are popular at particular times) also influence the direction of reporting and debate on traditional media. Yet these phenomena -- and how they are generated and how they spread -- are rather opaque. This makes it difficult for lawmakers or the general public to have appropriate responses. This state of affairs was a motivation for us to focus on election propaganda on social media. Because the Indian electoral law was put in place long before the use of personalised digital ads, we had to wonder how these laws would be enforced on social media platforms, particularly with the staggered nature of elections. One particular detail we were curious about was whether the 'silence period' would be observed on social media and how the Election Commission of India would monitor this. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >The silence period is a time just before the election days when >political parties are not permitted to campaign, organise rallies or >publish ads. This is meant to give voters a period where they can >reflect and make up their mind without additional influence from >campaigning that might affect their voting decision. Propaganda circulates in India over a vast range of platforms. The usual suspects like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Google and Twitter were being used in interesting ways, but others like ShareChat and TikTok were also home to vast amounts of organised and unorganised propaganda. We started keeping an eye out for different election-related measures taken by these platforms, as well as by food delivery and fintech (finance technology services) apps like Swiggy, PayTM and others. We spent some time researching how internet platforms were dealing with the use of their platforms for political messaging and advertising. We found different approaches: by mid-2019 [TikTok introduced a feature](https://qz.com/india/1593022/after-whatsapp-and-facebook-tiktok-fights-fake-news-in-india/) by which search results and popular political hashtags would have a public service announcement asking people to guard against 'fake news'; others, like Google, required certification from local authorities before an ad ran on Google's advertising platforms. After [several scandals](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/mar/17/the-cambridge-analytica-scandal-changed-the-world-but-it-didnt-change-facebook) about their role in the manipulation of elections, Facebook was under a lot of pressure to take preemptive action. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-tiktok.png) Screenshot: Some hashtags like on Tiktok like #Ambedkar appeared with a “Public Service Announcement” calling for responsible behaviour, while others like #chowkidar that aggregated incendiary content directly relevant to the elections did not have the same PSA. Date: 3 May 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. There was no single, clear guideline or approach that all the platforms were sharing. Instead, each company was testing the waters to see how it would deal with the Indian elections and the flood of political content. In order to explore this further, we had to decide which digital platforms to monitor. As we didn't have the time or resources to investigate them all, we decided to focus the preliminary part of the investigation on Facebook, because we knew that it was one of the most widely used online advertising platforms in India. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >With more than 241 million active users every month (as of early 2020), Facebook has more >users in India than in any other country. Facebook happens to be one of >the most widely used social media platforms in India after WhatsAapp, >which is also owned by Facebook (at the time of writing from late 2019-early 2020). Starting this investigation wasn't easy. Facebook had recently rolled out tools that aimed to make political ads more transparent in [India](https://about.fb.com/news/2018/12/ad-transparency-in-india/) and [elsewhere](https://about.fb.com/news/2020/01/political-ads/). ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-fb-disclaimer.png) Screenshot: Facebook’s announcement about introducing “Ads disclaimer,” “Ad Library” and enforcement mechanisms. Date: 10 June 2019. Source: <https://about.fb.com/news/2018/12/ad-transparency-in-india/>, archived link [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405203000/https://about.fb.com/news/2018/12/ad-transparency-in-india/). Facebook's Ad Library provided a way for people to browse political ads through keyword searches and page name searches. But as we started exploring it, we found problems with it: the search queries did not return comprehensive results -- just a selection of ads whose logic was unclear to us. Furthermore, there was no way to find the exact copy of the ad you might have noticed in the tool earlier, as the ads were not tagged with any [unique identifiers](#term-uniqueid) to trace them. Our intention was to retrieve the data to monitor the silence period across the seven-phase elections, which meant that we needed to filter ads both by region and by the period for which the ads were running. Such an investigation was beyond the scope of what the Ad Library was able to offer. (Months later, the Ad Library tagged every ad campaign with unique numeric codes or 'identifiers' for traceability.) This pushed us to look for alternative ways to monitor the ads for the purposes of our inquiry. We came to the conclusion that we needed to build our own database of ads. After digging further we found an unknown and barely documented tool called [Facebook Ad Library API](https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/api) (Application Programming Interface), which had just been released at the time that we looked into it in 2019. All the places where one would look for information about the tool back then -- [Github](https://github.com/), [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/) and such fora -- were silent about the use of the [API](#term-api). Facebook made little effort to document and communicate about it. We hoped that finding our way around the API could potentially allow us to build our own database in a programmatic way (although neither of us had advanced programming skills) and ask more meaningful questions of the data. Gaining access to the API involved several demanding steps: - we had to have a Facebook account - this account had to have the exact same name as our official government-issued documents - We had to add a phone number to our account and enable 2 factor authentication - we had to submit a copy of our proof of identity from a selected list of documents that Facebook accepts, such as a driver’s license, etc. - and finally, depending on our nationality, we had to follow additional steps This list differs from country to country. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >In the course of this process, we faced a few difficulties while >getting verified, including a house visit, >[but we will come to that later](#verification-by-facebook). As challenging as it was to get verified, it was equally challenging to learn how to use the platform once we gained access to it. ### Getting familiar with the API We finally made it to Facebook's API, but at this stage, we didn't know much about how to use it. As you will see, in the course of learning to use it, we encountered questions about how to create queries but also how to re-purpose the results into a form that would be useful. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-fb-graph.png) Screenshot: The Facebook Graph API. Date: 10 June 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. ```cik-example ``` >*Manuel* > >I spent many days understanding how to create queries >and what it was possible to query in the first place. In the absence of >proper documentation of the API, and without much discussion about it on >other fora (perhaps because it was newly released), this was all new and >uncharted terrain. In order to use the platform, I had to devise a query >(a list of coded questions) that asked Facebook for the data I needed. > >In the beginning I started [querying](#term-query) ads by the `&search_terms` >parameter, which returns all the ads containing the term in question. >For example, by querying `&search_terms='modi'` I received all the >ads containing the text 'modi' (i.e. Narendra Damodardas Modi -- >candidate in 2019 Indian elections, and Prime Minister of India since >2014 and as of 2019 when writing this piece) and shown in the countries >specified in the mandatory `&ad_reached_countries=['IN']` >parameter. The countries are specified through a two-letter [ISO country code](#term-iso), IN for India, in this case. By querying the API through the search terms we were able to obtain all the different ads about a particular term. However, this wasn't suited to our task of comprehensively understanding all the political ads purchased by a particular party in India, as the most extensive keyword search would always leave some ads out of the scope. Besides, sometimes the ads were in languages other than English, or contained [unicode](#term-unicode) characters like emojis that we could not anticipate. Instead of searching through the keyword method, we tried using the parameter `&search_page_ids=`, but we soon learned that searching for pages and searching with keywords were not compatible and could not be used simultaneously. We decided to drop the keyword method and went with using [Page IDs](#term-fbpageid) as the entry points. What this allowed us to do was collect all the ads on a Facebook page within a given country. We discovered that up to 10 different Page IDs could be added in one query. This led us to consider the possibility of solving the problem of collecting all the ads by political actors by manually collecting all their Page IDs and constructing one query for each 10. The first step was to identify the political actors whose ads we needed to collect. In the case of India, this was done by Nayantara, since she was familiar with the context. We then verified it with other people in our networks. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-ysr-congress.png) Screenshot: Page of YSR Congress Party on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/ysrcpofficial/](https://www.facebook.com/ysrcpofficial/). Date: 29 November 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. Once we had the full list of main political candidates and political parties we were interested in, we needed to search online for their Facebook pages to obtain their Page IDs -- a number that uniquely identifies each FB page. This involved a dedicated process for each page. First, we needed to find the political actors' pages on Facebook. In some cases, the pages were easy to find; other times we had to discern if they were fan pages or official pages. Some political actors had multiple pages; some pages were constantly changing names because of coalitions or due to rebranding; and sometimes there were no pages for some parties and candidates. This meant we had to do a lot of work to understand whether we had arrived at the right page. Posts of these pages were sometimes in regional languages, and in India alone there are 22 official languages and nine different scripts. And naturally, this challenge grew increasingly complex when the project grew, as we will see later. Once we collected the Facebook pages, we followed a simple but repetitive task: - Right-click on the profile picture and open it in a new tab. - Within this URL, find the Page ID number, select and save it. In this way, we mapped, collected and verified the Page IDs. Once we had this list of Page IDs, we composed our query, which looked like this: ```cik-recommendation ``` >ads_archive?ad_active_status=ALL&ad_reached_countries=['IN']&fields=ad_snapshot_url,ad_creation_time,ad_creative_body,ad_creative_link_caption,ad_creative_link_description,ad_creative_link_title,ad_delivery_start_time,ad_delivery_stop_time,currency,demographic_distribution,funding_entity,impressions,page_id,page_name,region_distribution,spend&limit=99&search_page_ids=121439954563203,218904931482352,351616078284404,1447651982136257,1473429256300357,192136870799912,290805814352519,241701912507991,245976872240667,163382127013868&transport=cors As you can see above, we also included other parameters, which were mentioned in the otherwise sparse Facebook documentation of the API: - `ad_active_status=ALL` - which means we were looking for all the ads, active and inactive. - `ad_reached_countries=['IN']` - which means that the country where the ads have reached must be India (IN). - `limit=99` means that we only want 99 results. This parameter is extremely important as we will understand later. - and the fields we wanted to get responses to are what we have after `&fields=` directive: ```cik-recommendation ``` >ad_snapshot_url,ad_creation_time,ad_creative_body,ad_creative_link_caption,ad_creative_link_description,ad_creative_link_title,ad_delivery_start_time,ad_delivery_stop_time,currency,demographic_distribution,funding_entity,impressions,page_id,page_name,region_distribution,spend Facebook later incorporated the `&platform_publisher` parameter, which is meant to tell us if the ad appears on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger or Audience Network. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >[Audience Network](https://www.facebook.com/business/marketing/audience-network) >allows third party apps to use Facebook's targeting infrastructure to >deliver ads on platforms outside of Facebook and Instagram. For each ad, the responses we sought were the following: - ad_snapshot_url - the ad snapshot URL (the unique identifier of each ad) - ad_creation_time - the time at which the ad was created - ad_creative_body - the creative body of the ad (content usually in the form of text and sometimes emojis) - ad_creative_link_title - links that might be added in the content (often these lead to surveys where more data is asked for) - ad_creative_link_caption -- captions that can accompany the links (like 'Learn More' or 'Click Here') - ad_delivery_start_time - the time at which the ad was scheduled to be delivered - ad_delivery_stop_time - the time at which the ad was scheduled to stop being delivered - currency - the currency in which it was paid for - demographic_distribution - the ages and genders of the people to whom the ad was delivered - funding_entity - the entity that paid for the ad - impressions - the number of times the ad might have been viewed - page_id - the page identifier (ID), - page_name - the name of the page - region_distribution- the regions in which the ad was delivered - spend - a range of money that was spent on the particular ad In the query shown above, it meant that we were looking for ads, both active and inactive, that reached India, of ten political actors, up to a limit of 99 ads. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-query-results.png) Screenshot: Inputting the query above on <https://developers.facebook.com> returns data in this form. Date: 30 November 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. This query returned some data, and it was our first step towards gaining an understanding of what the data looked like. Even by this stage, we had only managed to collect data on the 99 most recent ads. Facebook allowed for collection of up to 5,000 ads, but the likelihood of the query crashing increased dramatically as we raised the number of ads requested. It would happen so often that the browser tab from where we visited the Ad Library API would freeze when we made a large query. So we stuck to queries that returned between 99 and 200 results. We needed to find a way to get beyond the 99 results that were practical to collect, but also beyond the 5,000 that was theoretically offered in order to collect all the ads. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >The API queries would unexpectedly crash for unknown reasons, sometimes >working, sometimes not, and sometimes delivering different errors for >the exact same query. By this time, it became obvious to us that >Facebook's lack of interest in documenting the API was paired with >possible deterrents for people to collect data systematically. The scale >of the barriers made us wonder if the platform was intentionally >blocking us from accessing the data, and if the release of the Ad >Library and API was a way to whitewash transparency concerns with a >purposely unsuited tool. It also occurred during a period in which >[Facebook was cracking >down](https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2019/04/25/api-updates/) >on a lot of software companies for collecting data from their regular >API. These bans can be seen as a strategic move in the aftermath of the >_[Cambridge Analytica scandal](https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/cambridge-analytica-files)_, where Facebook used the scandal to limit transparency under the banner >of protecting user's privacy. Besides, the effectiveness of user >targeting and the competitive edge of the Facebook advertising platform >logically depends on minimal disclosure about its internal workings. At the bottom of the page of results for the query, we found a URL with a 'pagination' number. This link took us to a different URL where the next page of (99) results appeared. And so on. The key part of the pagination was in the returned parameter `&after=`. A unique sequence of numbers and characters were given that pointed to the next page of results for the same query. We found that if we included this pagination in our next query, it would lead us to page 2, then 3, etc. It looked like this: `&after=c2NyYXBpbmdfY3Vyc29yOk1UVTFPREV3TXpRd01Eb3pNRGM0Tmprd056WTRNamd6T0RVPQZDZD` There was no way of knowing how many pages of results there were going to be until we went through all of them. But in this way we could at least manually go through each page of results and copy the data from the browser to a text file. The data was given in [JSON](#term-json) format, and every page contained the syntax of the beginning and the end of the file. This meant that if we stored the data as it came, we would have had to create one file for each page of results. We quickly realised that saving the results of every 99 ads in a separate file would be an extremely arduous and inefficient task. So we looked for a way to copy the result of the JSON query without the header and footer. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >The header means the portion of the response that indicates that the >data begins at that point and is contained below. This is how it looks >for the JSON responses by the Ad Library API: `{ "data": [` > >And the footer, which that indicates that the data ends there, looks >like this: `] }` From the first page of a given query, we stored the header and the content, but not the footer. From all the following ones, we saved just the content without the header and footer, and when we reached the last page of the results we only collected the content and the footer. We could identify the last page of the results because on the final page, there would be no more pagination links leading to the next page of results. This way we managed to have data about the 10 political parties and political actors in just one JSON file. For this system to succeed, we needed to add a comma (,) and a line break in place of the footer that we removed. In this way we use the JSON syntax to indicate that instead of the end of the file, more ads would follow. The pagination was useful in getting around the regular crashes of the API, as we used it to restart the data collection process from the page where it crashed. We spent time trying to figure out why these crashes were happening but we could not find clear reasons. Sometimes we'd retry with the same query and it wouldn't crash. Overall it helped to use a low amount of results from the parameter `&limit=`, and to not be too fast in doing the queries. We constantly had to walk the line between not getting blocked from 'overusing' the API while also avoiding the unpredictable crashes. The trial and error approach also created other problems for us, such as getting blocked by the rate limits of the API. Facebook had not specified the limits of use, but some undefined ones were clearly in place. Our first efforts to automate the collection of data with a [Python](#term-python) script were deterred and it seemed as if Facebook was deliberately making it hard to automate the collection, and would give more chances of success when queries were made from smaller, slower, manual interactions. The challenge at this point therefore became how to automate the collection of ads while still making it seem like a manual, human effort. We developed a very mechanical and repetitive pattern to collect the data manually. The work flow looked like this: - load a query - copy the result except the footer - click the next page - while the next page loads, paste the data in a text file - add the comma and jump of line to keep the continuity of data in the syntax - switch tabs - copy the data without header and footer - paste it in the document - add the comma and the jump of line... ```cik-example ``` >*Manuel* > >Shortcuts like `ctrl+c`, `ctrl+v`, and `alt+tab` >helped make this mechanical process more efficient. To make the job of >the API and my own actions efficient and synchronised, I tweaked the >`&limit=` parameter to return data that would take the same amount of >time to load in the browser as the time needed to complete my part of >the workflow of copy-pasting data into the text file. The randomness of >human behaviour circumvented the FB blocks and crashes most of the time. >Nevertheless it was an extremely slow, repetitive and meticulous task. >It became an endurance routine of spending hours every day just >performing this manual collection of data, building megabytes and then >gigabytes of JSON data through this method. > >I became very efficient at it, to the point where I could do it without >thinking, embodying the movements required, like riding a bicycle. The >challenge was to keep myself sane while continuing the task. Through >this system we eventually collected all the ads' data on the political >actors we were researching in India. ### Violations of the silence period The Indian electoral law imposes a silence period 48 hours prior to the day of elections -- which means that all campaign activities, including online and offline advertisements, are banned for the two days prior to election time. If these rules were to be followed on the internet, our query to the Facebook Ad Library API should not have returned advertisements running from the 10th of April 2019 until the end of the day on the 11th of April 2019 (the day of the first phase of elections). To see whether this was the case, we needed to find a way to make sense of the data we had collected. It was in JSON format, so we needed software that could handle and help analyse JSON data. ```cik-example ``` >*Manuel* > >While looking up web forums, I learned about >[Tableau](https://public.tableau.com/), a data >visualisation and analysis software. I downloaded the trial version of >Tableau Public, a software available for computers running Windows OS. >Working with Tableau Public was not straightforward from the start. I >needed some tips from various fora on the internet and explanations on >YouTube to understand what one does after getting hold of data in JSON >format. > >But Tableau is not available for Linux, which is the Operating System I >normally run on my computer. So to be able to use Tableau, I downloaded >a virtualisation software called VirtualBox. Virtualisation software >allows you to run a different OS than the one installed on your computer >without needing to add another OS on your device. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-virtualbox.png) Screenshot: VirtualBox, an application that allows you to use your computer to virtually access another machine. Date: 20 July 2019. Source: Manuel Beltrán. Once set up and installed, we used Tableau to make sense of the data. We had to play around with Tableau to understand how to make the software read the data we had, how to make it read multiple files of data, what the structure of such combined data would have to be, and generally what features Tableau offered. We were able to ask questions like: - What ads were shown in a certain window of time? - Which political parties were showing ads in which regions? - What ads were old men in south India seeing? One parameter that we thought would be helpful in understanding which ads were violating the silence period was `"ad_creation_time,"` which records a date in this format: `"2019-04-02T17:22:45+0000."` But after further study we realised that the date and time at which an ad was created did not necessarily coincide with the time when it was delivered to people. To understand when ads ran, the more useful parameters were `"ad_delivery_start_time"` and `"ad_delivery_stop_time."` This gave us the range of time within which an ad made its way onto people's screens. Because of the multi-phase nature of the Indian elections (i.e. voting taking place at different times in different regions) we also had to match the silence period times with the corresponding regions that were going to the polls and therefore subject to these silence periods. To understand that, we used the parameter `"region_distribution."` We filtered the data to show ads that were active during the silence period of a specific region and analysed them further. We started to see that the violations were not accidental or exceptional, but rather routine. Using the parameters of `"ad_start_date"` and `"ad_stop_date,"` we identified ads that were running during the silence period. On top of this, we used the `"region_distribution"` parameter to isolate ads that were running in the silence period for particular states. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-tableau-viz.png) Screenshot: A step in the process of understanding the number of ads in violation of the silence period using Tableau visualisation software. Date: 20 July 2019. Source: Manuel Beltrán. In this way, we started to systematically collect all the ads that violated the silence period. At this moment we were already about to enter the fifth phase of the elections so we collected violations of the first four phases. We learnt that one of the most important metrics -- the amount of money spent on ads -- was provided only as a range. This complicated our efforts to determine the expenditure of political actors. But since this was such a crucial piece of information, we decided to arrive at a compromise and calculated the average of the range for every ad. As expected, this information led to several interesting discoveries. Some political actors who had created thousands of advertisements had spent less money than political actors who had created fewer ads but with a larger spend. We understood that the number of ads is not always directly proportional to the amount of money spent. For our investigation on the silence period, it meant that even if one party had many more advertisements in violation, it was possible that another party had spent much more money on timed ads breaking the silence period. These were important observations as we deconstructed the meaning of these violations and their scope. In total, we collected 2,235 advertisements in violation of the silence period in India during the first four phases. Once we realised that we had concrete evidence of violations, we faced the question that many researchers and investigators struggle with: "What can we do about it?" At this point, the country was still in the middle of the multi-phase election, with a couple of weeks to go before it concluded. Our options were either to notify Facebook of the violations or to notify the Indian Election Commission (EC). There was of course the third option: to continue documenting it and writing about it. However, without a media affiliation or a publishing platform, we were not sure that this would be the most impactful route. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >Even though we did not really expect the Election Commission (EC) to be equipped or inclined >to tackle this, we were more hesitant to notify Facebook about the >evidence. Reporting these violations to Facebook would have meant that >we placed the responsibility of ensuring the integrity of democratic >processes on a foreign private company with a terrible record of >accountability, instead of on a democratic institution. It would have >meant that we would be actively entrusting Facebook with oversight >functions that have a significant impact on our electoral processes. >Although we imagined that reporting to Facebook would be a quicker way >to get the ads taken down, as a matter of principle we decided to report >it first to the EC and publish our findings to the public. We filed a report with evidence of the data on the 2,235 advertisements in violation, categorised by the four phases of the elections along with a short explanation. As expected, we received no response. Along with reporting to the EC, we also decided to write about it. HuffingtonPost India agreed to run our story with the findings about the [violations of the silence period](https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/violations-election-campaigning-on-facebook_in_5cd012f1e4b0e4d75735734b) by political ads on Facebook. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-huffpost-india.png) Illustrative image accompanying the reporting. Credits: Manuel Beltrán and Nayantara Ranganathan. The violations continued to take place in the remaining phases of the election and, to our knowledge, no action has been taken so far. Towards ad.watch ---------------- ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/ad-watch_02-cik-illustration.png) In the course of finding answers to our specific questions about the silence period, we found other interesting ways of reading the data through Tableau. One of the main challenges here was understanding how to structure the data. As the data we were collecting was in multiple files, we had to make sure that files were "stacking up" the right way. We designed the data collection in such a way that there were cut-off limits for files on the basis of their size. This meant that if a political actor's ad data was massive (like Donald Trump's has been), then the file would contain fewer than the standard number of ten actors' ad data, and instead just contain one politician's data. We were able to get a grip on structuring the data through much trial and error, as well as with help from the Tableau community forums and YouTube videos about the tool. Since it is such a popular data analysis and visualisation tool, finding answers to such details was a matter of exploring already available fora. Apart from the breaches of the silence period, we found other interesting details: the architecture of the information on political ads, the categories of information available as well as the data that was missing, were all revealing. For example, we learned that Facebook profiled people into gender binaries of male and female, despite allowing users to identify amongst a broad range of options on the user side. This was an interesting peek into how differently things work at the user-experience level versus how they work at the back-end infrastructure designed for marketing. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-fb-custom-gender.png) Screenshot: Dropdown menu options that appear on Facebook account settings after you choose to set your gender as “Custom”. Date taken 29 November 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-fb-gender-binary.png) Screenshot: Segmentation of Facebook users into the gender binary, visible in the process of creating ads or boosting posts. Date taken 29 November 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. Once we managed to uncover the silence period breaches, the Indian elections were well underway, and the [2019 European Parliamentary elections](https://www.europarl.europa.eu/at-your-service/en/be-heard/elections) were approaching. On this occasion, we also started digging into data on Spanish parties for the European Parliament elections and the Spanish municipal and national elections of 2019. Slowly, we began broadening the scope of our data collection and research. Although we were now collecting and exploring Facebook ad data from various contexts, we were uncomfortable writing stories about countries that we had no context or knowledge of. Beyond that, we felt it was somehow incorrect to do so even if we'd had some understanding of the places or found collaborators from different countries. But while staying in our lane, we also wanted to make this data in other countries accessible. We decided that we would collect the data available in all the countries, but leave the analysis and investigations to whomever might be interested in taking them up. We connected with colleagues and friends in other parts of the world where elections were going on to see if the data we were collecting might be useful for them directly or if they were interested in advocating for releasing similar data in those regions, too. For example in the Philippines, Facebook is a crucial channel for the Duterte government's disinformation campaigns. The Philippines also happens to be one of the labour markets for exploitative and traumatic contract jobs for content moderation, including for Facebook. We spoke to a friend and colleague in the Philippines to share what we had worked on, and heard about the developments and preparations from there. Once we decided to start looking at political ads globally, we had to seriously consider what approach to take, which groups or persons were already working on projects related to political advertising and what gaps we might be able to fill. We knew that _[FBTrex](https://facebook.tracking.exposed/)_ for example, is a tool that helped users collect metadata of posts including political ads that show up in their newsfeeds by installing a [browser extension](#term-extension). ```cik-tip ``` >Tips: > >[Facebook Tracking >Exposed](https://facebook.tracking.exposed/) (FBTrex) is a >project whose vision is that individuals should be in control of their >algorithms. Among other things, the project offers a browser [plugin](#term-plugin) that >collects the metadata of all the public posts on your timeline and >allows you to either contribute this data to a public dataset, or keep >it private for your own use. FBTrex also allows researchers (and users) >to use/reuse a portion of the data through their >[API](https://facebook.tracking.exposed/docs/). > >_[ProPublica](https://www.propublica.org/)_ has created a >tool called _[Political Ad Collector](https://projects.propublica.org/political-ad-collector/)_, >which allows you to install a browser plugin that collects all the >political ads you see while browsing and sends them to a database that >enables ProPublica to better analyse the nature of political ad >targeting. > >_[Who Targets Me](https://whotargets.me/en/)_ is a project >that also uses a browser plugin you can install to collect all sponsored >posts on your timeline. The plugin sends this data to a crowdsourced >global database of political adverts, it matches the sponsored posts >against categorised lists of political advertisers, and draws >conclusions about who is targeting you online. We had become familiar with fields of information that the Facebook Ad Library API was providing, but we did not know the fields of information that were available for advertisers to target users. That meant that even if we knew that a certain ad was reaching between 1,000 and 10,000 people in Delhi, we did not know whether those were the parameters that the advertiser had selected for targeting the ads. We were interested in knowing the options available to administer the targeting, so to speak. So we created pages of fictitious political parties and tested buying and targeting ads. We created one page each, and "boosted" posts. The level of detail available from this side of the window was, unsurprisingly, far greater than the information that was being revealed in the name of transparency. We could create "custom audiences" by specifying what kinds of "Demographics, Interests and Behaviours" we wanted to target. We could also input data of people who might have indicated interest in our business or campaign and Facebook would offer to deliver ads to a "lookalike audience." These are standard advertising methods, but we were about to discover that the fields available for targeting seemed quite problematic and could lend themselves to all kinds of discrimination. For example, we found a category called "Friends of people celebrating Ramadan." ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-targeting-suggestions.png) Screenshot: Targeting suggestions when creating an ad. Date: 29 November 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. We were aware of developments in the US where [practices of discrimination](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/mar/22/facebooks-ethnic-affinity-advertising-concerns-racial-profiling) had been recorded and Facebook held to account. We were also aware that Facebook had committed to not allow targeting based on race and gender when it comes to ads on employment, housing and credit. These categories confirmed that such problems were unaddressed in other parts of the world. For example, the above option of "friends of people celebrating Ramadan" is a category that can easily be used to exclude Muslims at a time when anti-Muslim sentiment in India is both emerging from the State as well as the society at large. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-exclusion.png) Screenshot: Suggestions for excluding people from the targeting of an ad. Date: 29 November 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. Publishing ad.watch ------------------- We decided to collect the data of political actors across the world. As mentioned before, we had been using [Tableau](https://www.tableau.com/) for internal experiments and to understand the data. At this point, we discovered that Tableau allows online publishing, and in fact, provided relatively dynamic and sophisticated levels of visualisation. While we jumped into using Tableau software to help us make sense of the data, once the question of publishing arose, we had to think about whether we wanted to make the entire project dependent on a tool that was proprietary and mostly used by marketing departments to conduct data analysis. We also had to consider whether we were making our tool vulnerable by relying on proprietary software that could decide to revoke access at any time. We explored other much-loved open-source alternatives like [Rawgraphs](https://rawgraphs.io/) and [Datawrapper](https://www.datawrapper.de/). However, given the size and particularities of the data, these were ruled out. Some of these alternatives could not analyse the content of the ads because the ads sometimes contained characters from non-Latin scripts. So we decided to go ahead and use Tableau Public. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >It was puzzling to understand why many of these highly acclaimed open >source and free visualisation software were unable to open even small >extracts of the JSON files. > >We used a website called [JSONLint](https://jsonlint.com/) >that helped "validate" the JSON data -- that is, helping us spot whether >there were formatting errors in the files. Doing this helped us figure >out that the syntax errors identified were because the field with the >text often contained scripts other than the Latin script, and also >emojis and characters that were included in recent versions of Unicode, >the standard for encoding scripts into machine-readable characters. So we started designing our own visual [interfaces](#term-interface) with Tableau to browse the databases. One of the problems we encountered while using Tableau was the amount of computing resources it requires to handle databases of this size, which were surpassing five gigabytes. Our computers running through the virtual machine were very slow or sometimes simply unable to load the data. With the limited financial resources we had, buying a more powerful computer was not an option. ```cik-example ``` >*Manuel* > >The university where I teach provides teachers access >to a remote desktop with an Intel Xeon Processor with 20GB of RAM. This >turned out to be a great solution. In the absence of this, we would have >had to rent a Virtual Private Server for the same purpose. A remote desktop can be accessed through >Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). This is a protocol that allows you to access and control a system that >is not in the same physical location as you. Using RDP from my laptop allowed us to start loading the databases on Tableau and have the resources on my [terminal](#term-terminal) available for other tasks. It even made it possible to close my laptop while the RDP continued to load. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >Tableau allows you to import JSON files of up to 128MB only, so we had >to split the files below that limit. We used a simple Python script >called [json-splitter](https://github.com/jhsu98/json-splitter) for that task. It was a challenge to find the right balance of what we wanted to achieve with the project. On the one hand, we were sitting on a vast amount of data relevant to the politics of many countries, and we had already found critical issues in the limited amount of countries that we analysed ourselves. There was a certain vertigo about the depth of what else might be there, encouraging our need to get it out. As a project that exposes the mechanisms of not widely understood technology it was important to present it in a way in which anyone can learn and understand how political ads function. It needed to be powerful enough to allow journalists and researchers to conduct their investigations. And it also needed to problematise how the infrastructure of Facebook ads functions. Merging all these elements took some time and we explored different iterations. Between making it mobile-friendly or desktop-based, we opted for the desktop as it allows for a more in-depth experience. While nearing the completion of the interfaces that were about to give light to ad.watch, the question of how to update the database became more imminent. If we were to directly dump the data to whoever needed it, perhaps the updates were not so relevant, but as a live resource we felt it was more important to be up-to-date at all times. Some weeks before the release of the project online we participated in a workshop of the [Exposing the Invisible](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/) project of Tactical Tech, (to work amongst other things on the very inception of this text). There we got help from Wael Eskandar to develop the initial core of a Python script that would automate the ad collection from the API. Some of the challenges in developing it included how to make Python incorporate the modifications that we were previously introducing manually. The next challenge was making the script understand when the ads from a particular query were finished so the script could jump to the next query. Or how to make the files stay below Tableau's limit of 128 MB each. As previously noted, Facebook placed limits on automated queries, so we started mimicking human behaviour by adding randomised time delays between the queries. From its initial version, the script became something of a precious system of data collection, which we were improving day by day. It also became a source of experimentation through which we understood better how the Facebook API works, and to experiment with the collection of data other than that of the political parties. At a later point we created a system of text files with Page IDs that the script would go through, and a separate file with the two-letter ISO country codes, so it could collect several countries in one go. This new system also enabled us to make updates in the list of political parties more easily. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-release.png) Screenshot: Homepage of ad.watch website. Date: 29 November 2019. Source: Manuel Beltrán. The first release of [ad.watch](https://ad.watch/) on July 26, 2019, was done with the manual collection of data, but by then we had also perfected the script to a level that allowed us to regularly update the data, which proved extremely valuable for the effectiveness of the project. We went live with the website and posted on our personal social media networks to spread the word. We received a lot of positive reactions, including from journalists who were using the data to understand Facebook's much publicised ad transparency efforts, noting the trends in various countries' elections. Forks in the road ----------------- ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/ad-watch_01-cik-illustration.png) ### Verification by Facebook Back when we were first trying to access the data and needed to go through the identity verification process, we realised that the two of us had to face quite different processes of verification to gain access to Facebook's ad platform. ```cik-example ``` >*Nayantara* > >As someone whose "Primary country location" was >India, I had to undergo an additional step for address verification. >This involved choosing between receiving a code delivered to my house >via post, or a visit from "someone." The time difference between the two >options was significant: the postal mail would take three weeks, and the >visit to my house would happen within a week. Because we wanted to get >on with the process as soon as possible and were also struck by the >house-visit process, we decided to go with that option. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-three-step-verification.png) >Screenshot: Three-step verification process for accessing the Ad Library API. Date: 20 April 2019. Source: Manuel Beltrán. > >What we came to learn in the course of this identification process blew >our minds. > >A day after making the request for verification, I (Nayantara) >received a phone call from a man who was going to conduct the process. >He said he was calling about Facebook verification and to ask whether >the next day was a good time to visit. > >![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-ongrid-contractor.png) >Screenshot: Identity information of OnGrid representative who was tasked with the verification. Date: 23 April 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan > >This entire episode was interesting for many reasons, including showing >how the rise of identification technology and businesses in India >inter-played with big tech companies like Facebook looking for eyes and >ears in India, a perfect example of identity-verification-as-a-service. > >On that occasion, I asked the caller who he was and which company he was >from. He hesitated a bit and seemed like he had not expected the >question. Once we established that we could both speak Kannada (a >language spoken predominantly by people of Karnataka in southwestern >India), we established a more familiar and trusting tone of >conversation. He said he worked for a company called >[OnGrid](https://ongrid.in/#/home), and that his name was >Umesh (name changed). As he was speaking to a woman on the line, I >could sense an awkward tone as he asked me about my address and >directions to my house. He also became more forthcoming with revealing >details about himself. > >Umesh assured me that I did not need to be at home when he visited, and >as long as there was someone there who could confirm that I live there, >it was sufficient. Two days later, Umesh arrived at my place to conduct >the verification. He took pictures of my house from the outside, a >landmark near it, and took the signature of the person who lives at home >with me (since I was not at home during the visit). > >![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-ongrid-whatsapp.png) >Screenshot: WhatsApp conversation between Nayantara and OnGrid representative. Date: 23 April 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. > >Naturally, we were curious about the company that was Facebook's >verification service provider. OnGrid is an Indian company that claims >to be enabling people in India to "establish trust instantly," or in >other words, engaging in a trade of identification information. They >offer everything from "education verification" to a check of court >records. Two years ago, they were in the news for a creepy image that >sent a collective shiver down people's spine: an advertisement for >non-consensual image recognition using the national biometric >identification architecture, Aadhaar. As a separate entity, OnGrid's >terms of service and data policy are different from Facebook's policies >about retention of information submitted for identification purposes. > >![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-ongrid.png) >Image: Now-deleted image posted on Twitter by OnGrid. Date: 29 November 2019. Source: <https://mashable.com/2017/02/14/india-aadhaar-uidai-privacy-security-debate/>. Archived page [here.](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405202514/https://mashable.com/2017/02/14/india-aadhaar-uidai-privacy-security-debate/?europe=true)* > >Facebook's policies did not mention anything about outsourcing some >elements of the verification process or how the data policies might >change in that instance. This possibly meant that the commitments made >by Facebook towards the deletion of identification data shared with >Facebook was not something that OnGrid -- while servicing the need for >"last-mile verification" -- was obliged to respect. Indeed, Facebook >claims to permanently delete the data that it collects from users who >undergo the verification process. OnGrid, the company that is hired by >Facebook in India, on the other hand, retains this data for providing >"identification services" to other entities. OnGrid uses people's data >to create their database in order to reuse and offer it as a service to >other entities. > >After this process, I finally had my address verification process >completed, and had access to the Ad Library API. ```cik-example ``` >*Manuel* > >As a Spanish citizen living in the Netherlands, my >identity verification process was much simpler and involved fewer steps. >However, once submitted, the final acceptance took about two days to >come through, as compared to the instantaneous response Nayantara >received in that step, indicating that mine might have involved a human >in the process. These episodes were helpful in understanding the different data handling processes in different countries, the vulnerabilities created by involving third-party verification actors, and the outrageous fact that any of this was even necessary for obtaining public-interest information that was quite crucial to understanding how social media could be interfering with democratic processes. ### To include images and video or not? We had a plan for visualising data about the ads but the ad "visuals" themselves could not be shown. That is, the images or video content, which is the element that Facebook and Instagram users are meant to see, could not be visualised because of the peculiarities of the data structuring and accessibility. The data was not provided in a downloadable manner independent of reliance on the API, and therefore it was a challenge to visualise it. But even if we were to find a way to embed the link and present the visuals, there was another problem: the URL with the visuals includes an active "access token." This is a unique, time-bound token that prevents the link from being useful after an hour. The links would not be of much use without a viewer's own access token. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >This is what an ad snapshot URL looks like: > >>https://www.facebook.com/ads/archive/render_ad/?id=251563729117836&access_token=EAAjPOWfPqZCgBAAJ0csteVNkFJcyxbQZA7m1xbJ8w3fzFRlm6apQ5cAnzsjBNOOJt4zSEE8IxB4k9HcKydhbcd7P4SnNTBn82G7s>gyy5YXX8fmZC0hUGcpQMfZCp3uWaSWeX4urEcNPwB8SM01clzJSqRXPjjh8ZBguzXZC9sc9whaz0hE9MGEj889ztZBW2XNxVfitweUSkVrcKGiwePQQZB7uGBOa > >An access token is what comes after `access_token=`, and is the long >string of letters and numbers: > >>EAAjPOWfPqZCgBAAJ0csteVNkFJcyxbQZA7m1xbJ8w3fzFRlm6apQ5cAnzsjBNOOJt4zSEE8IxB4k9HcKydhbcd7P4SnNTBn82G7sgyy5YXX8fmZC0hUGcpQMfZCp3uWaSWeX4urEcNPwB8S>M01clzJSqRXPjjh8ZBguzXZC9sc9whaz0hE9MGEj889ztZBW2XNxVfitweUSkVrcKGiwePQQZB7uGBOa We considered scraping images of the Ad Library using one of the Add-Ons for the browser like 'Download All Images'. There were also many scripts in Python to help one do so. However, Facebook prevents all these scraping techniques from collecting the visuals. Besides, Facebook also forbids users from doing such scraping in general. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-fb-terms.png) Screenshot: Facebook’s Terms of Service. Date: 8 December 2019. Source: Manuel Beltrán. On the one hand, it was important to include the visuals as they have a recall value for people browsing the interfaces. On the other hand, we wondered if it might actually be a good thing to not distract people with visuals, as the most crucial aspect to convey was that the visuals themselves might not be as special as the metadata about them, like the targeting. Nevertheless we also tried to use the "[wget](https://www.gnu.org/software/wget/)" command to do this, but it did not work. We eventually found a workaround using features available in Tableau to allow for users of ad.watch to be able to input their own access tokens and view the contents of the ads. However, after the release, we found something called an '[Access Token Debugger](https://developers.facebook.com/tools/debug/accesstoken/)', where it was possible to extend the lifetime or validity of each access token. We then started to use extended access tokens in our system of collecting data. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-token-debugger.png) Screenshot: Access Token Debugger. Date: 30 November 2019. Source: Manuel Beltrán. #### Working with journalists While working together with journalists to investigate stories emerging from the data, many wanted to see the raw data. However, sharing the data came with one problem. The data contained the parameter of `"ad_snapshot_url"`, which contained our personal access tokens, which we described earlier. This access token is unique to different developer accounts and gets recorded in the data returned by queries. Since we were being careful not to do anything that might get our access to the API revoked, we had to remove it before sharing the data. But removing the access token from each ad's data had to be automated as we had millions of ads. The solution was rather easy to find searching in _[StackOverflow](https://stackoverflow.com/)_, and we were able to use a tool called "[SED](https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/sed-command-in-linux-unix-with-examples/)" (Stream Editor) that is already included in the terminal of Linux. ``` sed -i -e 's/EAAjPOWfPqZCgBAAJ0csteVNkFJcyxbQZA7m1xbJ8w3fzFRlm6apQ5cAnzsj BNOOJt4zSEE8IxB4k9HcKydhbcd7P4SnNTBn82G7sgyy5YXX8fmZC0hUGcpQMfZCp3uWaSWeX 4urEcNPwB8SM01clzJSqRXPjjh8ZBguzXZC9sc9whaz0hE9MGEj889ztZBW2XNxVfitweUSkV rcKGiwePQQZB7uGBOa//g' US_20_1.json ``` Using these parameters, SED searches in a text file for the content of the access token and deletes it. This tool enabled us to easily clean the raw files of data in an automated and efficient way. As the data we gathered was about the ads themselves and did not involve the personal news feeds of users, we didn't have to deal with the issue of safeguarding personal data. After publishing ad.watch ------------------------- ### Maintaining, updating and adapting the databases Once the project was made public, it also became imperative that the data be updated regularly and the database be maintained. This involved questions about the frequency of updates, whether to collect data from the beginning each time, and if not, how to collect data exactly from where we had left off. We added more countries as their data was added in the Facebook API. Argentina and Sri Lanka were added very shortly before the elections there, and Singapore data was also released. There were no verification procedures for Norway and Switzerland but we were able to collect the data about these countries already. ```cik-example ``` >*Manuel* > >As the time passed after the release, I also worked to >tweak the scripts we used for collecting the data, so that the >collection was more efficient, with minimal human intervention for >certain tasks. ### Facebook’s response: Shortly after the launch, Facebook’s (ex) VP of ads had some words of encouragement for the project. This was awkward, as the project wasn’t intended to be a “visualisation tool” but challenged the lack of systematic access to data by Facebook. The project is an action to highlight the fundamental conflict between Facebook’s advertising infrastructure and the conditions needed for meaningful democratic participation on social media. With the increased individuation enabled by targeted advertising on Facebook, and their failure to open up this data in all countries they operate in meant that these conditions were being defeated time and again. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-fb-response.png) For this reason, we did not want Facebook to co-opt our project and make it part of their transparency success story. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-fb-response-m.png) ### Twitter censorship We started to notice something peculiar two days after releasing the website. Some tweets made by others about the project were no longer visible to us. It was unlikely that multiple people had tweeted about the project and then deleted their tweets. Soon we realised that our own tweets about the project were also missing. We didn't initially notice this since we could both see our own tweets. However, we eventually realised that we could no longer see each other's tweets. Understood as "[shadowbanning](#term-shadowbanning)," this was a phenomenon that we had heard of before. This is made even trickier to spot as the tweets continue to be visible to the author of the tweets, raising no suspicions. This phenomenon was a regular occurrence that people have observed when it came to tweets and [user accounts related to Kashmir](https://www.dawn.com/news/1502702/is-twitter-aiding-indias-quest-to-silence-kashmiris), for example. We decided to take up the issue immediately via a report with Twitter's support team. A day later we had still not heard back from them. That was when we decided it might be worth soliciting support and help to understand what was going on. We posted the following call for support. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-call-support.png) Screenshot: Tweet calling for support about the censorship. Date: 2 August 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. By now we had discovered that not only had tweets disappeared, it was also impossible to post a tweet with the project's URL. We found that others were also experiencing this issue. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-twitter.png) Screenshots: People on Twitter alerting us to the censorship. Date: 4 August 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. It was rather strange that the URL of the project was also blocked in Twitter's Direct Messages. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-dm-block.png) Screenshot: Censorship within Twitter’s Direct Message window. Date: 3 August 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. We received support from many friends, colleagues and strangers in the form of documentation of error messages, connecting us with and suggesting people working at Twitter to contact. Meanwhile, we discovered that someone who had tried posting a link to the project on LinkedIn had also received a warning message. We guessed that the URL might have been flagged on some kind of centralised blacklist beyond the platforms. This was indeed the case, as we found that one of the security firms that rate URLs and creates blacklists - [https://fortiguard.com/webfilter](https://fortiguard.com/webfilter) - indeed listed ad.watch as spam on the basis of someone's report. We filed an appeal with them, and received a response saying they had re-classified it (funnily enough) as advertising. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-spam-lookup.png) Screenshot: Results from a lookup that had classified ad.watch as spam. Date: 5 August 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. Eventually Twitter removed the shadowbanning but didn't provide us with any explanation. Our inquiry continued; someone put us in touch with a person working at Twitter who seemed eager to help, but this went nowhere. We also explored the possibility of using different channels to try to get an explanation about the reason for blocking, including through the use of the [Right to Explanation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_explanation) in the _[European GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)](https://gdpr-info.eu/)_. The Right to Explanation theoretically can force Twitter to report on the reason why the censorship took place, if it was algorithmic. Key takeaways -------------- From the technical glitches in the tools to the earnest promises in the policies, we learnt an immense amount about the underworld of information economy, that is the sale of personal data for marketing, and its outsized impact on the socio-political realities of people. Beyond Facebook, the project acquainted us with the ethos and modus operandi of companies that are engaged in the extraction and monetisation of data about people’s lives. This project was about believing that a small team of two could somehow challenge an entity like Facebook, with its scale of resources and power of narrative. This meant that we were constantly under the risk that our API access might be withdrawn, or our methods classified as against Facebook's terms of use, or even considering that Facebook had access to so much sensitive information about us that could be used in damaging ways. These drastic things did not come to be, but at the time of working on the project before releasing it, we carried with us all of these possibilities. Overall, many factors came together for the making of the project: - understanding the gaps that existed in this milieu - trusting that there was a way to hack around limitations when things were not straightforward - reaching out and being beneficiaries of generous advice from friends - taking the communication of the data seriously These were some aspects that helped, in hindsight. As of January 2020, the project is spinning off in new directions: we are working on making information about political advertising on social media more easily digestible for different groups of people in different parts of the world. We are also circling back to our initial goal of devising a method to make the data downloadable for anyone who wishes to go through it themselves. The maintenance and updates of the databases also keep us busy. As political landscapes globally are changing and new parties and coalitions emerge, we receive contributions from visitors who email us with new pages to be added to ad.watch. We continue to document and update ad.watch with newer iterations of the project. Visit us at [ad.watch](https://ad.watch/), or write to us at info\@ad.watch. \*All access tokens in the article have been modified. <hr class="thick"> _Published April 2020_ Resources ---------- ### Articles and Guides - _[Ad Tool Facebook Built to Fight Disinformation Doesn’t Work as Advertised](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/technology/facebook-ad-library.html)_ from The New York Times (archived copy from Wayback Machine available [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405201150/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/technology/facebook-ad-library.html)). An article about Facebook’s ad library. - _[Cambridge Analytica Files](https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/cambridge-analytica-files)_, from The Guardian (archived copy from Wayback Machine available [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405203959/https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/cambridge-analytica-files)). An investigation series on the controversial data mining and elections marketing practices of political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. - _[New Media, New Violations: Election Campaigning on Facebook Violates Code Of Conduct](https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/violations-election-campaigning-on-facebook_in_5cd012f1e4b0e4d75735734b)_, article from HuffingtonPost India (archived copy from Wayback Machine available [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405201403/https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/violations-election-campaigning-on-facebook_in_5cd012f1e4b0e4d75735734b)). - _[This Tool Lets You See Facebook’s Targeted Political Ads All Over the World](https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pa7edb/this-tool-lets-you-see-facebooks-targeted-political-ads-all-over-the-world)_, article from Vice (archived copy from Wayback Machine available [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405201628/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pa7edb/this-tool-lets-you-see-facebooks-targeted-political-ads-all-over-the-world)). - _[Teens exposed to highly charged political ads on Facebook and Instagram](https://news.sky.com/story/teens-exposed-to-highly-charged-political-ads-on-facebook-and-instagram-11786042)_, article from Sky News (archived copy from Wayback Machine available [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405202006/https://news.sky.com/story/teens-exposed-to-highly-charged-political-ads-on-facebook-and-instagram-11786042)). - _[The Influence Industry](https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/projects/data-and-politics/)_, from Tactical Tech (archived copy from Wayback Machine available [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405213953/https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/projects/data-and-politics/)). A research project looking at the practices of collecting, processing and using voters personal data in elections around the world. ### Tools and Databases - _[Bash](https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/)_. A language to communicate with the operating systems of Linux distributions. - _[Facebook Ad Library API](https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/api)_. Facebook's API that allows certain users to search ads tagged as related to politics and issues of political importance. - _[Facebook Tracking Exposed](https://facebook.tracking.exposed/)_. A project that offers a browser plugin, which collects the metadata of all the public posts on your timeline and allows you to either contribute this data to a public dataset, or keep it private. - _[Json splitter](https://github.com/jhsu98/json-splitter)_. A command line tool for splitting large JSON files into smaller files. - _[Json lint](https://jsonlint.com/)_. A tool that helps validate (check) json files and helps reformat them. - _[Political Ad Collector](https://projects.propublica.org/political-ad-collector/)_ from ProPublica. A tool, which allows you to install a browser plugin that collects all the political ads you see while browsing and sends them to a database that enables ProPublica to better analyse the nature of political ad targeting. - _[Remmina](https://remmina.org/)_. Application that helps connect to remote computers using protocols like Remote Desktop Protocol. - _[Sed](https://www.gnu.org/software/sed/)_. An editor that allows you to perform basic text transformations within the terminal. - _[Stackoverflow](https://stackoverflow.com/)_. A web forum where developers ask and answer questions. - _[Tableau](https://www.tableau.com/)_. A suite of software applications for data visualisation and analysis. - _[VirtualBox](https://www.virtualbox.org/)_. Application that allows you to run an operating system different from the one installed on your computer. - _[Wget](https://www.gnu.org/software/wget/)_. Software to retrieve content from webservers. - _[Who Targets Me](https://whotargets.me/en/)_. A project that uses a browser plugin browser extension to crowdsource political ads, you can install it to collect all sponsored posts on your timeline and see who’s targeting your vote. Glossary -------- ### term-api API (Application Programming Interface) - a software tool that facilitates communication between a user and a dataset, amongst other things. Facebook's Ad Library API allows users to query ad data using a particular set of commands developed by Facebook. ### term-extension Browser extension – also called add-ons, they are small pieces of software used to extend the functionalities of a web browser. These can be anything from extensions that allow you to take screenshots of webpages you visit to the ones checking and correcting your spelling or blocking unwanted ads from websites. ### term-plugin Browser plugin - a piece of software that can be added to browsers to enhance specific functionalities. ### term-fbpageid Facebook Page ID - a number that uniquely identifies each Facebook page. ### term-interface Interface - (in this case) a set of visualisations that are interactive and allow users to have a graphical representation of the data. ### term-iso ISO country code - the short alphabetic codes created and maintained for each country by the International Organization for Standardization: [https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#search](https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#search). ### term-json JSON - JavaScript Object Notation is a popular format in which data is recorded. According to the JSON website, it is easy for humans to read and write and easy for machines to parse and generate. ### term-query Query - a list of coded questions a user can input in programs and apps to obtain data addressing a question or subject of interest. ### term-python Python - a programming language that allows developers to write various programs such as web applications, websites, data analysis tools: [https://www.python.org/](https://www.python.org/). ### term-pythoneditor Python editor - application to navigate, debug, compile and run scripts in the Python language. ### term-rdp Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) - a protocol that allows you to access and control a system that is not in the same physical location as you. ### term-shadowbanning Shadowbanning - when some tweets (or accounts) are deprioritised or made to disappear from timelines and from accounts without an explicit censorship notice. ### term-targetads Targeted ads (advertising) - advertising whose content or conditions of delivery are tailored to specific persons or groups based on the data available about them. ### term-terminal Terminal - also called command-line interface (CLI), is a means of interacting with a conputer by using a text-based interface where one can enter commands to a computer program. ### term-trendtopics Trending topics - topics that are popular at particular times. ### term-unicode Unicode - the standard for encoding scripts into machine-readable characters. ### term-uniqueid Unique identifiers - (in this case) unique codes that are created and tagged with every ad, so that they can be retraced if needed. ### term-vps Virtual Private Server (VPS) - a virtual machine, rented out as a service, by an Internet hosting company. ### term-virtualsoft Virtualisation Software - software that allows you to run a different Operating System than the one installed on your computer without needing to add another Operating System on your device. ### term-wget Wget - a tool by the GNU project to get files from webservers. The tool allows for the transport of files through more than one protocol.
ad-watch.basename	ad-watch
anti-biometric.preview	# The Making of an Anti-biometric Mass Surveillance Campaign By …
anti-biometric.content	# The Making of an Anti-biometric Mass Surveillance Campaign By Filip Milošević, SHARE Foundation ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/AntiBiometricCampaign-cik-illustration.png) ```cik-in-short ``` In Short: This case study describes a series of actions carried out by a community of activists during an 18-month campaign against a new mass surveillance project in the city of Belgrade, Serbia. Not only did they manage to raise awareness about the problem, but they also engaged citizens in joining the movement. After the campaign, the government finally admitted to its lawless tendencies and halted the facial recognition software rollout. --- ```cik-warning ``` > Even though this text was written by a single person, it is a story of many, > narrated from the perspective of several digital rights activists from > the _[SHARE Foundation](https://www.sharefoundation.info/en/)_ who > coordinated the campaign. > > The SHARE Foundation is a digital rights organization from Belgrade, > Serbia, which gathers researchers, engineers, lawyers, activists and > artists to better understand emerging technologies, strive for open > internet, and empower fellow citizens to counter mass surveillance by > governments and corporations. ## How it started One cold winter evening in Belgrade, Serbia, in January 2019, there was a rather odd public announcement made on the Serbian national TV: > "There will be no significant streets, entrances or passages between buildings that will not be covered by cameras. We will know from which entrance and building the perpetrator came, from which car..." (author's translation from Serbian.) These were the words of the Serbian Minister of Interior (the man in charge of the police) at that time, who boasted about a new smart surveillance system that our government had just bought from the Chinese company Huawei. He said that deploying 8,000 smart cameras would make our capital city of Belgrade safer, and even help fight organised crime and terrorism. As researchers at the Serbia-based SHARE Foundation - with a special interest in surveillance - we were shocked, but another thought instantly came to our minds: > “Many of our fellow citizens actually see this as a good thing. Who wouldn’t want more security and less crime?” As you read this, there is one important fact to know about Belgrade’s street safety record. At the community- and street-level, Belgrade is a fairly safe place for citizens. There are however _[documented](https://balkaninsight.com/2021/02/16/in-serbia-states-ties-to-crime-become-hard-to-miss/)_ high-level interactions between some of the governing actors and organized crime, which go far beyond the street-level safety that 8,000 cameras would be able to guard. After this public announcement, many questions started popping up in our minds: - What is the real purpose of this new street surveillance project? - Why was there no previous public discussion? - Is such a mass surveillance system even legal in our country? - How will it affect our society? - And finally, how do we - the people who care - stop this? ```cik-note ``` > Some details about the situation in Serbia, as of 2021-2022: > > Lately, Serbia has been considered as a hybrid regime, officially a democracy > striving to join the European Union, but in reality, more of an > [authoritarian system](https://balkaninsight.com/2020/05/06/freedom-house-serbia-montenegro-hungary-no-longer-democracies/) > under strong influence from _[China](https://thediplomat.com/2019/01/serbia-chinas-open-door-to-the-balkans/)_. > The government often controls the media, _[threatens journalists](https://cpj.org/2020/04/serbian-reporter-ana-lalic-on-her-arrest-and-deten/)_, > suppresses freedom of speech and protest culture, and [smears independent investigative journalists](https://europeanjournalists.org/blog/2021/03/10/serbia-we-condemn-dangerous-and-baseless-smear-campaign-aimed-at-krik/) and political opponents. > > Obviously, covering the whole city with > cameras that recognise people without their knowledge and consent will > help with this kind of social control, producing a strong chilling > effect as in [panopticon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon) > prisons. > > - “Those who already have disproportionate amounts of power > stand to gain more and more, and those that are already in positions > of powerlessness will be made even more powerless by this dynamic of > who gets to watch and who is watched.” (quote from Ella Jakubowska > from European Digital Rights (EDRi) in a conversation with SHARE > Foundation’s Filip Milošević, [full interview here](https://www.sharefoundation.info/en/share-interview-ella-jakubowska/). We realized that we needed to understand and expose the real intentions of the deal with Huawei, to help citizens understand the consequences of this system for our society, and to offer them ways to join an initial campaign as well as a longer-term movement so that together we could create a counter-narrative in the public discourse to oppose the false narrative that the government promoted. ```cik-note ``` > Clarifying some key concepts used in this article: > > - A false narrative is a story that is perceived as being true but > has little basis in reality. > > - Political narrative refers to storytelling techniques and discourse used by politicians in order to present a topic or a problem from a specific angle. It aims to influence the attention or action of the audience (citizens, voters, etc.) by offering a certain perspective of the reality (sometimes in line with, or contrary to facts), which may serve particular political interests. > > - Counter-narratives are ideas, discourses or stories that emerge > from marginalised, non-mainstream groups as opposed to those created > and promoted by dominant and powerful actors promoting what can be considered > a mainstream or a "master" narrative. The concept of counter-narrative > implies reaction, resistance and opposition (sources: _["Counter-Narrative", paper by Raúl Alberto Mora](https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/key-concept-counter-narrative.pdf)_ and _["Routledge Handbook of Counter-Narratives" 2020](https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9780429279713)_.) ## Initial research and the first steps of the campaign At the SHARE Foundation, we immediately sent FOI (Freedom of Information) requests to the Serbian Ministry of Interior (MOI) requesting locations of the cameras, including the analysis based on which these locations were determined, and details of the public procurement process and other relevant legal procedures. After a little over a month, the Ministry replied that procurement documents were protected as "confidential." The information on locations and analysis were not provided to us in any document or any medium. _[Here is a short article about it](https://www.sharefoundation.info/en/new-surveillance-cameras-in-belgrade-location-and-human-rights-impact-analysis-withheld/)_, including the attached FOI requests and related communications from SHARE Foundation. Even though we didn't get the exact information we requested, the denial in itself was valuable information and a key issue to present to the public. We got a strong reason to kick-off the public discussion and our research by writing about this denial and sending a [press release](https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a472333-nabavka-nadzornog-sistema-tajna-strucnjaci-kazu-moguca-zloupotreba/) to the few independent media outlets that instantly published the news. This starting process was important for us as it revealed that at times, the act of storytelling can be an act of investigation, or a way to kick-start an investigation. By doing further research with publicly available information sources about this and similar projects worldwide, we found that for promotional reasons, Huawei actually [published](https://archive.li/pZ9HO) a case on their company website providing detailed information about the features and deployment of the smart surveillance system in Belgrade and its cooperation with the Serbian Ministry of Interior. It was interesting (and somewhat shameful) that a private company served us so much more information than our own government. But this published case was also an opportunity for our background research. However, as soon as we analyzed newly obtained information and published it, the case study was removed from the Huawei website. We still managed to retrieve a snapshot of the webpage from Archive Today (https://archive.li/pZ9HO) and the Wayback Machine (https://web.archive.org/web/20190313232443/https://e.huawei.com/en/case-studies/global/2018/201808231012). ```cik-tip ``` > Retrieving lost webpages and more > > As this case demonstrates it, online archives are extremely useful resources for investigators, both for finding deleted webpages and for saving and preserving online information. Check the guide _["Retrieving and Archiving Information from Websites](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/web-archive.html)_ available in this Kit, to learn more techniques, tips and tools that help you retrieve historical and ‘lost’ information from websites as well as archive and preserve your own copies of webpages for future reference. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab01.jpg) Image: Huawei case study on Serbia’s street surveillance needs. Source [Wayback Machine capture](https://web.archive.org/web/20190313232443/https://e.huawei.com/en/case-studies/global/2018/201808231012) This shady and controversial sequence of actions by a public-private partnership confirmed that our government was hiding information from its citizens, but it also fueled the needed debate on this topic and helped us reach at least the initial bubble of concerned citizens through the media. We knew we had sparked discussion because people were commenting a lot and sharing the article in which we exposed this odd content removal. At this point, everything we did was reactive, without much thought on strategy. What we felt, though, was that our government would just go on with the project. So, whether we somehow stoped it or not through a campaign, this fight would be long and hard and we could not go to battle alone. Our next goal was to find a way to initiate direct communication with interested fellow-citizens, so we could continue these efforts together, and hopefully go beyond a one-off campaign and trigger some kind of an anti-mass surveillance movement that was in it for the long haul. ## First contact: reaching out to the community Belgrade is big enough to have a few individuals and small communities interested in topics such as privacy, security and surveillance. To be precise, this means two or three civil society organizations, one hackerspace, and several people occasionally tweeting about these issues. We initiated offline meetings to kick-start discussions and to come up with some ideas on how we should proceed. At first it was a small gathering in [Belgrade Hacklab](https://wiki.hackerspaces.org/Hacklab_Belgrade), then we got a workshop slot at a local hackathon-conference, which we used to promote the topic and reach out to some new people. At this point, we had established communication with around 15 people directly, and reached out to 30 more, which were aware that we were being proactive about the issue. Most of them we already knew personally. ### The initial campaign needs The initial campaign "infrastructure" for the public campaign included: - creating a simple micro-site with a contact form, - choosing the website name and registering a domain, - running an initial social media push to build an organic (natural) community around the topic and campaign. Now, we needed to reach out a bit further. To do this, we put up a simple one-page basic .html micro web-site containing only a few simple - yet strong - sentences and several links (as in the image below): ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab02.jpg) Image source: SHARE Foundation / #hiljadekamera ```cik-note ``` > Serbian to English translation of the text from the image above: > > It said: > > "As we speak, thousands of cameras with facial recognition technology > are being deployed in Belgrade. Our police is hiding all information > about the project. What are the locations, where is the data going, > who has access and for what purpose? > > This system will follow us when we commute to work, to see a friend, a > doctor, grab a drink, go to a protest, light a cigarette, get out of the > car, hug someone, talk, criticize. > > Mass surveillance [makes citizens obedient](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon). > > Do we want it? > > If you want to stay informed or somehow help, [let us know](https://link_to_a_form). > > More about the topic: Blic / Peščanik / Foreign Policy / Telegram" Being aware of the average human attention span nowadays, it was just enough content that everyone would read it, enough information to get to the point, enough links if someone wanted more, and most important, a link to the form where people could say what they think, offer support, help, and establish contact. Additionally, there was a link to a Telegram channel we created since privacy-aware people use it, and would feel familiar and identify with the anonymous source that put up the site. When we finished the text for the micro-site, which involved _[making an ascii](https://manytools.org/hacker-tools/convert-images-to-ascii-art/)_ camera picture and putting it all together into a _[responsive html](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsive_web_design)_ page that could be viewed well both from mobile and desktop devices, we needed an idea for an internet address (URL) that we could register. After mentioning "thousands of cameras" so many times those days, we realized that it was the perfect name for the URL, but also for a social media hashtag, a campaign and a movement. > [www.hiljadekamera.rs](http://www.hiljadekamera.rs) / #hiljadekamera ("thousands of cameras" in Serbian) After someone from the team leaked the website we just wanted to preview on the internal Telegram group, it immediately got picked up by a well-known activist and went semi-viral. We expected this because we knew that there was already some interest in the topic. We got over 30 form submissions in no time. We didn’t get many Telegram channel subscribers, but it wasn’t so important since most of the people from the form left us their email, which was the best way to continue communication. That first online wave went really well. Now that we had a name, a URL and micro-site, form and telegram channel, we could use that to go back to physical space and continue reaching out and building wider community. ### Street marketing Of course, stickers came first to our mind. But what kind of stickers? Let’s not just print the URL or hashtag and mindlessly stick them everywhere. Especially in public places they would get removed by the city services. What we realized was that the police were required by law to mark areas that are under surveillance, but they were not doing it. This was our chance. We came up with the idea to disguise our stickers into official ones so we would: - 1. help citizens understand that they are under surveillance, and create a bit of "under surveillance" atmosphere downtown; - 2. apply our stickers to camera poles and not have them removed because they look official; and - 3. add a _[QR code](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code)_ which leads people to our website. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab03.jpg) Image source: SHARE Foundation / #hiljadekamera We never knew how many people scanned the code, but the stickers were certainly popular giveaways at events, and filming the process of scanning the code with a phone and automatically opening our website turned out to be the favorite content for TV crews and journalists who were covering the story. ### Bench under surveillance Out of all the issues related to this project, the most abstract one to explain was how mass surveillance would affect citizen behavior and introduce self-censorship through _["the chilling effect"](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/05/when-surveillance-chills-speech-new-studies-show-our-rights-free-association)_, which refers to the inhibition of legal rights and is harmful for freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and democracy. There is an annual open art festival in Belgrade, which means it’s pretty crowdsourced. Anyone can apply for a free spot and present their work, and almost anything can be considered art: a painting, a sculpture, acting and theater, workshops, playing music or mixing records. Since our next idea was to explore and show how citizens are reacting to and feeling under surveillance, we chose to do a small installation and space intervention in order to embody the "chilling effect" among festival-goers by putting them under intrusive surveillance at times when they wanted to relax. Since there are usually no places where people can sit at crowded festivals, we got the most comfortable, best looking bench we could find and positioned it on a nice and cosy spot. Just over the bench, we deployed two dummy cameras with red blinking LEDs so they would appear real. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab04.jpg) Image source: SHARE Foundation / #hiljadekamera The setting turned out nice. We just printed a QR code on a caption plate that was directing to a short questionnaire on how people felt while hanging out under surveillance. Questions were tailored to younger festival-going audiences and included something like: "Would you share secrets to a friend, would you dance, lie down, kiss or sext your partner under these cameras...?" We did get some responses, but most of the interaction and discussion happened on the spot. We were surprised that youth could clearly express their feelings and were very aware of the mass surveillance intentions, mostly through popular culture - movies, books and video games - and that many of them were offering to join our mailing list and spread the word. However, most of them were still not aware of what it really meant for their privacy to have cameras creeping in every day and slowly covering streets of their city. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/AntiBiometricCampaign-01-cik-illustration.png) ## Engaging the community: a collaborative event Our next steps were: - plan a datathon / sprint writing event, - choosing and tailoring information for the official website of the campaign. By now it was almost a year since we were deep into research activities and discussions within the small existing community, with only occasional media outreach. At that point we finally felt ready to go further into campaigning mode and reach out to a wider audience. For this purpose, we needed more than a obscure ASCII micro-site, stickers and a clear picture in our minds. We realized we needed a new push: a decent website with all the information we gathered so far, processed and systematized for a regular citizen, with several options for people to join the campaign. It was important to include as much existing community members into this process for several reasons: - 1. creating more ambitious content and website requires different human resources and skills and we had no budget; and - 2. it was important to decentralize the campaign and make it as leader-less as possible to avoid a sense of ownership on our side, and to gain more engagement from all participants by making them feel equal partners in the project. We made an early decision that the project / campaign would be independent and bias-free in terms financial support and geopolitics - we didn’t care if it was Chinese or European or American tech, so we didn’t want to receive any campaigning funds except from crowd-funding. So, remember the online form we created and linked on the micro-site for citizens who were interested in staying in touch or helping out somehow? - We returned to it a week later only to find out it already had over 50 submissions of mostly messages of support, but also help offers from people with different skills such as visual artists, web designers, developers, researchers, journalists and lawyers. This is where we came up with idea to invite them to a collaborative, sprint-like writing and design event where five groups would work together on different segments and content for a new website. Communication with participants was a challenge, but crucial for the success of the event. Initially, we invited at least 60 people. Half of them we already knew, some of them were friends of friends, and some of them we picked from the online form. As an event explainer, again we put up a single ASCII web page and sent it to potential participants as an invitation. It said: > "It has been a year since the Ministry of the Interior suddenly announced that the deployment of a mass video surveillance system with facial recognition technology was underway. The project and its implementation are still non-transparent. After many reactions, inquiries, several organised discussions and community work to reveal further information, it is time to gather around this problem and do as much as we can together. > The idea is: > - to compile informative texts in several working groups, > - to do a technical analysis of the system through patents and other publicly available information, > - to enable open source camera mapping tools, > - to create visual solutions for presenting data, > - to create a plan of activities, > - to tailor communications, and finally > - to put it all together on the internet for fellow citizens to access." ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab05.jpg) Image source: SHARE Foundation / #hiljadekamera After two weeks of planing and communicating, we had around 30 confirmations for the sprint event. It helped that we directly communicated with all of them, had a defined plan of what we wanted to achieve, and that the campaign was already gaining momentum. - Otherwise, it probably wouldn’t have been possible to get all those great people to spend a day volunteering on some abstract idea. Most of them knew what group they would be joining, but also that they could switch groups if they felt the need to. Groups were named symbolically: 1. .TXT - researchers and journalists collecting most the important information together and writing it into a human-readable language, 2. .EXE group - mostly engineers figuring out how to best visualize and explain the architecture of smart surveillance systems, 3. .PDF group - lawyers and advocates analyzing and summarizing all the legal issues about the project and strategizing at policy level, 4. .MAP - developers working on an application for crowd-sourcing camera locations on a map, 5. .HTML - web designers putting everything together into a new website. For the event venue we booked a nice free community space gallery that had everything we needed to host this bunch for a whole day: tables, chairs, electricity, wi-fi and a toilet. We brought some croissants and coffee in the morning, had fruits all around the place and ordered pizza later in the day. We did not over-think or over-plan this action, we wanted it to be simple, comfortable and serve as a space for people to gather and feel safe talking about sensitive topics. Prior to event, we sketched some ideas on what content the website should probably have and then briefly presented it to the team in the morning. Groups gathered around their tables and the sprint started. In eight active hours, we had all the textual content done, visual identity done, concept / sketch for a big surveillance system infographic, several iterations of mapping application, but most importantly, we had 30 people hanging out and working together towards one goal - to fight biometric mass surveillance. Most of us had just met, some of us knew each other but were collaborating for the first time, and many are still active on the project as of 2022. ## Reaching beyond the bubble In brief, this part was all about: - "the hunt" - crowd-sourcing a map of cameras, - "reclaim your face" - making a petition to ban biometric surveillance, - "ogether against thousands of cameras" - setting up a crowd-funding campaign. Once we engaged the directly interested community, we wanted to go beyond and reach wider audiences to build more awareness and support. After the sprint event, a month or two passed until we tightened it up and translated the content to English. The translation was important because we were obviously one of the first cases (guinea pigs) of the "western" world with an issue that other countries will also face sooner or later. So, our case is a valuable source of information and awareness on the topic and its developments - useful for researchers, journalists and activists around the world. Once we released the website - https://hiljade.kamera.rs - it was shared intensely on social media and we also got attention from traditional media, so TV and radio appearances followed. We knew the website and its content worked very well once we realized that these media appearances were going smoothly. - Newsrooms had everything in one place to do a story. All the leads and information editors needed, all the questions and answers for journalists were there, we just had to show up and talk it through. Finally, at the end of every appearance, when asked what citizens could do themselves, we were prepared for a concrete call to action: help us map the cameras around the city! ### CTA "The Hunt": crwodsourcing camera locations The fact that the Ministry of Interior did not provide information about the project, nor the map and the exact number of cameras installed so far, was a good opportunity to "help" them do so, seek responsibility and make citizens aware of the mass surveillance issue. After a clumsy attempt to create a crowdsourcing mapping application from scratch during the sprint event, we decided to use an existing open source application and just adapt it to our needs. To avoid potential spam and problems with the relevance of the data we would receive from citizens, instead of inviting people to use the application itself, we asked them to send us photos of the surveillance cameras and their locations via Twitter with a hashtag, or directly via e-mail. This process required occasional administration of incoming content on our part, but it turned out not to be an overly demanding task, making our data management and verification much easier. Also, these kinds of mechanics turned out to be a good decision because the citizens were happy to publicly post photos on Twitter, which was a great campaign engagement, and promotion for the initiative's Twitter account and its constant activity. To promote this action, we again created a single webpage on the website of the initiative - https://hiljade.kamera.rs/lov/ - where we posted basic instructions, graphics with models of cameras that we "hunt", and a temporary map. Camera maps and graphics with the sentence "how to recognize a camera that recognizes you?" went very well on social networks, but also on online portals and news agencies. The media liked the call to action and the fact that there were interesting graphic elements displayed. All this led to more media coverage of the campaign and our story as well as new guest appearances on TV programs. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab06.jpg) Image source: SHARE Foundation / #hiljadekamera ### CTA "Reclaim Your Face": petition to ban biometric mass surveillance Many people are skeptical about petitions. There are few systems where they have legal weight and lead to direct changes. However, it turned out that their influence is more often indirect, and that petitions can actually contribute to exerting moral authority and spreading awareness about a certain problem. When colleagues from [European Digital Rights (EDRi)](https://edri.org/) suggested that we petition for a ban on biometric mass surveillance with several other organizations across Europe, we were immediately skeptical. After only a month, it turned out that this was one of the most important activities for us in the long run during the entire campaign. Organizing a petition in the digital age can be easy. It is possible to create an account on one of the online petition platforms and then share that link across social networks. However, this simplicity has a downside: - First of all, there is great public saturation with the large amount of petitions on social networks, which makes it difficult for visibility and limits attention. - Second, you are inviting people to leave data on websites whose data and privacy policies you cannot control (many are selling email addresses, data leaks, cookies, trackers, etc.). - Third, you cannot control the interface and most of the content on these standard petition pages, thus functionality and public engagement suffer, because universal design that is made to suit everyone will never be as good as a unique design created for a special need. Organizing a petition that way would be similar to promoting businesses via GeoCities (generic) websites, instead of having your own website. Of course, creating your own website, a micro-site, a single-page site, and a unique petition platform requires resources. In addition to technical matters, good petitions require quality text, visual identity, design and production of different communication elements, promotion plan, etc. - What made the difference for us and our campaign was the importance of cooperation between like-minded organizations and membership in international organizations such as EDRi. Our petition was organized in several countries at the same time by local organizations, so most of the above assets were created collaboratively, and then each organization would only localize the materials. Out of all the elements needed for a petition, the most challenging to produce and localize was probably the signature counter - a little piece of software where petition signatories need to enter their details. It had to be tailor-made, private by design (without trackers and with localized privacy policies), and then translated, color coded and finally embedded into each organization / country petition's website. Once everything was in place, we simultaneously launched the petition. Locally, we reached out to several supporters who could create some petition related content, which added up to the promotion. This is a work by a comic artist who covers daily news: ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab07.jpg) Image source: Igor Lečić / milandog.rs. Serbian to English translation of image text: “There is too many of them Sancho! / What should we do? / Let’s sign the petition!” The petition feedback was incredible. Thousands of citizens signed up during the first several hours. Media outlets covered it and social media followed it. It was one of the trending topics for a day or two, which is great for awareness. But why was this one of the most important activities of the campaign, as mentioned earlier? While signing the petition, citizens would be able to opt-in for receiving news about the campaign. After only several days, we had almost 10,000 new subscribers on our mailing list, which from that point onward became our most important communication tool (up until that moment, we had only several hundred organic subscribers). We were not dependent on Facebook, Twitter and other gatekeepers to communicate anymore, at least not with all these people who opted-in (no [dark-patterns](https://datadetoxkit.org/en/wellbeing/darkpatterns/)!) and willingly gave us their email address to stay informed. The petition also convinced us that we had increasing support. We expected to see 1000 signatures as a good result, but this was ten times bigger. It opened the door for the last activity of the year, ideal for the Christmas giving season - _[a crowd-funding campaign](https://www.donacije.rs/projekat/hiljade-kamera/)_. ### CTA ‘Together Against Thousands of Cameras": the crowd-funding campaign The campaign name and brand was already gaining recognition and a bit of coolness, so in collaboration with two local streetwear brands, we designed and printed some masks, beanies, bandanas and hoodies. This offering was yet another way for citizens to engage with the campaign, to give and show support. It led to yet another issue-awareness wave, and was also the first financial influx into the project - as we would’t seek or accept any funding from other organizations for independence reasons, as previously mentioned. This helped us continue all the efforts of battling mass surveillance. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab08.jpg) Image source: SHARE Foundation / #hiljadekamera Crowdfunding, micro-donations, and donations towards civil society organisations (CSOs) in general are still not common in Serbia (as of 2021-2022) due to several factors such as weak individual economic power, late e-commerce adoption, strict financial policies and lack of interoperability with global payment services. Therefore, we set our crowdfundng goal at around 5000 Euro, which we almost reached in a day during a campaign pre-release for family and friends. This made us change the goal to 10,000 Euro, which we also reached far before the deadline. Once again we were surprised with the amount of support from our fellow citizens and were further encouraged to go on. ## Multimedia and public relations At this stage, we focused on: - multimedia production - short documentary, podcast and live-stream, - narrating media appearances - pandemic restrictions protest story and data cross-referencing examples. Alongside all the activities described until now, an important part in communicating our work was the media content that we produced ourselves. Different media formats will reach different audiences and will have varying success rates, so we tried with several outputs for which we had resources and people with skills to produce them. We created _[a podcast](https://www.sharefoundation.info/sr/hiljadekamera-pt-1/)_, _[a short video documentary](https://youtu.be/XlMldmOhYG8)_ and _[a live-stream event](https://youtu.be/M1bfIifxxAw)_. Podcasting was an experimental form, part of an ongoing series following tech, society and cyberspace, so even if streamed only a couple thousand times (more via Telegram channels and RSS feed than YouTube), it was appreciated by niche communities, and thus important for the campaign brand awareness. Our short video documentary was a huge success. We filmed cameras around the city, several actions we did including the sprint / datathon event, interviewed members of the initiative and the National Data Protection Commissioner. We were however ignored by the Ministry of Interior when we reached out with an interview request. Nice drone footage and dystopian music from local artists added a great deal to the professional direction, camera and editing done by our affiliates. The film's outreach was great not only because it was shared on social media and watched online, but because it was aired on at least three cable TV stations multiple times in the span of a few months. Most of the cable TV stations will air content that they like and receive for free, especially if the format suits them well aesthetically, and they can fit it easily time-wise (ours was good for their needs as it was up to 15 minutes long.) A day after the documentary premiere we realized that once again we managed to break another bubble and reached even more fellow citizens. Finally, in regular circumstances we would organise an event to promote our initiative’s work to date and to spark more debate. However, during pandemic lockdowns (this was 2020 - 2021), we were doomed with an online event. In the midst of the "Zoom fatigue", we had to come up with something a bit more interesting in order to dive out of the over-saturated civil society webinars and online conference spaces. Instead of inviting people to a video conference, we produced an online stream on YouTube, but made sure it was dynamic, visually appealing and welcoming. We had a host and five activists in the studio talking back to back on different segments of the surveillance issue and the campaign. We had four additional guests - a journalist, a security professional, a technology expert and a law expert - joining via video call, followed by a Questions & Answers session where viewers could address questions and comments. The production was done in our office, and included: - a grey backdrop, - several light panels, - one DSLR camera, - one web camera, - a computer - all feeding into [OBS (Open Broadcasting Software)](https://obsproject.com/) via HDMI capture cards. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab09.jpg) Image source: SHARE Foundation / #hiljadekamera In the end, the live stream was kinf of over-produced, since some of the watchers asked if this was a recording or a live-stream, but nevertheless it was an interesting way to talk about the matter and avoid another typical online event. Basically, all of the above mentioned content and messages were spread organically, without any particular marketing and Public Relations strategy, and with zero funds invested on ads - our policy is to never pay Facebook, Google and the like for promotion. Our philosophy was important, relevant topics and good content will find its way eventually. Could the outreach with this content be better? Probably yes - but we were just a bunch of activists dealing impromptu with an emerging issue, on our own resources, not on anyone’s agenda. It worked the same with public relations. We had many media appearances, but no-one is a professional PR / spokesperson in our team. Sometimes that’s stressful, having anxiety and tremor in front of cameras and journalists, in a live morning program or a podcast... But showing these vulnerabilities to a certain extent is also fine and can even be charming because no one expects activists to be professional spokespersons, or a grassroots initiative to contract someone like that. Mostly it’s just about good understanding of the issues and preparing several key messages aligned with actual events. ```cik-example ``` > For example, massive [protests in Belgrade in the pandemic year of 2020](https://www.dw.com/en/violence-breaks-out-at-new-serbia-protests/a-54098931) were a strong example of how government is imposing fear through massive surveillance, and is using this system to suppress protest culture. At that time, government officials were constantly threatening in the media about using video footage and processing protesters, which made a lot of people change their minds about going out to the streets. This was a relevant occasion to further explain the "chilling effect" and it's influence on society and protest turn-out. > > Our key message when communicating during those days was that compared to protests of the last twenty years, these were the first occuring under thousands of cameras capable of recognizing our faces and converting them into data. This data is further easily stored in government data centers, ready to be cross-referenced with databases of people employed in the public sector, people who get social aid, or small business owners who might need additional tax officer inspection. Also, as our previous research proved, this kind of metadata is often retained forever, so even in five or ten years from now, someone could deny you a job, deny your child a scholarship or kindergarten admission, or make you a voter against your will because at some point in time you were out in the streets protesting government decisions you were opposed to. > Although it may sound dystopian, our research confirms that these surveillance systems combined with emerging and clumsy digitalization, data centralization, digital identity programs, smart cities and algorithmic governance lead to authoritarian societies, so these threats have to be communicated, and possible dark scenarios like these need to be narrated. Once fellow citizens get to understand possible implications of these systems on security and privacy through examples, it is fair for them to choose whether they are for or against mass surveillance. But without information, different narratives and open discussion, it's not the citizens who decide, but governments instead. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/AntiBiometricCampaign-02-cik-illustration.png) ## Finale: the first win What happened so far: - public hearing where officials confirmed they will not use facial recognition, for now, - new internal affairs draft law legalising facial recognition proposed and withdrawn, - established community ready for the next battle. The more our campaign grew, the less the Minister of Interior talked about the surveillance project. Actually, for more than a year they went totally silent on the matter. There was one leak of video footage from these surveillance cameras in the meantime that they instantly confirmed to us when we asked about it. For us, this meant more proof that the data was not secure, so we would also use the example whenever we communicated about the issue. On the other hand, we had no proof that authorities started using the facial recognition feature of the system, which aligned with recommendations of the National Data Protection Commissioner, but the Ministry never spoke about it. Then, on 21 May 2021, during a public hearing about information security at a National Assembly, when asked about rising concerns of mass surveillance and facial recognition in Belgrade, a Ministy representative responded: > "We are aware that citizens are concerned about this issue, and we have witnessed over 200 articles during the last year about biometric surveillance in Belgrade. I can assure you that, even if some people from the Ministry of Interior think that it is possible by current law, until there is a public debate, until there is consent, and the Assembly vote, we will not employ software for facial recognition." Three months later, the Minister of Interior [announced the new Draft Law on Internal Affairs](https://www.sharefoundation.info/en/total-surveillance-law-proposed-in-serbia/), one that, among other things, contained provisions for legalising a massive biometric surveillance system. It was announced under the radar on the Ministry's website, without the media being informed, with less than three weeks' deadline to submit comments. We were lucky to even find out about it a week before the deadline, but we were prepared. We joined a public discussion event (the first one ever organized by the government on this topic), [sent our comments](https://www.sharefoundation.info/wp-content/uploads/Draft-Law-on-Internal-Affairs_Comments_SHARE-Foundation.pdf) to the Ministry, and alerted international and community media. Even though heated public debate followed for several days, we were sure that it wouldn’t affect the government’s intention, and that accepting comments from civil society was just a formality before passing the law. Four days after the deadline and with strong public opposition, an unexpected press release was issued by the Minister himself: > "Considering all the facts, President Vucic asked me to withdraw the draft law on internal affairs from the procedure. I will do it. That is my defeat, and I will bear consequences, but I also want to let the public know that I will continue to fight for a safe Serbia despite the (foreign) agents and their financiers. The draft law on internal affairs has been withdrawn; you will have to look for some other reason for the blood on the streets of Belgrade." It seemed incredible, but after that quote at the beginning of this article where the Minister himself was assuring the public that nothing will be able to deter new smart cameras that were already being deployed in the streets of Belgrade, two and a half years later, after all the efforts we put to prove it’s not legal and we don’t want them, [the law to legalise them was proposed and then urgently withdrawn](https://edri.org/our-work/serbia-withdraws-a-proposed-biometric-surveillance-bill-following-national-and-international-pressure/). But even more importantly, all these efforts, done together by the activists and joined by many fellow citizens, made a strong community. A community with its own narrative, one that protects the integrity of every citizen, a community ready for the next challenge. <hr class="thick"> Published November 2022 ## Resources - _["10 Tactics for Turning Information into Action"](https://archive.informationactivism.org/basic1.html)_ - basic guides, wprlshop cards and campaign examples from Tactical Tech. - _[CIVICUS Campaign Toolkits and Guides](https://www.civicus.org/index.php/media-center/resources/toolkits) - resources created and / or collected by CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world. - _[SHARE Foundation's Anti-Biometric Surveillance Campaign website](https://hiljade.kamera.rs/en/home/)_ - including articles, crowdsourced map, press releases and campaign updates. – _[Technopolice resources](https://technopolice.fr/leak/)_ - tools and methods from French initiatives providing ways to leak files for people who work in companies involved in Biometric Surveillance and administrations (content in French). – _[Technopolice Campaigning Action Guide](https://technopolice.fr/semobiliser/guidesdactions/)_ (content in French). ## Glossary ### term-ascii-art ASCII art - a graphic design technique and aesthetics for presentation of pictures pieced together from basic computer printed characters. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASCII_art). ### term-biometric-surveillance Biometric surveillance - a technology that measures and analyzes human physical and/or behavioral characteristics for authentication, identification, or screening purposes. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surveillance#Biometric)) ### term-chilling-effect Chilling effect - an effect that reduces, suppresses, discourages, delays, or otherwise retards reporting concerns of any kind. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilling_effect)) ### term-counter-narratives Counter-narratives - stories impacting on social settings that stand opposed to (perceived) dominant and powerful master-narratives. The concept of counter-narratives covers resistance and opposition as told and framed by individuals and social groups. (Source: [Routledge Handbook of Counter-Narratives](https://www.routledge.com/Routledge-Handbook-of-Counter-Narratives/Lueg-Lundholt/p/book/9780367234034) 2021) ### term-false-narrative False narrative - a story that is perceived as being true but has little basis in reality. ### term-street-marketing Street marketing - a form of guerrilla marketing that uses nontraditional or unconventional methods to promote a product or service. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_marketing)) ### term-panopticon Panopticon - the idea of total surveillance centralization is older than sophisticated computer systems and originates from the new prison design proposal dating back to the end of the 18th century. According to the same design, the daily life of prisoners is monitored from the central tower, from which someone can but does not have to be watching them. The very idea that they can be spotted at any point, so that prisoners always behave as if they are being watched. (Source: [hiljadekamera](https://hiljade.kamera.rs/en/threats/)). ### term-political-narrative Political narrative - a term used in the humanities and political sciences to describe the way in which storytelling can shape fact and impact on understandings of reality. However, political narrative is not only a theoretical concept, it is also a tool employed by political figures in order to construct the perspectives of people within their environment and alter relationships between social groups and individuals. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_narrative)) ### term-rwd Responsive html - Responsive web design (RWD) is an approach to web design that makes web pages render well on a variety of devices and window or screen sizes from minimum to maximum display size. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsive_web_design)). ### term-viral Viral** (in internet terms) - The term viral pertains to a video, image, or written content spreading to numerous online users within a short time period. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viral_phenomenon))
anti-biometric.basename	anti-biometric
bio-investigation.preview	Bio-investigations in the field =============================== By …
bio-investigation.content	Bio-investigations in the field =============================== By Xavier Coadic ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/Bioinvestigation-cik-illustration.png) ```cik-in-short ``` IN SHORT: An introduction to the concepts and practices of biological investigations (bio-investigations), including the collection and analysis of samples from the field and examples of research that you can do at home and in the local environment of your community. --- Our living environment is as much a book about the past and present as it is a permanent source of information. Whether it's a hazardous chemical spill, a change in [biodiversity](#term-biodiversity), an urban renovation project or an improvement in water quality, we sometimes need to draw attention to clues and evidence from our physical environment, which often complement maps or other data we may find online. Based on my (the author's) field experience, this guide will present ways to explore, find and collect meaningful and "invisible" information that can be used in many investigations of our living environment. To begin, all you need is a curious mindset and some methods to help you gather evidence of the existence of certain past or present environmental events. What is a bio-investigation? ---------------------------- We call bio-investigation the processes of locating and taking [samples](#term-sample) and measurements in the environment, as well as preparing these proceedings and analysing samples or phenomena that will provide information, which can be incorporated into a broader investigation. Bio-investigation, like other types of investigation, is also an act of creating knowledge so that it can be understood by others, by documenting the processes and actions that arise. Documentation will allow you to share your experiences and results until you are no longer the custodian of knowledge yourself. For example, your bio-investigations can focus on polluted soils (soil, groundwater, soil gas), sludge and sediments (marine, estuarine, fluvial), air (ambient air, workplace air, air quality in a village or urban neighbourhood), etc. This guide is dedicated to bio-investigation of the environment and it will cover both human and non-human activities. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >The term "non-human,", mentioned above, means "everything with which >humans are in constant interaction:" animals and plants, but also >elements such as water, air and earth, sometimes including objects >and artefacts produced by human activity. This reminds us of other >characteristics of these non-human elements involved in a situation. > >For example, during the 2019-2020 bushfires in Australia, the media >often focused on issues of disappearance of large animals, >especially mammals, and the risks they faced. "Remarkable plants," >because they are aesthetically impressive, are also sometimes the >subjects of emotional campaigns. > >Microorganisms, whatever their reign, are usually invisible from >public consideration, even though they represent a majority of the >victims of these disasters and are thus a loss for the planet and >humans in terms of the services they provide to the ecosystem. > >Taking these "non-humans" into consideration of our vision of the >environment during bio-investigations allows us to broaden our >imagination, enrich our knowledge, grasp new sources of information, >and consolidate our investigation process. Naturally, this >consideration also allows us to take a more refined ecological >approach to environmental situations. > >A ["common good"](#term-commons) will then be considered as a "biotic community" >bringing together humans and non-humans in a relationship of strong >interdependence. This guide proceeds in three stages: - Describing why and how to organise yourself before conducting an investigation and taking samples in the field, - Providing the basics of sampling procedures with different possibilities to analyse these samples, - Showing you what you may find in different contexts with feedback from the field, and with real examples of connecting local issues with investigative and awareness-raising actions by groups of people on the ground. It's important to note that this guide refers to some basic steps to start using living material and your environment to disclose problems. You will find methods, tools, tips and, above all, an investigative state of mind to be implemented in the ecological field, with environmental considerations concerning water, earth, air, plants, etc. Investigate, cook, live ----------------------- Studying our environment and trying "to make the living talk" is a bit like the process of cooking. Learning to cook is something that one can start at a very young age and with little knowledge (and by enjoying eating well and making others enjoy the food), first by trusting the senses, and then by adding experience to the recipes. In bio-investigation, too, as we develop our techniques, we learn differently, we learn how to supply ourselves with ingredients, we acquire better tools and weave collaborative networks. Being an environmentalist or a bio-investigator is like cooking, perhaps by taking an interest in even smaller things/beings in life. For example, a small scientific experiment to extract [DNA](#term-dna) from an organism may be considered filthy, unethical, complicated or risky. Yet you can do it yourself in less than 15 minutes in your kitchen on split peas or strawberries, simply with the products you probably have in your household. It's fun, it demystifies a lot of methods and concerns, and it's a first step towards discovering the invisible. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_biopanique.png) ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_biopanique2.png) Photos from a workshop held in 2007 -- "Biopanique cuisine et féminisme" (Biopanic cuisine and feminism) with DNA manipulation in a kitchen and a roundtable on women's liberties. See [the transcript of the workshop](https://notecc.frama.wiki/atelier:biopanique) and the documentation of [the DNA extraction process](https://notecc.frama.wiki/norae:biologicus:bioprivacy_note-autodefense-1). Photos by Xavier Coadic. Now let's see how to get there. ## Regaining control of information in your environment People all over the world -- in the countryside or in the city, in the mountains or by the sea -- share a common goal: to gain an understanding of the information that concerns their surrounding environment and to participate in the further elaboration of this information. This is especially true in the case of climate upheavals, accidents and natural or industrial disasters. In June 2019, when [an industrial abattoir spilled blood](https://web.archive.org/web/20190914192128/https:/www.ouest-france.fr/bretagne/chateaubourg-35220/pres-de-vitre-des-litres-de-sang-dans-la-riviere-6399394) in one of the streams in Châteaubourg, France, or during [the petrochemical industrial fire in Rouen](https://web.archive.org/web/20200506160635/https:/www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2019/09/28/incendie-de-l-usine-lubrizol-a-rouen-l-enquete-s-elargit-a-la-mise-en-danger-d-autrui_6013462_3244.html) in September of the same year, we (local citizen investigators and activists) found that many people were overwhelmed and that others wanted to simply meet over a coffee to discuss these disasters and to consider a new social configuration and organise themselves to address these issues. So we, a local group of citizen investigators, gave as much importance to these circumstances of the meetings and the desire to work together as we did to the investigative methods and sampling protocols we wanted to deploy. It is almost certain that other disasters will occur, in other forms and under different circumstances. We have always adapted and, more importantly, have responded more effectively when we met regularly before or after an incident. We have also experiencedt a re-appropriation of urban wastelands to limit gentrification and/or expropriations, with soils polluted by industrial heavy metals. We have had to deal with the pollution of coasts and beaches in Brittany by the oil spill or by [chlorophytes](https://web.archive.org/web/20180730093913/https:/educatif.eau-et-rivieres.asso.fr/pdf/pollution.pdf), the decomposition of which [releases a very toxic gas](https://web.archive.org/web/20161003032955/http:/www.liberation.fr/terre/2009/08/04/les-algues-vertes-en-decomposition-fabriquent-un-gaz-tres-toxique_574307). In each of these cases, it was necessary to deal with the emergency and regain control of the environment, the land and the information. Bio-investigation was an essential ingredient in this process. ```cik-warning ``` > Safety First! > > Just as when you are cooking, gardening or tinkering, there is a > golden rule in bio-investigations (and in any investigations): don't > put yourself or others in dangerous conditions. Here are some basic > precautions: > > Individual precautions: > > - think before you act, > - prepare and plan your research. Below you'll find some tips related > to mnemonics, i.e. different constructions that facilitate > memorization, which can be useful to keep long things in a short > - examine the place(s) where you want to take action, > - protective equipment is your friend, > - use appropriate equipment and training tools, > - don't forget digital security tools and tactics, > - don't work alone -- even more so in the case of field > (environmental) sampling, > - establish strong and trustworthy collaboration with others. > > Collective protection: > > - work in pairs or more as it will help and save you (e.g. climbing a > wall or taking samples from a river), > - all group members should equip themselves carefully with all > individual precautions, > - reuse, transform or develop methods and techniques for safe teamwork > (drawing inspiration from urban graffiti, hiking, caving, diving, > firefighting, etc.), > - document your work - you can get inspired from the experiences of > [common and resistance writing](http://www.sens-public.org/articles/1375/) (or > documentation as a form of resistance). > > Remember that if one of you is in danger, the others will be in danger, too. ### Operate in good local conditions When creating, using and modifying the recipes, there are elements of culture, knowledge and experience that are shared and transmitted. This configuration is illustrated by the recipe of a [Far Breton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far_Breton), for example -- a typical cake from Brittany that says as much about the techniques and natural resources used to make it as about the customs and habits of the people who cook it. A cooking recipe, no matter how instructive it is, can be commented on by a considerable number of people in order to make adjustments as new (re)uses and adaptations are made. This is the equivalent for environmental investigations: an area in which a simple commentary in the context itself can play a crucial role in following research methods and learning from them. So make sure you meet with the people who live on the sites you want to investigate and, if necessary, with their consent and after explaining the questions, interview them in a written, audio or video form (see _["Interviews: the Human Element of Your Investigation"](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/interviews.html)_). You are certainly not alone in your concerns or your interest in this domain. Build relationships with indigenous people. The things you will do together are woven bonds that will leave connections and memories behind, creating a historical structure. As in the situations of food crises, environmental tensions can be a theatre of powerful political debates and expressions of emotions. These crisis situations are the arenas of political and social discord that often lead to the dissemination of manipulated or even deliberately falsified information. Test, be vigilant and criticise these phenomena. ```cik-example ``` >Example: > > Here is a theoretical example of preparation before field sampling in > the case of a factory fire that impacts water, air, soil, crops. > Consider [the weather and the extent](https://mamot.fr/@XavCC/102865820616257736) of the disaster; > identify and map potentially critical intervention and sampling points > with an online mapping tool such as [overpass turbo](https://archive.is/2yTEr). _[Overpass > turbo](https://overpass-turbo.eu/)_ is a data filtering tool for > _[OpenStreetMap](http://www.openstreetmap.org/)_ -- you can learn > more in this [OSM Wiki](https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Overpass_turbo). > > An industrial sulfur refinery site burns and two silos explode. The > plant is located in a large city and in close proximity to a > working-class neighbourhood with residential blocks and working-class > houses. > > This is the case of an industrial disaster -- an industry that is > central to the economic activity of a region and important for > national consumption. The industrial site is maintained by an > international company, and backed by associations and politicians who > have been lobbying for this company for many years. On the other hand, > there are politicians and associations that have been lobbying against > these activities and this company. > > During the industrial accident and in the immediate aftermath, many of > these organisations could find it in their interest to disseminate or > modify information in their favour. Add to this the concerns (and even > panic) of the residents around the industrial site. > > Prepare your field action plan and biological and chemical sampling > scheme considering that the information that circulates and is > produced during this accident may be profit-driven in one direction or > another. Consider that the assistance you receive in the field while > taking samples may influence the political interpretation of your > investigation. ### Protect yourself and know your limits In order to carry out bio-investigations, you need to have detailed information about sampling authorisations: meaning, where you are allowed to collect samples from and where this is prohibited by law for various reasons. Biodiversity can be protected on the site you are targeting, or a health alert (e.g. risk of infection) may be announced. The relevant authorities, local associations and NGOs concerned very often disseminate this kind of information. You can also be guided by people authorised to carry out investigations in the field (scientists, associations, NGOs, academics). In any case, act consciously and do not destroy or pollute nature. ```cik-warning ``` > Safety first! > > When going to collect samples in the field, you must consider that you > are usually observed by humans or devices (e.g. CCTV cameras). Even if > you have the legal right to go there and nothing prevents you from > taking samples, the fact that you are doing it may attract someone's > attention. Please think about it in advance. > > Pay attention to video surveillance, monitor public or hidden camera > locations, analyse the location in advance, walk the site before > acting. In many cases, there are websites where you can view live > images from surveillance cameras installed in the area, such as in > [Brussels](https://bruxelles.sous-surveillance.net/), > [Seattle](https://seattle.sous-surveillance.net/), or > [Rennes](https://rennes.sous-surveillance.net/). > > If you carry a smartphone or an [IOT device](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_of_things), the > geolocation and automatic WiFi connection can betray you and the other people who are next to you. ### Apply good practices while in the field Use the [mnemonic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mnemonic) allowing to make an inventory of the group and equipment. The key steps are grouped under the following list: - Person(s) - Who are the people you work with in the field? What do you need to take care of these people? What are their needs and skills? Discuss together. - Equipment - What equipment do you need to meet your operational objective? What equipment do you actually have? Check the availability, condition and functioning of this equipment. - Workwear - What type of workwear is appropriate for your field operation? Check the condition of these outfits. - Communication devices - What means of communication do you need in the field? Think about confidentiality and rules of constraint in case these communications are compromised. Make an inventory, test, train. - Food - Will you need to hydrate and/or eat something once in the field? Provide food and drink for a set amount of time. - Driving - Who does what? When? Where? Limit unnecessary effort and the risk of complications. - Course of action - How will you proceed: objectives of an action, its duration, stages, planned replacements, etc.? Plan carefully. - Appointments - Where, how, why, do you make an appointment to begin? Or when and why do you give yourself an appointment at the end? Tips to help you move in groups or in pairs: - Direction - From where are you departing, in what direction do you or the team need to go to reach the sampling site? - Meeting point - What is the exact meeting point to start the work? - Itinerary - Which intermediate points do you decide to pass through to reach the meeting point? Why? - Training - In what configuration and with what means are you going to make the trip? What you should remember once you get to the meeting point before launching the work: - Situation - Description of the initial situation of the field in which you are going to intervene (e.g. a private agricultural field a few hundred metres from the factory, or within the perimeter of a surveilled building with demonstrations around it and police forces). - Objective - What are your specific objectives to be achieved (e.g. 12 water samples at three different locations down the river + photos; or five air quality measurement points during 24 hours to form a study area in addition to some meteorological data). - From idea to action - What are the techniques considered to achieve the objective? For each need, which precisely described techniques will you implement? - Implementation - Task assignments and division of tasks / sectorisation. Make it clear who does what, how and where. - Coordination - How you communicate, people to contact in case of problems, individual and collective security measures. ```cik-example ``` > Theoretical example of preparatory work prior to taking samples: > > On the river that was polluted last week, in the field of Mr. X who > allows you to come on it if avoiding to damage any property, you have > to take 12 samples from three locations that you have marked on your > maps. The sampling techniques are described next to your maps. You > have split into three teams of three people each. Each team has a > designated person to supervise the sampling and security. > > You have one hour to work on each location, including taking pictures. > Communication between teams goes via _[Element/ex-Riot](https://element.io/)_ application with encryption > enabled. Report any problems to the person supervising your team. Wear > respiratory masks, latex gloves and do not come into direct contact > with water to avoid contamination of samples. Take samples with a > stick and small bottles that you then place in coolers. ## Prepare your protocol for samples ### Making a recipe ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/Bioinvestigation_01-cik-illustration.png) When you cook, you start with a need -- to feed -- and then a desire -- to eat well. You prepare your idea in the kitchen, starting by making a list of the ingredients you have and/or what you need to get. Afterwards, you use tools to try to aggregate, gather, combine elements just before you start cooking, which is another affair in itself. Drafting recipes of your sampling operations for a bio-investigation before going to the field will allow you to minimise the risk of forgetting details, to retrieve the sampling conditions, and to give a context of the samples (if you give your samples to other organisations for analysis). Bio-investigation, just like cooking, is based on a recipe. You need recipes and other people probably need yours, too. So write down, document and share your recipe (suggestion: under free license); it will also be very useful to ensure the credibility of your investigation and its results. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > > Possible ways to share your investigative "recipes" with others (after testing and documenting them). > > - A tutorial, which is focused on learning, allows the newcomer to take it as a lesson. It is similar to the process of teaching someone how to plant vegetables or cook. > - A goal-oriented form of a practical guide shows how to solve a specific problem and a series of step-by-step instructions. It is similar to the process of growing vegetables or a recipe in a cookbook. > - An explanation form, which focuses on comprehension and explanation and provides both background information and context. It is comparable to an article on the social history of the tomato or the cooking in general. > - A reference guide that describes a completed project. It is intended to be accurate and complete, thus verification and incorporation of sources are important. It could be similar to an encyclopedia article. A good practice is to have trusted people read your sample collection protocol and ask them what they understand and what they don't understand. This will improve the usability of your "recipes". For each measuring and sampling operation (physical, chemical, biological, meteorological, etc.), write a recipe beforehand. Here you enter into the practices of metrology -- through citizen investigation using measurement science. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/cik-bio-en-1.png) Diagram made in a bar with people who wanted to practice bio-investigation. A pyramid of tile layers helping to symbolize the different areas to be chosen to define the places where biological and chemical materials should be collected. Diagram and photo by Xavier Coadic. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/cik-bio-en-2.png) The inverted pyramid connected to the base pyramid by the red dot represents the continuation of the investigation process after the field operation. Diagram and photo by Xavier Coadic. A bio-investigator's mindset links the following actions: - identifying/discovering methods and tools, - inventorying sampling areas, - investigating a particular situation, - making field records and samples, - analysing samples or measurements in this situation on defined and described areas, - interpreting analyses, - informing others (team, public, etc.) beyond your initiative. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/cik-bio-en-3.png) Preparation scheme that represents the mindset to be adopted, as well as the methods and tools needed for field sampling. Diagram and photo by Xavier Coadic. ### Building your protocol When you examine your environment, the protocols matter. Your protocols' content will be influenced by the examples you find during your preparatory research, by the advice you receive, by the conditions in which you work, and sometimes even by the cases you pursue. The important thing is to keep protocols simple to reproduce, to write them clearly, to test them, and then to adapt and improve them whenever circumstances require it. Establish your own protocols as you would write a recipe. Whatever you do, you should always follow 5 procedures: - geolocate your samples, - measure and plot the sampling areas, - take photos or videos of the steps you take, - describe and comment on your work, - make your protocols and procedures public if it doesn't pose a risk (think about _[metadata](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/en/guides/behind-the-data-metadata-investigations/)_ and protection of individual data or _[anonymisation](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/en/guides/domain-games/)_). ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: > > Your recipe must also take into account the sequencing of your work, > which is vital to the chain of custody and confidence in your samples. > This is your logistics [routine](#term-routine). > > It's like an envelope with a certification stamp that serves as a > capsule on part of your sample's life cycle (with its instructions). > One capsule for each essential activity: sampling / measuring, > storage, contextualisation, information indexing, transport. > > The quality and integrity of these steps of your routine are important > for the probabilities of reliable analysis and therefore strengthen > your investigation (or weaken it if they are not sufficiently > elaborated in the specific context). > > Each routine is a specific treatment that must be well identified > (object, nature, task, calculation, etc.) and tailor-made for each > type of sample. A water sample will not have the same routine as a mud > sample or a [morphological imprint](#term-morphoimprint), even though > the treatment may be similar (labelling for example). You can store > your protocols in an online library (if your work is not confidential > or putting you and others at risk) to make them available to other > projects while preserving their integrity in their uses. For example, > write everything down in a wiki, as if it were a recipe that you would > like to convey with gestures, explanation of ingredients and > associated data. It's a process to be made visible and interpretable. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/cik-bio-en-4.png) > Diagram of the life cycle and stages of a bio-investigation with progression of the documentation and the amount of data indexed and made accessible. Diagram and photo by Xavier Coadic. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/cik-bio-routine-en.png) > Bio-investigation routine schema and steps for documentation and data generation. Diagram and photo by Xavier Coadic. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_documentation-shapes.jpg) To enhance the quality of your routine and associated documentation, you can use [Ishikawa's](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaoru_Ishikawa) approach to [cause-and-effect analysis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishikawa_diagram) using the cause-and-effect diagram or the following rule: 1. Material: materials used in the processes. 2. Equipment: equipment available and required. 3. Method: procedure to be followed. 4. Manpower: people available to carry out the process. 5. Environment: environment in which the process is carried out. You may find this approach useful to control the quality of your routine. ## Choosing sampling areas You can use several methods and tools to select interesting and relevant locations to collect samples for your bio-investigation. Here we will give you new methods to identify areas for environmental information collection and physical sampling in the field. ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: Selecting sampling locations with [Overpass-turbo](https://overpass-turbo.eu/) > > Overpass-turbo is a website that allows you to build maps with a few > clicks by collecting data available in the [*OpenStreet Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/) databases. You can, if you > have the skills, also use the code to build these queries, create a > map and easily retrieve the associated data. > > For example, if you have the ability to locate public drinking water > points, or the surroundings of a school, or the location of a factory: > > Click > > `Wizard`` / Assistant > search > school > build research > run` > > Or > > `Wizard / Assistant > search > amenity=drinking_water > build research > run` > > You will then obtain a standardised set such as: Codes + sources + > data + maps. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_overpass-0.png) > Example of drinking water points. Source: <https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/MG7>* > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_overpass-1.png) > Schools. Source: <https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/MG4> > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_overpass-2.png) > Factories. Source: <https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/MKM> Here is [documentation (in French) on how to prepare yourself](https://notecc.frama.wiki/norae:biologicus:bioprivacy_note-moprho-face-3) for selecting sampling areas. Energy-related infrastructures (oil, gas, electricity) with their facilities (production, storage, processing, transportation) represent a triple interest in your investigation: - they allow you to consider a landscape according to its energy network, - they allow you to know where to look for information in specific cases during your investigations, - they have a considerable influence on the landscape and ecological environment. Here is an example of a map, based on OpenStreetMap, accessible via a website with associated data. This particular map is zoomed on the city of Rennes in France: ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_openinfra.png) Source: [https://openinframap.org/\#12/48.11283/-1.6717](#12/48.11283/-1.6717) There are many possibilities for taking samples and observing living organisms, some with simple protocols and basic materials, others with more elaborate methods. It's like trying to make a dish cooked with similar but sometimes slightly different ingredients and changing the manufacturing process and cooking methods from time to time. In this guide we provide some inspiring and proven examples that can serve as a basis for your 'investigative mindset'. It's also for training. But you will find many other possibilities and methods, more or less sophisticated, on the web. Don't hesitate to look for them yourself, for instance by Dorking (see _*[Search Smarter by Dorking](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/google-dorking.html)_ in this Kit). Focus on the results contained in the free licensed wikis with notes about contributing communities. The best is to meet people with knowledge and experience in crafts (agriculture, gardening, fishing, DIY, biology, entomologist's hobby, etc.) who could advise and help you especially in the beginning. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_group-1.jpg) ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_group-2.jpg) ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_group-3.png) Illustrations of a 3-day introductory workshop on environmental investigation in 2017 with participants from a social integration programme. Photos by Xavier Coadic.* ## Taking soil samples ### Creating a diagram of an area to be tested There are many community gardens blooming in the city. Many abandoned areas are being reinvested in by communities, and developers are taking control of floodplains to build huge and expensive housing complexes. Amateur gardeners occupying abandoned or fallow land are regularly confronted with the issue of soil pollution in these areas. Often, they are unaware of traces of bio-chemical inputs. In addition, soil analyses carried out in professional laboratories cost several hundred euro. The invisible biodiversity of soils (fauna and flora, micro-organisms, plankton, bacteria, etc.) is almost never taken into account. It is estimated that several thousand species of bacteria and fungi can coexist in one gram of temperate forest soil. Each of these species is not represented by a single individual but by a multitude of individuals. In our gram of soil, we can count up to 1 billion bacteria and 1 million fungi and protozoa. Exposing them can help defend environmental causes and protect living conditions for all. #### Here's how to create a diagram of the experimental area:** ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_diagramezone.png) Source: <http://aliceblogs.epfl.ch/years/y1_2018-19/studios/grandgirard/ferretti-lapo> - Make a diagram of the area where you want to conduct soil tests and indicate on the diagram where the samples were taken. For example, write "X1" for areas of high human activity (e.g., children often play there) or "X2" for areas of low activity. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_diagramezone2.png) Source : <https://recaa.mmsh.univ-aix.fr/1/Documents/1-6.pdf> - Prepare your sampling plots in the field by dividing the land into several homogenous [units/grids](#term-grid). ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_fouillefine.png) Source: <https://mieux-se-connaitre.com/2011/02/larcheologie-sauvetage-de-memoire/> - Remove grass, stones, twigs, etc. from the surface of the ground you plan to dig. - Using a spatula or spade, dig a hole 15 cm deep (you may need to dig deeper for some chemicals) and leave this piece of soil aside. - Scrape the soil from the sides of the hole with a spoon (prefer a plastic or glass spoon, avoid metal). - Collect about 28 grams (approx. 1 ounce) of soil all around the well. - Every time you take a sample, take a picture. - Every time you see an insect or plant, take a picture. - Archive your samples with their associated note card ([see an example here](https://cdn.ttc.io/src/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/pdf/Bioinvestigation_fische-prelevement.pdf)). - Place the collected soil in a sealable plastic bag. Using a permanent marker, write on the bag the placement of the sample "X1" or "X2", your name, the date of the test and the tests you want to perform (example: arsenic and lead). Seal the bag. Wash the spoon with soap and water, rinse with [distilled water](#term-distilledwater) and use a clean spoon for each sample. - Expand your assignment - Collect a total of 4 to 6 samples from the sectors in your study area, using the same protocol, each time with a clean instrument. - When all samples have been collected, labeled and sealed, place them in a larger bag and store them in a container, along with the schematic of the investigated area that you have created. - You can even give samples to the laboratory for analysis by an NGO, association or university if you have established a relationship of trust. Or analyse them yourself. Once you have completed your searching, sampling, archiving and documentation work, compile everything into a file. This file can be then used to make a presentation of the area under study, including, for example, the discovery of high lead concentrations from former military cartridge mining activities on a site where a school is about to be constructed. Or, as another example, in the case of the construction of a marina complex, you could provide evidence of the existing biodiversity and its ecological importance that must be preserved. ```cik-example ``` > Example: > > You can also consider using art and science to spread the word, > involve people, and build ecological action - such as making a > [Winogradsky column](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winogradsky_column) > out of peat from an area of ecological interest on which a developer > decides to start construction. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/801/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_ph.png) > Example of a [civic marathon](https://movilab.org/wiki/OSCEDays_2017_à_Rennes) initiated to design and test protocols for peat sampling in urban areas that are subject to real estate pressures. Photo by Xavier Coadic. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_colonne-wynogradsky-small.png) > Photo by Xavier Coadic. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_christophe.png) > Photo by Xavier Coadic. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_umap-OSMlight.png) > The associated map of the sampling (in green) and working (pins) areas in the city of Rennes in France. Source: [https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/fr/map/byodit_151971#14/48.1128/-1.6762](https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/fr/map/byodit_151971#14/48.1128/-1.6762) > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Biointeractive_Winogradsky.jpg) > Source: <https://www.biointeractive.org/classroom-resources/poster-winogradsky-columnmicrobial-evolution-bottle> > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_harvardmuseum.png) > Source: <https://schaechter.asmblog.org/schaechter/2018/08/how-to-build-a-giant-winogradsky-column.html> ```cik-warning ``` > Warning: Note that investigating the soil requires taking > precautions to avoid injury and to protect yourself from infections > such as tetanus or yellow fever, for example. ### Using plants as markers Plants that grow in a defined area can help you imagine possible tracks of investigation regarding past events in that area. Indeed, plants, through the soil that filters water and provides [minerals](#term-oligoelements), absorb many elements from a past more or less close to the ecological life of the environment you wish to investigate. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > > Biodiversity concerns all living things, their interactions with > each other and with their environment. The markers of this > biodiversity are indications given by the presence in number and > diversity of living organisms. Start by identifying a site with a set of plants [whose bio-indication and/or bio-accumulation](https://rivieres-pourpres.frama.wiki/documentation:plantes_bioindicatrices) potential you are looking for. You can then focus on mapping the location of these plants and collecting some specimens. This mapping, completed with the samples taken for analysis (at a laboratory or by yourself), can reveal valuable information on the state of the site and on the human activities that took place before these plants grew. Numerous plants in your environment can serve as a reservoir of information when you are interested in a particular piece of land which, for example, is likely to have been exposed to heavy metals during human activities (factory, armed conflict, uncontrolled dumping ground). The presence of these plants does not necessarily mean that heavy metals are present in the soil. However, if you suspect that the soil on a piece of land contains heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, nickel, etc.), you may decide to collect plants with the capacity to absorb and store these metals in order to provide evidence after analysis. For example, ferns will be interesting to collect for your investigation if you have information that the ground on which they grow may have been polluted with arsenic. ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: > > - See this _[Wikipedia entry of bioindicators](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioindicator)_ for information only -- it may depend on your ecological region and you must adapt the list by yourself. > > - Also see _[this list of bioindicator plants](https://rivieres-pourpres.frama.wiki/documentation:plantes_bioindicatrices)_ (in French). By searching on the internet or taking advice from farmers or NGOs specialising in plants as markers of biodiversity, you can more easily create a list of plants to be identified in the area of interest. Print out photos of these plants before going to the site for mapping and sampling. It may be possible to follow a similar process by analysing the (micro)fauna in the soil, and the animals that eat it. ```cik-note ``` > Note: > > Plant samples degrade fairly quickly after collection. It is better to > plan to collect the sample and get it to the laboratory (if you have > this in the plan) on the same day. > > Some rules of good practice: > > - Wrap the samples in newsprint paper, which will block [photosynthesis](#term-photosynthesis) and absorb water vapor > condensation, and package them in tightly sealed plastic bags. > > - Store in a cold place (\<10°C) for a maximum of 1 night before > bringing them to the laboratory. If a ventilated oven is > available, dry the samples for 24 hours at 70°C in suitable > containers. > > - Do not exceed this temperature, otherwise some of the volatile > elements, especially nitrogen, may be lost. > > - Repack in a plastic bag. The samples can then be stored for several > months in a dry place. > > - In any case, never close the bags with staples: a single staple is enough to contaminate the sample with iron and can damage the grinders. The quantities to be taken depend on the analyses requested but also on the dry matter of a plant: a standard analysis requires at least 50g of dry matter to be able to grind the sample reliably. ```cik-example ``` > Theoretical exercise: > > Based on the [list of plants given here](https://rivieres-pourpres.frama.wiki/documentation:plantes_bioindicatrices), > and their potential for indication or accumulation, try to make an > exercise in a safe place (make sure of this before you start) near > your house or town, for example in an abandoned construction site or > industrial harbor. > > Map this site locating these plants and then take plant samples for > each type of plant. Finally, offer your samples to a soil and plant > analysis laboratory (established by an association or a university > near this site). ### Measuring soil pH: an investigative exercise Being able to determine soil qualities can be important in an environmental investigation. Tracking changes in soil qualities by conducting regular analyses, can help you understand changes in the environment. pH measurement describes the acidity (pH) of an environment. The hydrogen potential, noted pH, is a measure of the chemical activity of hydrogen ions in solution. There are many _[tutorials](http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/02/complete-guide-to-soil-ph-testing/)_ available on the internet for _[soil pH analysis](http://www.sunset.com/garden/garden-basics/acid-alkaline-soil-modifying-ph)_ with digital sensors or test strips. ```cik-warning ``` > Some actions below require special tools if you want to implement them > yourself at home. We provide examples of suppliers for such tools, but > we do not endorse any particular vendor of these products. The pH is a coefficient that characterises the acidity of a soil, due to the presence of H+ ions. It defines the concentration of H+ ions in the liquid state of the soil. The pH varies from 0 to 14 and neutrality is reached when the pH is equal to 7. Soils can be classified according to their acidity level as follows: - pH \< 4,5: highly acidic soils - 4,5 \< pH \< 6: low-acid soils - 6 \< pH \< 7: well-balanced soils for good mineral nutrition - pH \> 7: calcareous and/or saline soils The pH is measured with a [*pH meter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH_meter). #### Protocol and work stages 1. Preparation of solutions* - Weigh exactly 10.0g of soil A, B and C. - Pour each weight into a [beaker](#term-beaker) which will be marked A, B and C. - Add 50 ml of [distilled water](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distilled_water). - Insert a [magnetic stirrer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_stirrer) into each beaker and stir the solutions for 30 min with the stirrer. 2. Filtration solutions - Place a [funnel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funnel) on a high beaker. - Place a filter (e.g., coffee filter) over the funnel and filter solution A. - Do the same for solution B and then for C. 3. pH measurement - Adjust the pH meter: calibration is done with a buffer solution at pH=7 and one at pH=4 (it is available in kits for aquariums or swimming pools in shops or via the Internet. You can buy buffer solutions for electronic pH meters - pH 4 and 7 online, for example from [here](https://www.bienmanger.com/1F3877_Solutions_Tampons_Pour_Metre_Electronique.html)). - Insert the pH-meter probe into one of the solutions and read the pH value. Note the different pH values measured. - Clean the pH meter and measure the pH value of the second solution. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_ph_meter.png) pH meter. Photo by Sergei Golyshev [(AFK during workdays)](https://www.flickr.com/photos/29225114@N08), [CC BY-SA2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/) #### Here's an investigation exercise we suggest: Investigators wanted to know where the soil found on the vehicle chassis came from., so they took three soil samples: - sample A: from the location where the vehicle was parked. - sample B: from the owner's workplace. - sample C: from the owner's place of residence. Then they sent these samples to a laboratory. Your task is to analyse these soil samples to determine the provenance/origin (as in location) of the soil found at the "crime scene." ```cik-note ``` > Note: Here we describe a study of the mineral salt content of a > soil in order to identify the origin of the sample "A: from the > location where the vehicle is parked" Protocol and investigation exercise To identify the presence of ions, tests involving a chemical reaction are necessary. To do this, a small amount of appropriate reagent (see table below) is poured into the test tube containing the test solution. Then you observe what happens and make notes about your observations. You must have the following reagents: [Sodium hydroxide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hydroxide) (Na+; HO-); Sodium (2Na+; SO4²-); Silver nitrate (Ag+; NO3-) and Barium chloride (Ba+; Cl-). Summary table of characteristic tests for ion identification : \| Ion to identify \| Reagents used \| Observations \| \|---------------------------------------------------\|-----------------------------------\|-------------------\| \| Fe2+ \| Sodium (Na+; HO-) \| \| \| Fe3+ \| Sodium (Na+; HO-) \| \| \| Ca2+ \| Sodium (2Na+; SO4²-) \| \| \| Mg2+ \| Sodium (Na+; HO-) \| \| \| [Mn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manganese)2+ \| Sodium (Na+; HO-) \| \| \| Cl- \| Silver nitrate (Ag+; NO3-) \| \| \| SO42- \| Barium chloride (Ba+; Cl-) \| \| Pour approximately 2 ml of the sample containing the ion into a [test tube](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_tube) using the pipette. Then introduce a few drops of the reagent with a pipette. Observe and record your observations in the table. You will see colour changes, with or without precipitates (the formation of a [dispersed phase in colloid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiphasic_liquid) in your test tube). These colours indicate a reaction that brings out a particular chemical component present in your soil sample, which will ultimately give important clues to the overall composition of a sample you are trying to trace. Thus, 2 tubes with samples from 2 different sampling points with identical results and observations will give you an indication of high probability that the vehicle has been at both sampling locations. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_precipite-vert-rouille.png) Source: <http://www.clg-moulin-lepecq.ac-versailles.fr/IMG/pdf/Chap_4_Tests_de_reconnaissance_de_quelques_ions.pdf>. For ions Ca2+ producing a white precipitate <https://webphysique.fr/test-identification-ion-calcium/> ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_tests-ions.png) [Download here](https://cdn.ttc.io/src/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/pdf/Bioinvestigation_tests-ions.pdf) a summary table of ion tests in pdf format. This stage will help by your observations to determine the reaction for the presence of each ion (first column). Determining the presence of ions in soil samples - Pour 2ml of the sample to be tested into 7 test tubes to perform 7 tests as described in the table above. - Run the ion determination tests. - Write down your observations. Then run the same tests for samples B and C. Comparison of your observations and conclusion Using the previous results, you can now determine the composition and origin of the soil sample taken from the vehicle. Will sample B or sample C have the same reactions as observed by sample A? The sample, among all those tested, which will show you the same results of reactions with identical colours or precipitates will also indicate the correspondence of composition with your soil sample taken from the vehicle. This will be important information that will help you trace the history of the vehicle's movements. Like all important information, it will have to be treated with other contradictory processes. ### Collecting samples for DNA analysis of the soil Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is the carrier of genetic information present in all living organisms. It is specific for every species and may be unique to each individual of a species. Soil is the living environment for a large number of living species. From an ecological point of view, soil is one of the most important reservoirs of biological diversity on our planet. One gram of soil can contain billions of bacteria belonging to several million species. Microorganisms have a fundamental role in soil function: organic matter dynamics, carbon and nitrogen cycles, degradation of organic pollutants, retention of metallic pollutants, etc. Microorganism communities also help measure all the environmental stresses affecting the soil. In this context, they appear to be good indicators of changes in soil quality and past soil-related events. Soil samples collected as part of an investigation can provide meaningful and useful information following summary analyses, including for the [genomes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genome) of microorganisms. The protocol for soil sampling to assess soil microbial diversity is similar to that for physicochemical analysis described above. Sample collection and packaging are critical steps that will ensure robust analyses and results on the characterisation of microorganism communities in the soil examples you have collected. As in cooking, the recipe and the actions are almost more important than the final dish. The objective of the protocols is to get from a few kilograms of soil from the sampling area a pill box (50 to 100 g) for preservation by ensuring that this "subsample" is representative. See more details and tutorials on the EcoFinders project website and pay a special attention to [this video](https://invidio.us/watch?v=_k7BEInBXEc). ```cik-note ``` > Note: > > If you wish to go further in your investigations, you can download the > protocol used for your extraction and then repeat [this > explanation](https://www.foodrepo.org/dna) of [DNA sequencing](#term-seqdna) (determining the genetic information of a > living organism), or reuse [this DNA precipitation documentation](https://openwetware.org/wiki/DNA_Precipitation). If > you become passionate about your work or you work on funded projects, > you will find kits for advanced analysis on websites like > [the-odin.com](https://www.the-odin.com/) from \$99 to \$1,900, as > well as [free materials and working methods](https://diybio.org/hardware/) on > [diybio.org](https://diybio.org/), and a map of [Do It Yourself Biology](https://sphere.diybio.org/) communities around > the world that you can contact to build collaborations. > >![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_diybio_sphere.png) > Source: <https://sphere.diybio.org/> #### Protocol for taking and packing/storing samples If you choose to send your samples to an NGO, laboratory or university for advanced analysis, here is a protocol that may help you. We will distinguish between 2 types of soil analyses: - those to be carried out on fresh soil, - those that can be carried out on dry soil. Analysis of fresh soil: moisture at sampling, nitrates/ammonium, nitrogen and carbon mineralization test, microbial biomass, etc. The steps are as follows: - Pack the soil sample in a hermetically sealed plastic bag (tie, knot). - Label it with all necessary information. - Put it in a cool (\<10°C) and dark place as soon as possible (cooler then fridge) and transport within 2 to 3 days to the laboratory. Analysis of dry soil: Here are the steps: - Pack the soil sample in a thick, unsealed plastic bag. - Put it in the shade, leaving the bag half-open in order to start drying, but avoiding the possibility of contamination of the samples (spilling the bag, animals or insects). - Under these conditions the samples can be stored for 2 to 3 weeks before being sent to the laboratory. If both types of analysis have to be carried out, the sample should be treated as on fresh soil, and drying will be carried out on a fraction of the sample by the laboratory itself. The quantities to be taken range from 1kg for a standard analysis to 10kg in the case of mineralization tests. ```cik-note ``` > Note: > > For 1 gram of soil, there are up to 1 billion bacteria and 1 million > fungi and protozoa. See ["Diversity of soil organisms"](https://www.supagro.fr/ress-pepites/OrganismesduSol/co/4_1c_OSdiversite.html) by Torsvick et al. (1994), Hawksworth (2001), Schaefer and Schauermann (1990). These examples of working methods are also valid for many types of soil (mud, sand\...). They enable -- for example, in the case of a major factory fire with a plume of smoke travelling hundreds of kilometers -- sampling to be carried out on several sites, over several months or years. Most importantly, these methods are easy enough for instructing others in group activities (just like cooking collectively). ## Taking water samples ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/Bioinvestigation_02-cik-illustration.png) Soil receives and filters water from rain or human activities. The water then [continues its cycle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Water_Cycle-en.png) and we can observe it in several states: groundwater, rivers, marsh, sea and oceans. Just like plants or soils, different bodies of water can help reveal a lot of information about our environment. ### Taking water from a river Sterilize your container before sampling: - in the oven at 170°C for 1 hour, - in an autoclave at 120°C for 20 min, or - in a pressure cooker with a little water for 40 minutes after the valve has been turned on. ```cik-warning ``` > Warning: > > If you follow this procedure make sure you only use glass containers > that can withstand this treatment. If you do not have this type of > glassware, we also describe methods to take samples with plastic > bottles. Keep in mind that the documentation of your protocol and > precise information on the sampling conditions is more important than > the attempts to sterilize the tools. A laboratory can process your > samples if and only if you are rigorous on these points. If you > perform analyses yourself, they will only be of value if you are > rigorous on this point of documentation and precise information. Carry your material packed in a chest cooler or a cooler bag to the sampling site in order to protect it. For water samples taken from rivers, wells, etc. attach the sterile bottle to a rope, weight your device so that it submerges below the surface. Hold the bottle in the water with a pole to avoid your body being in contact with the water. Water samples should be poured into sterile single-use bottles or vials (cleaned with disinfectant if necessary). Vials containing samples for analysis shouldn't be completely filled -- 3/4 full will be sufficient. Samples should be stored until analysis at 2° to 5 °C. If a chest cooler is used during field work, avoid exposing it to sunlight. Ensure the traceability of a sample (identification of the vial: date, time, title of your mission, initials of the persons, reference of the applied protocol, GPS coordinates of the sampling site). Samples should be analysed preferably within 8 hours of collection, otherwise within 24 hours. ```cik-note ``` > Note: Here is [an example of an aquatic sampling form.](https://cdn.ttc.io/src/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/pdf/bioinvestigation-sampling-form-english.pdf) In a notebook, write down everything you do and how you do it. You can also equip yourself with an [aquarium test kit](https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/aquarium-products/test-kits) and conduct tests for pH, carbon dioxide, iron, etc. in the watercourse that will provide even greater precision to your operations. You can also use a thermometer and a [Secchi disk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secchi_disk). ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_secchidisk.png) Image of a Secchi disk. Source: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secchi_disk> If you do not have glass material for sampling, you can use plastic containersor sterile bottles that you can get from websites such as DeltaLab. ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: > > In order to minimise the cost of acquiring materials and also to > initiate meetings that could result in collaboration or help in your > investigations, you can ask for donations of materials (bottles, glass > containers, syringes, pipettes, pH kits, latex gloves, etc.) in > pharmacies or a fire brigade or an infirmary near you. You will > certainly find people ready to help you. > > These institutions often have kits with professional equipment that > are subject to very strict regulations and whose date of use has > expired. The kits are packed in plastic to maintain sterility for a > certain period of time. Laboratories are subject to very strict rules > for the use of packaged kits. Even if professionals can no longer use > them after the expiry date, you can do so if the packaging has not > been damaged. Indeed, laboratories also carry out analysis of samples > taken by citizens and stored in mineral water bottles. Though using > kits that are still sterile but whose expiry date has passed makes the > job simpler. As with soil samples, you may consider using your water samples to detect the presence of dissolved metals. For a detailed guide, see the [protocol](https://web.archive.org/web/20181211204629/http:/www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/eau/eco_aqua/metaux/protocole-echantillonnage-analyse-metaux-traces.pdf) established by the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight Against the Climate Change (Québec, Canada). You can also watch this video [on the technique of taking water samples from rivers](https://invidio.us/watch?v=Gcr43iWzMRs) or create a protocol for the waste inventory in rivers and on riverbanks, inspired by [Riverine Input](https://surfrider.eu/le-blog/riverine-input-un-protocole-scientifique-made-in-surfrider/) from the Surfrider Foundation Europe. ```cik-warning ``` > Safety First! > > For your safety and that of the people you work with, remember that, > for example, in the extreme cases that you suspect radioactivity in > the water or a pollutant that causes high risk for humans, you must > provide suitable, automated and secure means of collection. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_echantillonage.png) > Source : Water, Radioactivity and Environment. SFRP / Environnemental section, December 3-4, 2014. "Prélèvements d'eau dans l'environnement: de la théorie a la pratique", Fabrice Leprieur, Benoît Philippot and all.:<https://www.sfrp.asso.fr/medias/sfrp/documents/S4b-Fabrice_LEPRIEUR.pdf> ### Using river plants as markers When taking water or plant samples from rivers or riverbanks, you must take precautions and have a clear methodology. Plants in these environments can be used for further tracks of your investigation or as evidence of the recent or distant past. ```cik-warning ``` > Safety First! > > Be careful when taking samples in the field because some plants can > also be dangerous for you (causing irritation / allergies). Such > caution is valid in all situations and in all different areas > (streets, fields, trees, rivers, etc.) during field examination and > sampling. For example, [Hydrocotyle ranunculoides](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocotyle_ranunculoides), > known commonly as floating pennywort, is an invasive water plant, > potentially toxic to mammals. It contains saponins which sometimes > causes foaming on the water surface. Another non-toxic plant may also be of interest in your research -- the river water-crowfoot (Ranunculus fluitans) aquatic herbarium, here in bloom (from June to mid-August) in the [Dordogne](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dordogne_(fleuve_français)) region: >![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_dordogne_redoncules.png) >![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_dordogne_redoncules-2.jpg) Photos by Xavier Coadic taken in Dordogne region in France It reaches up to 6m in length. River water-crowfoot is of ecological interest, it provides us with indications of the health and functioning of a river. The plant aids in purification: it assimilates parts of the nitrates and phosphates and oxygenates the water. Ranunculus are homes for many insects (e.g. dragonflies), a refuge for juvenile fish, spawning places for some fish -- a niche in which we can find other indicators concerning the river and its environment. When ranunculus covers a river almost completely, it's an indicator of: - a state of no flooding for several years, which normally reshapes the river bottom, - a low water level and high water temperature, - the presence of nitrates in the water. These indications provide you with potentially valuable insight about the river's past and the environmental conditions and human activities in the river watershed -- for example, pollution of the water by [nitrates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrate). ```cik-example ``` > Example: > > Here's a project to show you how to collect elements from rivers -- _[Hack The Panke:](http://www.artlaboratory-berlin.org/html/eng-DIY-Hack-the-Panke.htm)_ > > - "Microbiologist Daniel Lammel and biochemist and illustrator Eliot > Morrison from the artist and scientist collective DIY Hack the > Panke will guide participants along the Panke River in > Berlin-Wedding, discussing the interaction of water, soil and > atmosphere from the molecular level and how this effects and is > affected by organisms up to the larger ecological level. They will > explain how water, plants and soil take part in cycles of carbon > and nitrogen that support life, and how Berlin's urban > environment can both nurture and threaten biodiversity." In the case of river pollution in rural areas, try to organise yourself in third places by going to meet the farmers of the area concerned and people who could teach you new methods of soil, water or plant sampling. [See the report](https://rivieres-pourpres.frama.wiki/) about activities around a river that runs through the city of Rennes. ### Water reserves and ponds To take samples from reserves and ponds, apply the same methods and procedures as in the river. Remember that if the water reserve or the pond is on private property, you must obtain the prior agreement of the people who own the land. In addition, you can find maps with data on groundwater quality on the web, for example here for France: ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_brgm_map.png) Source: Brgm // Infoterre <http://infoterre.brgm.fr/viewer/MainTileForward.do> and other websites with data for the UK and Australia: <https://rivieres-pourpres.frama.wiki/documentation:outil:cartographie> ### Seas and oceans If you want to take samples for seawater quality analysis, the bottles you use must be kept closed when they are not in use. They should not be washed with tap water but rinsed in situ with seawater before each sampling. This will avoid leaving traces of products or other elements from the tap water infrastructure in your seawater samples. The methodology itself is the same as described for rivers. For the state of bathing water, the Surfrider Foundation has established a _[sampling protocol](https://blog.surf-prevention.com/2016/06/05/analyses-eau-surfrider/)_ that you can use. The Surfrider Foundation also carries out bathing water analysis and regularly publishes [the data](https://fr.oceancampus.eu/contribuer) obtained, as well as offering _[online courses](https://en.oceancampus.eu/apprendre)_ to learn methods for monitoring the coastal marine environment. #### Plankton Plankton are microorganisms present in soil, river water or sea water. They are ecological indicators of the sampling environment. They are of interest to many citizens and university science programmes or eco-activist observation initiatives. The collection of plankton also represents many opportunities to collect other elements (micro-plastic, algae, shrimp\...) and can result in collaborations that may be useful for your investigations. ```cik-example ``` > Example: > > [The program implemented and documented](https://www.notion.so/wikiexplore/Programme-Objectif-Plancton-Concarneau-e367dc4bf5434766826c30ef9370da50) > at Concarneau allows you to acquire all the basics needed to bring > together boaters, fishermen, citizens and scientists, and to > manufacture [plankton nets](http://www.plancton-du-monde.org/latelier/travaux-manuels/atelier-n1/) > from curtains and PVC pipes. You will then be able to carry out > investigations and participatory and citizen workshops by reusing the > documentation, protocols and prototypes, as well as the collected data > provided by programs that give access under free license. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_plancton-1.png) > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_ocean_kit.png) > Screenshots, source; <https://www.notion.so/Programme-Objectif-Plancton-Concarneau-e367dc4bf5434766826c30ef9370da50> You can find comparable initiatives by searching online. This will allow you to compare methods and tools and to build partnerships. #### Plastic waste on the coastline During your bio-investigations you can map or ask for analysis of the waste that you find in rivers and on the coastline. With the same intention as sharing recipes, you can use other people's tools, methods and data to feed your investigations and even to carry out your own bio-investigations, as well as by contributing to databases larger than the area you are interested in. ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: > > _[Ocean Plastic Tracker](https://oceanplastictracker.com/)_ is a > web application for tracking and visualising geo-referenced waste > reports: > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_palstick-trackers.png) > Screenshot, source: <https://oceanplastictracker.com/> You can combine your efforts in tracking and analysing plastic waste with those of your water microorganism sampling, water, soil and plant analysis. You will then be able to produce solid data and records to reveal pollution, inform a campaign to stop a construction project, support a collective project for site preservation, or even for use in your _[supply chain investigation](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/what/supply-chain.html)_. ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: > > This is not a mandatory step in your investigation process, however, > recording the sound during your observation and sampling operations in > the chosen environment can help you contextualise your information in > the future. It can even be used during the presentation, publication > or exhibition of your research. > > This requires time, skills, and specific equipment to record sounds -- > for example, around a watercourse or the park in which you are going > to carry out investigations or in the heart of the industrial > wasteland you are investigating. > > It is up to each investigator or working group to assess whether this > investment of resources and time makes sense in terms of the final > objective of the investigation. ## Monitoring air There is a growing number of citizen science projects for monitoring and mapping air quality. This involves taking measurements of certain particles present in the air, rather than taking samples. These particles may come from industrial activities, pollination phenomena, vegetation fires, technological disasters or armed conflicts. ### DIY tools and citizen actions with cartography Here we examine the use of a DIY tool, [Lufdaten](https://luftdaten.info/fr/accueil/), and some maps used for publishing air quality data, as well as examples of citizen workshops on air quality and metrology. The electronic hardware and measurement protocols are well documented in several languages, so we will focus on mapping and especially on the possibilities of working in small investigation groups that can collaborate with each other on a larger scale. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_luftdaten.png) Screenshot, source : <https://luftdaten.info/fr/accueil/> ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_map_luftdaten.png) Screenshot, source : <https://luftdaten.info/fr/accueil/> _[AirBeam project](https://www.habitatmap.org/airbeam)_ -- and its associated mobile application -- may be of help for you. For example, in 2018 in Rennes, France, citizens created the group Capteurs citoyens & qualité de l'air ("Citizen sensors and air quality"), meeting at [Les Champs Libres](http://www.wiki-rennes.fr/Les_Champs_Libres) in the framework of the RDV 4C (Créativité - Collaboration - Connaissances - Citoyenneté), every first Thursday of the month. Their action is based on public consultation but is carried out independently, with the [Ambassad'Air](http://www.wiki-rennes.fr/Ambassad'Air) operation (citizen initiative to control the air quality in the commune of Rennes alone). Check the [documentation and reports of related workshops, in French only](http://www.wiki-rennes.fr/Discussion:Capteurs_Citoyens_Qualité_Air), and the _[AirBeam user's guide](https://www.habitatmap.org/airbeam/users-guide)_. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_aircastingRennes.png) Source: <http://www.wiki-rennes.fr/Capteurs_Air_Beam> ```cik-example ``` > Example: micro-sensor data obtained by citizen investigators > > The [Luftdaten](https://twitter.com/hashtag/luftdaten?src=hashtag_click) > micro-sensors also show a high level of fine particles (PM2.5) in and > around the city of [Rennes](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rennes?src=hashtag_click) in > Brittany, France: Pacé, Vezin, Bruz, Servon. > > December 4, 2019: > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_air-rennes.jpg) > Source : [luftdaten https://archive.is/saMD0](https://archive.is/saMD0) > > On January 17, 2020: > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/801/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_rennes-air-2.png) > Source: <https://rennes.maps.sensor.community/\#12/48.1031/-1.6867> ### Collecting additional samples Measuring air quality from a fixed or mobile device can tell you about possible events that may have occurred at the time and place of measurement (such as a fire) or before measurement at a remote geographic location. A degassing of an industrial stack several miles away can be displayed on a sensor or on a map several minutes or hours after the event due to the influence of winds and other environmental parameters such as humidity, relief, etc. Taking great care to protect yourself from accidents and contamination, do not hesitate to supplement these air measurements with samples taken as close as possible in the chronology of events with the methods described above. You will be able to complement these samples with collections of soot, sludge, ashes, oil pellets (that you can for example scrape with a knife from a street lamp or a house roof). Place all this in clean and waterproof containers and remember to include descriptive notes. Keep the mindset that we try to describe here. ```cik-warning ``` > Safety First! > > Whether you work alone or in a group, going to investigate your > environment and taking samples will make you an object of curiosity > with the public, including those who do not share your ideas and > intentions. You will attract attention. Therefore, try to remain > discreet. > > In addition, the simple act of transportation of samples, biology and > chemistry equipment may attract police or private security forces. In > France, for example, since 2015 and the generalisation of the state of > emergency after the terrorist attacks, police services have been > taking more and more liberty to search, confiscate and destroy > materials for increasingly vague reasons. Carrying your tools and > equipment in a backpack can result in a police check and the immediate > seizure or destruction of your equipment. At train stations and > airports this can go even further, potentially resulting in an arrest. > > In many parts of the world the simple act of putting a sticker on your > laptop or sewing a patch on your bag can attract the attention of the > police or private security services. In some countries, using the > _[Tor browser](https://www.torproject.org/fr/)_ or the _[Tails > operating system](https://tails.boum.org/index.fr.html)_ can make > you a target for prosecution. > > In this kit, you'll find safety recommendations in each guide as well > as a stand-alone introductory _[Safety First!* Guide](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/safety.html)*_ to help > you assess your risks and prepare to mitigate them. You even have a > guide to learn how to behave in the field: [Away from Your Screen, Out in the Field](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/field-research.html). > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_biopack.jpg) > This kind of ostensible labelling can get you in trouble. Source: Xavier Coadic.* > > You may meet people, including police officers, who label you an > "eco-terrorist." It will take a great deal of patience and fortitude > to explain that your actions have nothing to do with any form of > terrorism. It is difficult to prepare for this, but you have to be > very serious about it. You also have to think about protecting those > around you from the repercussions of such allegations. > > In late October 2019 in France, a biologist and professor > investigating the effects of tear gas used by the police in response > to social movements [was arrested and held in police > custody](https://web.archive.org/web/20200518165151/https:/www.liberation.fr/checknews/2019/10/31/pourquoi-alexander-samuel-docteur-en-biologie-qui-enquete-sur-le-gaz-lacrymo-a-t-il-ete-place-en-gar_1760815) > for 48 hours, and his home was searched while he was in detention. On > his personal Facebook account, the professor listed the items that > were searched at his home and in his vehicle. These included his > laptop PC, USB sticks containing his lectures and his work on tear > gas, several books on the police and the history of tear gas, and a > number of empty tear gas grenades. > > Within the framework of your bio-investigation, you will certainly > have to return several times to a site to carry out observations, > sampling and measurements, sometimes over several months or even > several years. This repetition of bio-investigation activities may > reinforce curiosity and the interest that a particular population or > organisation may have for you. ## Other markers and data in your environment To complete your bio-investigations you can use other elements of the landscape that are symbolic for a wider audience, rather than just the target group that might be interested in the subject of your investigation. For example, in the case of a shopping mall construction project, you might take a remarkable tree as an [iconic totem](#term-totem) of your bio-investigative work. This can provide both opportunities to collect a lot of data that will be useful in your investigation and to mediate your work and the ecological environment. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/cik-bio-en-5.png) Sketch illustrating the processes of bio-investigation work on and around a tree selected as an iconic totem. Source: Xavier Coadic Taking this illustration as an example, draw your own plan with a grid, as described earlier in this chapter. Indicate the GPS coordinates on your sketch and the North/South orientation. Note what tree it is if you know, or add a detailed description, the circumference, the GPS location and its proximity to a building or other remarkable construction. Take photos of the trunk, leaves, surrounding soil and insects you find. Get sample note sheets similar to the example provided in this chapter. Take samples of soil, water if there is water on the ground, plants present near the tree, and the leaves of the tree. Fill in your sampling sheets as you go along. Annotate and carefully package all your samples. If present, identify mosses and lichens on the surface of the tree trunk. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_tree-lichen.png) Source: University Paris Sorbonne: <https://www.particitae.upmc.fr/_resources/doc/> ### Lichens as markers _[Lichens](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen)_ are present everywhere in our environment: in the mountains, by the sea, in the city, on stone, on wood, on metal. Also lichenised fungi are composite organisms resulting from a [symbiosis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiosis) between at least one [heterotrophic fungus](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champignon) and microscopic cells possessing [chlorophyll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorophyll) ([green algae](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_algae) or autotrophic cyanobacterium for carbon). Lichens grow very slowly. On average, annual growth is between 0.5 and 2mm for crustose lichens, 0.5 to 4 mm for foliose lichens and 1.5 to 5mm for fruticose lichens. They can be excellent markers of the health of the environment in which they are found. It is not mandatory to be a lichen specialist, nor to know how to identify them perfectly to carry out an inventory and take samples for bio-investigation. We'll give you some inspiration to get you started. ```cik-note ``` > Note: > > Specialists distinguish several types of lichens according to the > overall appearance of their thallus (the vegetative apparatus of a > plant, devoid of conducting vessels and therefore forming neither > roots, stems nor leaves in the strict sense). Here is a list of lichen > types from _[Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen)_: > >[Common groupings of lichen thallus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen) growth forms are: > - [fruticose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruticose_lichen) -- growing like a tuft or multiple-branched leafless mini-shrub, upright or hanging down, 3-dimensional branches with nearly round cross section ([terete](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terete)) or flattened. > - [foliose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foliose_lichen) -- growing in 2-dimensional, flat, leaf-like lobes. > - [crustose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crustose_lichen) -- crust-like, adhering tightly to a surface (substrate) like a thick coat of paint. > - [squamulose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squamulose_lichen) -- formed of small leaf-like scales crustose below but free at the tips. > - [leprose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leprose_lichen) -- powdery. > - [gelatinous](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collema) -- jelly-like. > - [filamentous](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filamentous_lichen) -- stringy or like matted hair. > - [byssoid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byssoid_lichen) -- wispy, like teased wool. > - structureless. For the purposes of your investigations, we focus on three main types of lichens based on three morphological distinctions of the [thallus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thallus): - Crustose lichens: that you can mark with a C in the inventory sheets, - Foliose lichen: that you can mark with an F, - Fruticose lichens: that you can mark as Fr. What you will need: - a camera, - a device providing GPS coordinates (for example, a mobile phone with GPS), - a small magnifying glass, ×30 minimum, - curiosity, - something to take notes on, - a ruler, - a piece of wire mesh or something similar with dimensions of one square marked. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_lichen-1.png) Example of crustose lichen on a fence near a crematorium. Source: Xavier Coadic Fruticose lichens are rather sensitive to air pollution and are therefore rare in cities. Equipped with your cameras, sampling kits and inventory sheets, you can take observation notes such as ground heights, North/South orientation, photos with the magnifying glass. Repeat this from time to time, marking pollution events or major disasters that occurred just before your last investigation. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_lichen_phone.png) Example with a crustose lichen on a tree. Make an inventory and locate the lichens at the seaside by using a piece of plastic waste on which the diameter of the circle is indicated with a felt marker, with the 4 cardinal directions correctly oriented. Photo: Xavier Coadic. Sentier des douaniers. Cancale You can then multiply the number of locations in town, design a rigorous inventory file with all the contextual information (GPS location, height on the ground, weather, date, etc.) and make a file or complete the work scheme around the tree as described before without being a lichen expert. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_lichen-3.png) Example of fruticose lichen (in yellow and orange) on a branch of a bush by the sea in Brittany. Photo by Xavier Coadic ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_lichen-4.jpg) Example of foliose lichen on a rock by the sea in Brittany. Xanthoria parietina, mushrooms and algae symbiosis, yellow thallus and orange apothecia. Parmelia of the walls. Photo by Xavier Coadic Don't be afraid to make a mistake. Just like in cooking, you learn by practicing and understand by documenting. ```cik-note ``` > Note: > > Some organisms known for accumulating [pollutants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollutant) are or could be > used as [bioindicators](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioindicator) or > for environmental assessment ([biomonitoring](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomonitoring)). For example: > > - lichens, by accumulating the pollutants, enable a retrospective analysis of their exposure to heavy metals or radionuclides ; > > - [the zebra mussel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_mussel) (freshwater mussel, dreissena polymorpha) accumulates metallic elements in the canals; > > - fungi also have potential to biomonitoring, especially for metals (Source: [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioaccumulation)). ### Flowers and yeasts In your direct environment, you may also find surprising opportunities to conduct parts of your bio-investigations, while having the freedom to collaborate on other science and ecology projects at the same time. This means you can gather even more interesting and reliable information and data while continuing to learn more and sometimes getting even more surprised. In spring and summer, there are probably flowers in trees and bushes all around your place. Be aware that many of these flowers are naturally covered with yeast, which is of great interest to scientists, bakers, amateur or professional beer makers. These flowers also contain a lot of other information on the quality of the environment, on genetics, on biodiversity, and on the plant heritage of the region. So much information and data that can easily be incorporated into your investigations if needed. This example of _[BrewLab](https://brewlab.blog/)_ explains how to [capture wild yeasts](https://brewlab.blog/?p=1836), how to cultivate them, how to obtain or produce your material and even proposes to go further with the precise identification of these yeasts by genetic analysis. Although BrewLab researchers are experimenting with new types of beer from wild plants, their research and tips are a useful learning resource for citizen-led bio-investigations. You will also find a [wiki page](https://notecc.frama.wiki/norae:biologicus:biomimetisme_note-culture-1) to guide you in this adventure. Or do [similar experiments with potatoes](https://notecc.frama.wiki/norae:biologicus:biomimetisme_note-culture-2), which are very common in everyday food consumption and agriculture. ### Products you consume Investigating the ingredients present in mass-market products is possible with _*[OpenFoodFact](https://fr-en.openfoodfacts.org/)_, a mobile application that uses [barcodes](#term-barcode) to give you access to free databases. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_openfoodfacts.png) Source: <https://fr.openfoodfacts.org/decouvrir>* This information and data can help you in your bio-investigations, especially if you can determine the manufacturing or farming locations - part of the [supply chains](#term-supplychain) - of these products or their ingredients and then use the sampling and measurement protocols from this guide. Learn more about researching products and their supply chains from the chapter _*[Supply Chain and Product Investigations](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/what/supply-chain.html)_ in this Kit. ## Analyse or share your samples We have parts of ourselves to retrieve, understand and react to while investigating our environment. By conducting bio-investigations, we collect both Bits (information units) and Bits (pieces) of Life. This is what you will see during the meetings that will mark out your investigations in the field. The analyses of the samples you have taken, the measurements and the observations you make during your field actions within the broader framework of the theme of your investigation contribute to this reconstruction of a narrative and the re-appropriation of parts of life. It's up to you to choose whether to outsource the analysis of the pieces of information, to whom and under what conditions. ### Share your samples for analysis by others Once your field activities are completed, you will need data to be extracted from your samples, your measurements to be analysed, and then followed by data qualification and interpretation. This is a very important stage to transform your efforts into a usable material relevant to your investigation purpose. We have mentioned situations where other organisations potentially interested in your work might have different interests from yours and therefore use this data to serve a completely different purpose than your own. When choosing a third party to conduct a part of the analysis you need, you should keep these risks in mind. You can choose to work with _[hackerspaces](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackerspace)_ or biohackerspaces* (a list is for example [available here](https://wiki.hackerspaces.org/List_of_Hacker_Spaces)), or NGOs or other associations that have the analysis and processing capacities specific to your topic and your samples, or even university and state labs or private companies. Not all laboratories or community facilities have the same analytical capacity and expertise. Your choices will also be driven by these possibilities or impossibilities. These tests can be free or paid, and sometimes very expensive. The high cost of analysis should never be used as a way to blackmail you. If this happens, do not collaborate with the organisation that is doing this to you. In any case, try to be accompanied by a legal advisor, establish a clear collaboration contract, whatever form it takes, containing your rights and duties, the price or the explicit exemption from payment of the tests, the rights and duties of your working partner(s) and above all the clear conditions of confidentiality and exploitation of the data that will be derived from the analysis. You are never required to give all of your notes, observations, samples and measurements to a single organisation. You can even distribute them among several organisations in order to have material to compare and also to keep a part of it to carry out similar or different analysis yourself. ## Bio-investigation as a community act It may seem long and fastidious to prepare and then carry out a bio-investigation, but it is a process that gives you a lot of satisfaction as you advance in your methods and learning. Just like cooking. You can, for example, set up biology cafés in a bar in the neighbourhood that is subject to real estate pressure to teach people how to organise themselves in small working groups. You can then discover, in collaboration with people concerned by environmental issues, other methods of working and sampling. See this example from the author -- "[Ateliers de Biologie" in Rennes](https://xavcc.frama.io/ateliers-biologie-rennes/). Bio-investigation and its methods can easily become a mindset and a community action, especially when you need to act to change an existing situation. Bio-investigation allows you to learn more about your local environment and the possible problems it confronts. These are your issues, as well as of your community. Get involved. <br/> Acknowledgements: This guide would not be possible without meetings, collaborations, mutual aid and trust. Although it is written by one individual, it is the result of work of many people who have contributed to it in one way or another. Thank you to: Mily1000V, Laura, Wael, Hackorn, Emmanuel Poisson-Quinton, Jacques Le letty, Rieul Techer, Yann Heurtaux, Asso Ping à Nantes, Ewen, Jaxom, Sylvia Fredriksson, Le Biome HackLab in Rennes, La Myne in Lyon. Thank you to Sasha Gubskaya for the English translation and adaptation of the initial [French-language guide](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/fr/what/bio-investigation.html). <hr class="thick"> Published July 2020 in French, and December 2020 in English Resources --------- ### Articles and Guides In English - [Alabama Environmental Investigation and Remediation Guidance](http://adem.alabama.gov/programs/land/landforms/AEIRGInvestigation.pdf) from The Alabama Department of Environmental Management. - [DNA Sequencing](https://www.foodrepo.org/dna) from Open Food Repo DNA. - [Hazardous materials investigation, sampling, & documentation](https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/environment/technical/disciplines/hazardous-materials/investigation-sampling-document) from The Washington State Department of Transportation. - [Lichens Biology](https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/beauty/lichens/biology.shtml), guides and tips from the U.S. Forest Service. - [Successful Microbiological Investigations](http://microbiologynetwork.com/content/file/Sutton_APR__14_2_Successful-Microbiological-Investigations.pdf), by Scott Sutton. - [Archeograph.com](https://www.archeograph.com/archeograph/). A collection of tutorials, graphic and cartographic resources for graphic designers and archaeologists. In French - [Accueillir les Non-Humains dans les Communs (Introduction)](https://scinfolex.com/2019/01/04/accueillir-les-non-humains-dans-les-communs-introduction/#_ftn21) by Lionel Maurel. - [Analyse du sol à faire soi-même](https://web.archive.org/web/20180606161045/http:/fablabo.net/wiki/Analyse_du_sol_à_faire_soi_même). A low-cost and reliable soil analysis kit for gardeners. From PING association in Nantes, available on Fablabo. - [Capter et (co)produire des savoirs sous contraintes : le tournant expert de Surfrider Foundation Europe](https://www.cairn.info/revue-politix-2015-3-page-93.htm) by Julien Weisbein. - [Comment composer avec le monde « non-humain »?](https://www.franceculture.fr/emissions/la-conversation-scientifique/comment-composer-avec-le-monde-non-humain) by Philippe Descola. France Culture, broadcasted on January 3, 2015. - [Échantillonnage et analyse des sols pollués](https://notecc.frama.wiki/_media/guides_sols_pollues.pdf). Analysis framework from the Institut de veille sanitaire, France. - [Guide pratique pour la description des sols en France](https://web.archive.org/web/20180219122430/http:/www.forum-zones-humides.org/iso_album/guide_description_sol_v2.pdf) from the Conservatoire d'espaces naturels de Bourgogne, France. - [Guide d'échantillonnage à des fins d'analyses environnementales](http://www.ceaeq.gouv.qc.ca/documents/publications/echantillonnage.htm) from the Centre d'expertise en analyse environnementale du Québec. (archived copy from Wayback Machine available [here.](https://web.archive.org/web/2018/http:/www.ceaeq.gouv.qc.ca/documents/publications/echantillonnage.htm)) - [Lichen, Agent de la qualité de l'air](https://www.inventairefac.com/2017/03/17/lichen-agent-de-la-qualite-de-lair/) by Mathias Roth. - [Manuel des Protocoles d'Échantillonnage pour l'Analyse de la Qualité de l'Eau au Canada](https://www.ccme.ca/files/Resources/fr_water/fr_water_quality/protocols_document_f_final_1.0.pdf) from the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 2011. - [Méthodologie de diagnostic des sols pollués](https://hal-ineris.archives-ouvertes.fr/ineris-00972099/document) by Hafid Baroudi (workshop entitled «polluted soils», june 1997, Paris, France. pp.3-7. ffineris-00972099f.) - [Protocole d'échantillonnage de la qualité de l'eau](http://www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/eau/rsvl/protocole-echantill-qualite.pdf) from the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment, and Fight Against Climate Change (MELCC) and the Conseil* régional de l'environnement des Laurentides (CRE Laurentides), 2017. - [Reconnaître et caractériser les zones de forge sur surface décapée. Apport de la géophysique à l'étude paléométallurgique](https://journals.openedition.org/archeopages/560) by G. Hulin, B. Jagou, M. De Muylder et al. - [Recette frugale d'hackathon citoyen open source: en 32 jours e sans budget.](https://movilab.org/wiki/Recette_frugale_d'hackathon_citoyen_open_source:_en_32_jours_et_sans_budget) - [Stratégie et technique d'échantillonnage des sols pour l'évaluation des pollutions](https://web.archive.org/web/20160708021917/http:/record-net.org/storage/etudes/04-0510-1A/rapport/Rapport_record04-0510_1A.pdf) by L. Belkessam, B. Lemiere -- CNRSSP. ### Tools and Databases - [OpenStreet Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/). A free open source map platform created through crowdsourcing. - [Overpass-turbo](https://overpass-turbo.eu/). A website which enables you to build maps with a few clicks by retrieving data available in OpenStreet Map databases. Glossary -------- ### term-beaker Beaker -- a container used for many actions in laboratories, especially in the domains of chemistry, physics, biology and pharmacy (<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaker_(laboratory_equipment>.) ### term-bioindication Bioindication - Information provided by a plant, fungus or animal species, or by a group of living organisms about the state of the environment and/or its past, including the impact of certain human practices on it. ### term-barcode Barcode -- a set of symbols (series of small lines / bars) applied to consumer products to identify the manufacturer, as well as additional information on the product / its origin. ### term-bioaccumulation Bioaccumulation -- some organisms' (plants, animals, fungi, microbes) capacity to absorb and concentrate in their organisms or in a part of their organisms (living or inert part such as tree bark or wood, mussel's shell, horn, etc.) certain chemical substances that are possibly rare in the environment. This is the principle of bioaccumulation. ### term-biocommunity Biotic community -- also called 'biota' or 'biocoenosis', includes all living and non-living (rocks, ashes, tools) creatures that live interdependently in the same delimitable area (see more [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_(ecology)).) ### term-biodiversity Biodiversity -- a variety of life forms on Earth. It can also be considered as the variety of living organisms present in a more specific area. ### term-commons Commons (or common goods) \[Elinor Ostrom\] -- a notion that applies in domains of, for example, the nature management and in a number of other fields (Knowledge Commons, Digital Commons, Social Commons, Urban Commons, etc.). A common good is an actually existing good around which people come together in conviviality to maintain this object under shared responsibility and with deliberate rules of governance. ### term-distilledwater Distilled Water -- a generic term covering several methods of purifying water to remove, for example, mineral salts or biological substances. ### term-dna DNA -- deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a biological macromolecule present in all cells of living organisms, also in some viruses. DNA contains all the genetic information, known as the genome, that enables the development, functioning and reproduction of living beings. DNA is composed of [nucleotides](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucleotide) (CGAT.) ### term-dnaseq DNA sequencing -- the process of determining the sequence of nucleotides in a DNA fragment. The reading of this obtained sequence allows to study the biological information contained in it. ### term-genome Genome -- the genetic material of an organism. ### term-grid Grid -- a geographic/topographic drawing that accurately divides the physical area of sampling to reference each square by size, abscissa and ordinate (see <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abscissa_and_ordinate>.) ### term-gridmap Mapping the grid -- integration of a grid into a geographical map, with topography if necessary. ### term-totem Iconic Totem -- a symbolic representation that serves as a demonstrative emblem aimed at making low-visibility phenomena recognizable. ### term-iot IOT -- Internet Of Things, refers to a connected object which by a given protocol allows to operate in a larger network. ### term-metrology Metrology -- a measurement technique applied to a particular field. ### term-mnemotech Mnemonic devices -- methods and tools helping to facilitate the memorization of information. ### term-morphoimprint Morphological imprint -- a characteristic specific to the shape and structure of a body (human face or paw prints, fossils). ### term-oligoelements Oligo-elements (trace elements) -- mineral substance, which our body needs to function. They are present in water, soil, plants and animals. ### term-pHmeasurement pH Measurement -- measurement of the acidity (pH) of a medium. The hydrogen potential, noted pH, is a measure of the chemical activity of hydrogen ions ### term-photosynthesis Photosynthesis -- a biochemical reaction of energy creation directly from mineral compounds using the light energy provided by the sun. The reaction takes place in living organisms (plants, algae, bacteria, etc.)and is necessary for the organism's life. ### term-routine Routine -- a set of precise and repetitive rules implemented over a period of time within an activity. ### term-sample Sample -- in bio-investigation, fragments or elements of objects in a defined area (sounds in a recording, leaves on a tree, the waters of a river). A sample is representative for the population or the area from which it was taken. ### term-sampling Sampling -- actions of taking and classifying samples of objects from a defined area (sounds in a recording, leaves on a tree, water in a river). ### term-supplychain Supply chain -- a set of stages that commodities (goods or raw materials) must go through before they become products used by consumers or industry.
bio-investigation.basename	bio-investigation
climate-change-adaptation.preview	# Investigating Climate Change Adaptation By Leopold Salzenstein …
climate-change-adaptation.content	# Investigating Climate Change Adaptation By Leopold Salzenstein ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/climateadaptation-cik-illustration.png) ```cik-in-short ``` IN SHORT: Floods, cyclones, wildfires... Climate disasters and the damage they cause are increasingly making the news. Too often, however, these events are described as natural phenomena, only remotely fuelled by humanity’s unchecked carbon emissions. But most often disasters are not the result of natural hazards, but of concrete decisions and actions from governments, companies, international organizations, and communities. While reducing emissions is crucial, let's also focus on what investigators can do and explore the possible pathways for investigating climate disasters and how - or whether - communities can adapt to them. --- ## Warning signs Adopting a deeper approach to investigating the impacts of climate change can bring this important topic closer to people’s attention, help better inform activists, NGOs and communities about adaptation measures and how to hold decision-makers accountable. By digging into little explored areas such as hazard exposure, vulnerabilities and coping capacities, investigators can better inform public debates and uncover gaps in adaptation strategies and disaster management systems. As confirmed at the beginning of August 2021 by a _[report](https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar6/)_ from the United Nations’ [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change](https://www.ipcc.ch/) (IPCC), humans’ responsibility in warming up the planet is “unequivocal”. The term — which represents the scientific equivalent of _[total certainty](https://thenarwhal.ca/ipcc-report-un-climate-john-fyfe/)_ — summarizes findings from more than 14,000 peer-reviewed studies. The report was [picked up](https://www.carbonbrief.org/media-reaction-ipccs-new-climate-science-report-and-what-it-means-for-the-world) by a range of international publications. Many — but [not all](https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-climate-of-catastrophe-united-nations-intergovernmental-panel-on-climate-change-report-11628546180) — encouraged bold actions to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Emission cuts have been slow to materialize. While the COVID -19 pandemic _[curbed](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00090-3)_ emissions during the first half of 2020, climate indicators [worsened](https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/climate-change-indicators-and-impacts-worsened-2020) again at the end of the year and _[continue to do so as of 2023](https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/wmo-annual-report-highlights-continuous-advance-of-climate-change)_ according to the World Meteorological Organization - “Droughts, floods and heatwaves affected communities on every continent and cost many billions of dollars. Antarctic sea ice fell to its lowest extent on record and the melting of some European glaciers was, literally, off the charts..” (source World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “WMO annual report highlights continuous advance of climate change”, 21 April 2023). In addition, not everyone is on board with drastic emission cuts: _[climate disinformation](https://www.desmog.com/climate-disinformation-database/)_ remains widespread, making it difficult for citizens to make informed decisions and for institutions to implement green policies. At the same time, polluting industries such as [fossil fuel extractors](https://www.desmog.com/2021/04/06/revealed-climate-conflicted-directors-leading-the-worlds-top-banks/) or _[shipping companies](https://theblacksea.eu/black-trail-project/black-trail-documentary-film/)_ have little incentive to deeply change their business model. As disasters increasingly make headlines, however, ignoring the climate question becomes difficult. In Europe alone, the months of July and August of 2021 saw catastrophic _[flooding](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57880729)_ killing more than 180 people in Germany and Belgium, a potentially [record-breaking heatwave](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/12/world/europe/sicily-record-high-temperature-119-degrees.html) in Sicily and [wildfires](https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/06/world/gallery/europe-extreme-summer-weather-2021/index.html) displacing thousands in Greece and Turkey. Published at the end of this [slew of disasters](https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-reviewing-the-summer-of-extreme-weather-in-2021), the 2021 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report and its following _[contributions in 2022-2023](https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar6/)_ confirmed that global warming is already _[worsening climate extremes](https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2021/06/Fact_sheet_AR6.pdf)_ around the world. As a result, disasters are likely to _[get stronger and more frequent](https://www.carbonbrief.org/mapped-how-climate-change-affects-extreme-weather-around-the-world)_ in the coming years, with or without sharp emission reductions. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/climate-change-adaptation/image-caa-disastersmap-reliefweb.jpg) Image: Ongoing disaster situations and alerts as of 26 May 2023. Source: <https://reliefweb.int/disasters> ## Why climate change adaptation Responding to alarming scientific previsions, many journalists have been _[ramping up their coverage](https://coveringclimatenow.org/)_ of climate change, trying to [reach](https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/climate-change-media-aoc-gnd-propaganda/) a broader audience and _[opening new areas for investigation.](https://gijn.org/climate-crisis-ideas-for-investigative-journalists/)_ One such area — which so far has been little explored — is that of climate change adaptation. Simply put, climate change adaptation refers to decisions and actions taken to prepare for the future impacts of climate change and respond to those already happening. It includes a large pallet of [activities](https://unfccc.int/topics/adaptation-and-resilience/the-big-picture/what-do-adaptation-to-climate-change-and-climate-resilience-mean), ranging from the adoption of new farming techniques to the construction of flood protections or cyclone shelters. Being able to cope with increasingly frequent and destructive disasters is one aspect of it. ```cik-tip ``` >These are just some of the general questions that investigators could ask and seek to address: > >* What are states, cities, international organizations and corporations doing to prepare for the impacts of climate change? >* Are people being informed, given options and protected? >* Who makes these decisions? >* Who is left behind, and why? > So far, many climate investigations have focused on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions — uncovering _[efforts to slow climate action](https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2021/06/30/exxon-climate-change-undercover/)_, _[failures in climate policies](https://features.propublica.org/brazil-carbon-offsets/inconvenient-truth-carbon-credits-dont-work-deforestation-redd-acre-cambodia/)_ or big polluters’ _[greenwashing strategies](https://www.desmog.com/2021/07/18/investigation-meat-industry-greenwash-climatewash/)_, for instance. Reducing emissions is necessary and urgent if we are to continue living on an _[inhabitable planet](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/feb/17/david-wallace-wells-uninhabitable-earth-review)_, but only focusing on cutting emissions ignores the fact that the climate crisis is already here. In fact, emissions reduction — actions aimed at avoiding the unmanageable — must [go hand-in-hand](https://medium.com/climurgency/what-is-the-difference-between-climate-adaptation-and-climate-mitigation-2e5757ae2dc1) with climate change adaptation — actions aimed at managing the unavoidable. Some [scholars](https://www.routledge.com/Adaptation-to-Climate-Change-From-Resilience-to-Transformation/Pelling/p/book/9780415477512) even consider emission reductions a subset of adaptation, as cutting greenhouse emissions aims to reduce our future exposure to climate hazards. Investigating the measures put in place to inform, involve and protect people against climate disasters is increasingly important, as failing to scrutinize these decisions can generate unnecessary deaths, destruction and suffering. In light of this recognition, I propose a potential path forward for investigating climate change adaptation and disaster management. Included are some useful resources and a few ideas for investigations into less explored issues that could make for impactful local and cross-border investigations. ## No disaster is natural Regardless of climate change, it is important to first consider disasters for what they are: political events. When an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 on the Richter scale _[hit Haiti](https://reliefweb.int/disaster/eq-2010-000009-hti)_ on the 12th of January 2010, it killed approximately 220.000 people and became one of the [largest](https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/Rethinking-humanitarianism-25-crises-shaped-history) humanitarian crises of the decade. Six weeks later, an even more powerful quake (8.8 on the Richter scale) — followed by a tsunami — _[shook Chile](https://reliefweb.int/disaster/eq-2010-000034-chl)_, this time causing ‘only’ around 500 deaths. The difference between the two situations was not the earthquake’s strength, but the vulnerability and coping capacity of the country impacted. This resistance to disasters is, in turn, shaped by political decisions and relations of power. Similarly, a storm in the middle of a desert, which makes no damage or casualties, is rarely considered a disaster. This is because disasters imply the destruction of something we value, such as human life, livelihoods, property, etc. Since the 1990s, _[researchers](https://www.preventionweb.net/publication/risk-natural-hazards-peoples-vulnerability-and-disasters)_ conceptualize disasters as happening at the meeting point between three _[factors](https://www.ipcc.ch/report/managing-the-risks-of-extreme-events-and-disasters-to-advance-climate-change-adaptation/)_: 1. Exposure to a hazard — the extent to which a community and its assets are [exposed](https://www.preventionweb.net/understanding-disaster-risk/component-risk/exposure) to hazards such as storms, floods, fires, heatwaves or earthquakes. 2. Local vulnerabilities — the physical, social, economic and environmental factors that make a specific context vulnerable to external shocks. Destruction generated by the Haiti earthquake, for example, resulted largely from the country’s lack of earthquake-resistant constructions, according to a _*[Nature* study](https://www.nature.com/articles/463878a)_. A similar situation happened in [Turkey and Syria](https://www.bbc.com/news/64568826) with the February 2023 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that damaged over 100,000 buildings, caused more than 10,000 collapses and [killed more than 50,000 people.](https://theconversation.com/buildings-left-standing-in-turkey-offer-design-guidance-for-future-earthquake-resilient-construction-202089) 3. Coping capacity — the ability to respond to and recover from the effects of stresses and external shocks. In [Chile’s 2010 8.8 magnitude earthquake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Chile_earthquake), for instance, shutting down the electricity grid after the earthquake prevented the ignition of fires. This probably reduced the amount of casualties, according to an _[American Red Cross report](https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2011/1053/)_. ```cik-tip ``` > >Each of these three elements — and their relationships — can become the subject of an investigation. So are these related questions:** > >* How well are building codes designed and implemented? > >* Have rescuers’ salaries been paid on time? > >* Are machines and vehicles well maintained? > >* Is there a system in place to inform people of approaching threats or evacuation procedures? > >When a crisis hits, responding to these questions is a matter of life or death. > According to a _[2007study](https://www.jstor.org/stable/27698136)_, corruption in a country’s public sector is positively correlated with the risk of dying from an earthquake. As summarized by the study’s authors: “earthquakes don’t kill people; collapsing buildings do.” While the hazard causing a disaster may be natural, disasters themselves rarely are. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/climate-change-adaptation/image-caa-consequences.jpg) Image: The components of a disaster. Source: https://www.emergencymanagementontario.ca/english/emcommunity/ProvincialPrograms/HIRA/Guidelines/main.html (archived with WaybackMachine [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20211003084004/https://www.emergencymanagementontario.ca/english/emcommunity/ProvincialPrograms/HIRA/Guidelines/main.html)) ## Investigating exposure to climate hazards ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/climateadaptation01-cik-illustration.png) There are many different hazards related to the climate. Hydro-meteorological events — such as heavy rainfall, floods, droughts, storms, heat waves, cold spells or wildfire — result from changes in temperature, wind speed and precipitation, which are all shaped by the climate. Geological hazards, for example earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis or volcano eruptions, are also _[influenced](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/16/climate-change-triggers-earthquakes-tsunamis-volcanoes)_ by climate change. Similarly, biological hazards like [epidemics](https://www.businessinsider.com.au/how-climate-change-could-impact-the-future-of-infectious-diseases-2020-5?r=US&IR=T) or [pests](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/locust-plague-climate-science-east-africa) are shaped by environmental changes, such as global warming. The relation between these hazards and climate change is not _[straightforward](https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_Chapter11.pdf)_, however. In most cases, climate change does not cause a hazard, but only modifies its intensity or frequency. Climate change, for example, has already increased the number of heat waves, according to the latest IPCC [report](https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/). Similarly, global warming worsened intense rains and extreme storms, but reduced the frequency of cold spells, according to the same report. Investigating exposure involves mapping out the ways in which climate change has modified current hazards, and how it will impact future ones. As described in a 2021 [video investigation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gLDtWwaCFs) from [Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2020/06/22/il-a-fait-38-c-en-siberie-record-de-temperature-au-dela-du-cercle-arctique_6043746_3244.html), for example, while climate change did not necessarily increase the overall number of fires in the world, it did make them more intense and violent. To analyse and report on this, investigators can use two important tools, among others: * climate scenarios, * attribution studies. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >Climate scenarios predict changes in the physics, chemistry and biology of the atmosphere, land and oceans, given a certain amount of greenhouse gas emissions. They can be used to investigate future exposure, such as _[sea level rise](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/10/29/climate/coastal-cities-underwater.html)_ or _[climate migrations driven by rising temperatures](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/23/magazine/climate-migration.html)_. >- Importantly, the technical knowledge and computational power required to predict future climate change may prevent investigators from conducting their own studies. That said, investigators can collaborate with scientists and weather agencies and use existing climate scenarios. > >Attribution studies, also called _["extreme event attribution"](https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/extreme-event-attribution-climate-versus-weather-blame-game)_, are scientific studies analysing how a past disaster has been influenced by climate change. According to a _[Carbon Brief article](https://www.carbonbrief.org/mapped-how-climate-change-affects-extreme-weather-around-the-world)_ published in August 2022, scientists have conducted more than 400 peer-reviewed attribution studies up to date. One such study, for example, analysed how climate change made the _[2018 heatwave in Sweden](https://esd.copernicus.org/articles/11/1107/2020/)_ more likely to happen. Another one found no significant influence of climate change on _[one of the worst river flooding events in Bangladesh's history](https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/23/1409/2019/)_. Yet another study concluded that Puerto Rico had become _[more exposed to extreme hurricanes](https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2019GL082077)_ — such as hurricane Maria in 2017 — as a result of climate change. Overall, according to Carbon Brief, [70% of the extreme weather events analysed were made more likely or more severe](https://www.carbonbrief.org/mapped-how-climate-change-affects-extreme-weather-around-the-world) by climate change. ```cik-example ``` >Example: > >Following heavy floods in Germany in 2021, The Süddeutsche Zeitung [published an extensive article](https://projekte.sueddeutsche.de/artikel/wissen/klimawandel-wie-das-wetter-zur-klimakrise-wird-e460552/?reduced=true) portraying how climate change — by modifying precipitation, heat, and soil moisture in the country — influenced the event. > >In the aftermath of Germany’s floods, a _[PreventionWeb article](https://www.preventionweb.net/news/germany-2021-floods-10-recommendations-resilience)_ listed a series of recommendations for resilience to be taken into account when rebuilding areas damaged by the floods. > While investigators may not always be able to conduct their own attribution studies, collaborating with scientists can help uncover ongoing changes in exposure to extreme weather. But, focusing only on exposure often proves counter-productive. Reading about future climate impacts and current environmental destruction can feel overwhelming, apolitical and disempowering for people. An academic [article](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2020.615419/full) titled “Underestimating the Challenges of Avoiding a Ghastly Future”, published in January 2021, stated “the scale of the threats to the biosphere and all its life forms — including humanity — is in fact so great that it is difficult to grasp for even well-informed experts.” Being impacted by floods, cyclones, heatwaves or wildfire _[negatively impact people’s mental health](https://www.imperial.ac.uk/grantham/publications/all-publications/the-impact-of-climate-change-on-mental-health-and-emotional-wellbeing-current-evidence-and-implications-for-policy-and-practice.php)_, according to a 2021 Imperial London College report. Even just learning about climate change and watching disasters unfolding on TV _[can collide with people’s sanity](https://www.propublica.org/article/the-climate-crisis-is-worse-than-you-can-imagine-heres-what-happens-if-you-try)._ When only looking at exposure, climate disasters seem inevitable. They become like ‘acts of nature’, which can only be adverted by globally reducing our greenhouse emissions — a task difficult to grapple with as an individual. Meaningful _[action is a key antidote to climate anxiety](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/23/well/mind/mental-health-climate-anxiety.html)_, but only investigating hazard exposure prevents us from learning how to concretely reduce deaths and damage from disasters. It also shifts the focus away from holding to account those responsible for informing, involving and protecting people. In addition, climate exposure represents only one part of the story. According to a _[report](https://web.archive.org/web/20230604154857/https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/weather-related-disasters-increase-over-past-50-years-causing-more-damage-fewer)_ published by the [World Meteorological Organization](https://public.wmo.int/en) in August 2021, while extreme climate events have increased since the 1970s, less and less people are dying as a result of a climate disaster. This is due to changes in countries’ vulnerability and coping capacity, two other essential aspects for investigations. ## Investigating local vulnerabilities Investigations of climate vulnerabilities explore the factors making a specific context more or less resistant to climate hazards. They also aim to explain the reasons behind this vulnerability. The vulnerability of Haiti to earthquake and cyclones, for example, stems from a long history of “slavery, revolution, debt, deforestation, corruption, exploitation and violence”, according to historian Alex von Tunzelmann quoted in this 2010 Guardian _[article: “Haiti: a long descent to hell“](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jan/14/haiti-history-earthquake-disaster)_. The action or inaction of various parts of society — including city planners, risk managers, municipalities, governments and corporations, search-and-rescue programs — also shape local vulnerabilities. ```cik-tip ``` > >This is a fertile ground for investigations, both before and after a disaster strikes. Ask yourself: > >- Is your local authority ready to respond and recover from climate disasters? > >- Has the government planned and prepared for various types of hazard? > >- Do rescue teams or firefighters protect all parts of the population equally? > >- Are recovery plans accounting for socio-economic disparities? > In 2021, for example, an investigation from the National Public Radio (NPR) in the US – [“Heat is killing workers in the U.S. and there are no federal rules to protect them”](https://www.npr.org/2021/08/17/1026154042/hundreds-of-workers-have-died-from-heat-in-the-last-decade-and-its-getting-worse) – unveiled how both climate change and policy failures contributed to the doubling of North American workers dying from heat at the work place since the 1990s. While different vulnerabilities are rarely independent from each other, it can be helpful to separate them in four categories: - physical - social - economic - environmental. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/climate-change-adaptation/image-caa-vulnerabilities.jpg) Four types of intersecting vulnerability. Source: Powerpoint presentation from Magnus Hagelsteen, shared with the guide’s author and reproduced with Hagelsteen’s permission. ### Physical vulnerability Physical vulnerabilities include such things as _[building codes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_code)_, vegetation cover, population density, construction materials, land use, the location of critical infrastructures, industrial sites and transportation systems, among other things. In Brazil, for example, favelas, or historically neglected informal neighbourhoods, are often _[most impacted](https://rioonwatch.org/?p=51579)_ by landslides and flash floods, because they are built with low-quality material, on steep slopes and away from hospitals. As climate change modifies patterns of hazard exposure, investigators can identify decisions likely to generate or reinforce these types of physical vulnerabilities. ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* Are housing regulations in your neighbourhood accounting for future climate projections? Are they implemented? If so, how? If no, why not? > >* Are building permits allocated in current or future high-risk areas of your city? If so, how is this happening, who manages the process and what is at stake? > >* Do different parts of your country’s population have unequal access to public resources, such as hospitals or evacuation shelters? > >* Are climate protection measures, such as flood embankments, creating new vulnerabilities or benefiting only parts of the population in your local area? > ### Social vulnerability Social vulnerabilities illustrate how belonging to different social groups influences people’s risk. Depending on their gender or religion, for example, Bangladeshi farmers are [more or less protected from climate extremes.](https://theconversation.com/climate-change-impacts-in-bangladesh-show-how-geography-wealth-and-culture-affect-vulnerability-128207?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=bylinetwitterbutton) (article archived [here.](https://web.archive.org/web/20230601125141/https://theconversation.com/climate-change-impacts-in-bangladesh-show-how-geography-wealth-and-culture-affect-vulnerability-128207)) Similarly, immigrants in Sweden were more heavily _[impacted by COVID-19](https://web.archive.org/web/20200511023818/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/coronavirus-takes-toll-swedens-immigrant-community-70593594)_, partly because governmental crisis communication had not been translated into their mother language. Segregation, violation of human rights, gender inequalities or illiteracy all influence people’s vulnerability to disasters. Are decision-makers accounting for these factors when planning and responding to climate extremes? ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* Are minorities left exposed to climate extremes, either on purpose or by sheer ignorance and lack of inclusive practices? > >* Do decision-makers account for different needs related to gender, ethnicity or disability when designing climate adaptation policies? > >* Are disasters used to justify segregation or unnecessary population displacements? > ### Economic vulnerability Economic vulnerabilities refer to inequalities in people’s financial ability to cope with disasters. They include individuals’ differences of income or debt levels, insurance coverage and access to credit, but also countries’ respective national funds for disasters and _[gross domestic product (GDP).](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gdp.asp)_ _[Hurricane Katrina](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina)_ in 2005 _[primarily affected low income and largely Black](https://s4.ad.brown.edu/Projects/Hurricane/report.pdf)_ segments of New Orleans’ population in the United States, according to a 2007 study by Brown University (study archived with Wayback Machine [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20230601131156/https://s4.ad.brown.edu/Projects/Hurricane/report.pdf)). One example among many: while the city’s mayor issued an evacuation order 19 hours prior to hurricane Katrina, the local government [did not organise public transportation](https://www.jstor.org/stable/40034317) for the approximately 100.000 people who did not own a car. As a result, they were unable to leave and had to face the storm. ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* Are insurance systems adequately prepared for future climate disasters? > >* Are climate shocks used to justify unequal economic reforms? > >* Are different social-economic groups differently protected from the impacts of climate change? > >* Do some economic groups (companies providing climate protection services, insurances, government institutions, etc.) benefit from climate disasters? > ### Environmental vulnerability Environmental vulnerabilities refer to environmental factors or processes which increase the susceptibility of an individual, a community, asset or system to the impacts of hazards, according to the _[United Nations Office for Disaster Reduction](https://www.undrr.org/terminology/vulnerability)_. They encompass people’s natural environment, such as the use of natural resources and the management of lakes, forests or waterways. This environment, and the processes shaping it, influence the strength of various natural hazards. Forests and wetlands can _[protect](https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/WRR_2012_en_online150.pdf)_ people from natural hazards. Deforestation, as well as industrial pollution and intensive agriculture, _[increases](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/15/world/asia/china-sandstorm.html)_ the intensity and impact of sandstorms in China, for example. Similarly, The Kontinentalist _[analysed](https://kontinentalist.com/stories/who-trees-dont-shield-from-the-urban-heat-island-effect)_ how unequal tree covers in Asian cities means that different parts of the population are more or less exposed to high temperatures. ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* Are municipalities or corporations destroying forests that provide protection from climate hazards? If so, what enables this to happen? > >* Is water or food wasted? Will this prevent us from coping with future climate extremes? > >* Is climate change creating new, unsuspected environmental risks? > Together, hazard exposure and vulnerability form the preconditions for climate disasters. Different kinds of vulnerabilities are also often intertwined. During Hurricane Katrina, for example, economic vulnerabilities meant that low-income population _[could not afford](http://sites.tufts.edu/gis/files/2013/02/Goldberg_Jeffrey.pdf)_ to be housed in higher, less physically vulnerable grounds, and were therefore more impacted when the levies breached. This picture remains incomplete, however, if we do not account for coping capacities. By shining light on the unequal impacts of climate disasters, investigators can at least: - 1. provide evidence and tools for the public to have an informed debate about these issues, and - 2. make evidence available to others in the civil society (e.g., activists, NGOs, think tanks) who can advocate and/or work with policymakers to ensure that adaptation measures are implemented and do not discriminate between people. ## Investigating coping capacity ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/climateadaptation02-cik-illustration.png) Coping capacity is our ability to withstand and recover from shocks. When a flood, a fire or a storm hits, people react. Citizens help each other, rescuers search for survivors, hospitals treat the wounded, NGOs campaign for more support, action and transparency. When a hazard is perfectly handled by responders, resulting in no casualties and no damage, the process and policies behind this outcome rarely make headlines. Often however, disasters happen because of a lack of planning or inadequate response from authorities. When Hurricane Maria _[hit Puerto Rico](https://www.npr.org/2018/07/13/628861808/fema-report-acknowledges-failures-in-puerto-rico-disaster-response?t=1629707298341)_ in October 2017, the island’s emergency-supply warehouses were almost empty and the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was understaffed. Hurricane Maria led to the displacement of approximately 130,000 Puerto Ricans — who are also U.S. citizens — and destroyed an estimated $94.4 billion worth of properties. While the government initially reported 64 casualties, several investigations _[uncovered](https://periodismoinvestigativo.com/2018/09/the-deaths-of-hurricane-maria/)_ a much higher death toll (article archived with Wayback Machine [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20230602110301/https://periodismoinvestigativo.com/2018/09/the-deaths-of-hurricane-maria/)). Sometimes, response to one disaster can even create another one. Following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, a contingent of Nepalese UN peacekeepers allegedly _[brought Cholera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/8/19/un-admits-role-in-deadly-haiti-cholera-outbreak)_ into the country. The resulting epidemics _[killed approximately 10.000 people](https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/haiti/index.html)_. To limit the impact of climate disasters, investigators can scrutinize the measures put in place to mitigate risk in the long-term, prepare for disasters, respond to them and recover after they happened. These steps coincide with the four disaster management phases: - mitigation - preparedness - response - rehabilitation Each of these steps — which often overlap and inter-connect in reality — can inform an investigation. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/climate-change-adaptation/image-caa-disaster-management-phases.jpg) Image: The four disaster phases. Source: <https://www.mbaskool.com/business-articles/operations/9351-operations-in-disaster-management-case-study-based-approach.html> ### Risk mitigation Several measures can be put in place in the long-term to reduce the likelihood or consequence of climate disasters. Risk mitigation aims to reduce the impacts of hazards on societies and lives, for example by modifying people’s behaviour or putting new safety systems in place. Reducing greenhouse gas is one way to limit climate disasters in the long run. Other measures include adopting climate-resistant crops or diversifying livelihoods. As illustrated in _[a game developed by the Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-climate-change-ocean-game/)_, for example, city planners and local governments can mitigate the risk of sea level rise before a disaster happens. Similarly, a 2021 article from the Washington Post _[explored](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/interactive/2021/prescribed-fire/)_ how prescribed fires could mitigate the risk of out-of-control forest fires. Investigating risk mitigation means ensuring that different segments of society are already pro-actively planning and preparing for future climate risks. ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* Are critical infrastructures (dams, bridges, electric grid, nuclear power plants, etc.) well maintained and prepared for future climate scenarios? > >* Are farmers adapting their techniques to climate change? > >* Are adequate systems and policies put in place to coordinate disaster management and climate change adaptation? > ### Preparedness Preparedness measures are put in place before a disaster hits to help us better cope with it. Unlike risk mitigation — which aims to reduce long-term vulnerabilities — the objective of preparedness is to increase coping capacities. Preparing for disasters is key to societal safety. Every $1 invested in preparing for disasters _[saves $13 in responding to them](https://web.archive.org/web/20221102062348/http://2021.nibs.org/files/pdfs/ms_v4_overview.pdf)_, according to a study from the US National Institute of Building Science. Individuals can stock basic supplies in their homes, companies and cities can plan and exercise for disasters, states and donors can fund preparedness efforts. The list goes on. In fact, investigations themselves can be considered part of preparedness, as uncovering gaps in adaptation and disaster management systems helps us prepare for the next climate disaster. ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* How many masks, radios, bandages, etc. are in stock? > >* Are shelters well located and ready to be used? > >* Have organizations prepared for climate impacts and have these plans been implemented? > >* Are early warning systems in place and functioning? > ### Response When crises hit, systems created during the preparedness phase are activated. During the response phase, various actors must act fast to save lives and limit the damage. The first responders to a disaster are usually nearby people. Then, firefighters, police forces, ambulances or humanitarians deploy to provide support and relief to the affected population. Responders are often perceived as heroes, doing their best in the middle of difficult situations. Yet, there is a need for investigators to hold them, too, accountable. ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* Is the response provided inefficient? Are some people or groups left out or given preferential treatment? > >* Is the response generating conditions for a new disaster? > >* How is the response impacting long-term physical, environmental, economic or social vulnerabilities? > ### Rehabilitation Rehabilitation starts after the end of the response phase, when the most urgent needs have been met. During this phase, people recover, houses are rebuilt, displaced populations return home and the humanitarian intervention phases out. Rehabilitation presents an opportunity to “build back better” and to address ongoing vulnerabilities. At the same time, _[recovery can often be unequal](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/01/why-natural-disasters-are-worse-poor/580846/)_, benefiting some more than others. During this phase, power relationships are sometimes reshuffled, and some lessons learned. Often, rehabilitation also involves allocating finance and resources for reconstruction and new development sites. Investigators can help to collect evidence and reveal whether this process is transparent, fair and constructive. ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* Are climate change scenarios and emerging risks taken into account when rebuilding? > >* Are procurement and reconstruction contracts awarded in a fair and transparent way? > >* Are we learning from previous disaster and building back better? > ## A matter of scale and collaboration While investigating climate change adaptation can be done in a number of ways, an investigation that does not account for hazard exposure, vulnerabilities and coping capacities is likely to miss significant elements of the story. These three elements — which together determine the intensity or severity of climate disasters — can be investigated at different levels both locally and across borders, ranging from individuals and companies to states, groups of countries and international organizations. Investigators can uncover the impacts of their city’s climate adaptation plans on different neighbourhoods’ flood risk. They can dig into disaster insurances at the national level, or the ways in which European Union policies impact the resources and budget of firefighters and related _[planning](https://www.euractiv.com/section/crisis-management/news/european-commission-wants-independent-firefighter-plane-fleet/)_. Climate change is likely to modify risk patterns for almost every part of society, so the possibilities are almost endless. Unlike stories about curbing greenhouse gases — which necessarily have a ‘global’ angle and can sometimes feel dis-empowering — climate adaptation is always a local story. A city or country adapts to local environmental risks, which may evolve over time due to climate change. Similarly, disasters tend to cover only a specific geographical area — even if this area may be large and span across borders. The local nature of disasters and climate adaptation can be used by national or federal powers to evade their responsibility. In Spain, for example, the central and a local government _[blamed each other](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/26/spain-bans-fertilisers-near-saltwater-lagoon-after-dead-fish-wash-up)_ for the mismanagement of a lagoon where thousands of fish have been appearing dead. Investigators have a role to play in clarifying responsibilities in these types of cases. At the same time, climate change adaptation and disaster investigations – because they are by nature local – have the potential to deeply connect with local contexts and audiences. People tend to care about changes to their close environment, such as local lakes, rivers or forests, as well as the potential risks they and their families face. This means that climate adaptation stories can be highly relatable and manage to make people care. When journalists at the Norwegian public broadcaster set out to create an article depicting climate change’s current impact in the country, for example, they did not expect that the resulting piece — _[Chasing Climate Change](https://www.nrk.no/chasing-climate-change-1.14859595)_ — would be so successful. The project [attracted one million page-views](https://gijn.org/2021/07/26/climate-storytelling-impact-lessons-from-norways-public-broadcaster/) (in a country of five million people) and won several awards. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/climate-change-adaptation/image-caa-nrk-investigation.jpg) Image: “Chasing Climate Change” project. Source: NRK / <https://www.nrk.no/chasing-climate-change-1.14859595> In addition, climate adaptation stories have the potential to connect people across different contexts. Climate impacts threaten different states or regions of the world indiscriminately. Although each country may have different vulnerabilities and coping capacities, for example, forest fires similarly threaten [Russia](https://abcnews.go.com/International/siberian-wildfires-now-bigger-fires-world-combined/story?id=79422602), [Australia](https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/c2wlvy54gd1t/australia-fires), [Turkey](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/greece-turkey-wildfires-sparked-by-reality-of-climate-change/) or the [USA](https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/01/us/us-western-wildfires-sunday/index.html). This means that parts of the world’s climate adaptation strategies can inform others. What can German city planners learn from [Bangladesh](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/01/opinion/bangladesh-floods.html)’s experience with floods? How can UK firefighters [apply the methods](https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/08/07/death-divorce-and-depression-firefighters-on-the-frontline-of-europes-climate-crisis) developed by their Italian or French colleagues? How can [Chilean](https://www.dw.com/en/earthquake-preparedness-what-can-we-learn-from-chile/a-55613842) or [Japanese](https://thediplomat.com/2015/03/4-years-later-what-japan-can-teach-the-world-about-disaster-preparedness/) earthquake preparedness help Haiti or [Turkey](https://apnews.com/article/turkey-japan-earthquakes-4547c9e6d98bc8cfecd2fc0c99fa1a83) cope with seismic risks? Similarly, an investigation uncovering abuse or mismanagement in climate change adaptation policies in one country can help another one to hold its decision-makers accountable. Climate change adaptation investigations can be localized, scaled down or scaled up to fit a specific context. In addition, action or inaction from one country or region directly affects the safety of its neighbours. Since hazards rarely stop at the border and climate adaptation strategies can generate new geopolitical tensions, it is necessary to also investigate these issues across-borders. Cross-border investigations can ensure that better climate change adaptation measures are rolled-out across regions, that one country’s coping capacity does not increase its neighbour’s vulnerability, and that unnecessary deaths from climate disasters are prevented. Climate adaptation investigations require investigators to collaborate with each other, as well as with other fields of knowledge. Journalists, for example, can collaborate with scientists, activists, citizen investigators or technologists to better understand unfolding processes of climate adaptation. Artists, photographs or filmmakers can bring this information closer to people and turn investigations and evidence into more accessible stories or events that can ‘touch’ and engage people. This way, investigations can depict a clearer and more relevant image of current and future climate risks and adaptation measures and, ultimately, make a difference. <hr class="thick"> Published in June 2023 (based on an updated 2021 article by the author: _["No Disaster Is Natural: How investigating climate change adaptation could make a difference"](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/en/articles/investigating-climate-change-adaptation/)_) ## Resources ### Research, articles and guides: - _[Carbon Brief](https://www.carbonbrief.org/)_ — UK-based website covering the latest developments in climate science, climate policy and energy policy. _*[“Climate Crisis](https://gijn.org/climate-crisis-ideas-for-investigative-journalists/)_: Ideas for Investigative Journalists” - a guide by the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN): * _*[Covering Climate Change: A Workshop for Journalists](https://nieman.harvard.edu/sites/covering-climate-change/videos/)_, hosted by the Nieman Foundation in March 2020 - includes a series of recorded workshop sessions with researchers, activists, journalists and scientists. _*[Inside Climate News](https://insideclimatenews.org/)_ - website reporting on climate crises. _*[Prevention Web](https://www.preventionweb.net/)_ - global knowledge sharing platform for disaster risk reduction and resilience, maintained by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. _*[“Reporting on Climate Adaptation”](http://reportingonclimateadaptation.org/resources/)_ - reporting guides, news, resources. ### Tools and databases _*[European Space Agency (ESA) Climate Data Dashboard](https://climate.esa.int/en/odp/#/dashboard)_ - including maps and datasets. _*[Global Wildfire Information System](https://gwis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/)_ - a joint initiative of the [GEO](https://www.earthobservations.org/geoss_wp.php) and the [Copernicus](http://copernicus.eu/main/emergency-management), bringing together information regional and national sources on fire regimes and fire effects at global level. _*[NASA’s Worldview](https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/)_ - historical resource to explore satellite imagery provided by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and events occurring around the world. _*[NASA’s Global Climate Change platform](https://climate.nasa.gov/)_ including articles and datasets. _*[NASA's World of Change “Earth Observatory”](https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world-of-change)_. _*[United Nations (UN) Environment Program](https://wesr.unep.org)_ / World Environment Situation Room - including research, statistics, reports. ### Collaborative networks and organisations _*[The ARENA Climate Network](https://journalismarena.eu/the-networks/the-climate-and-energy-network/)_ _*[Climate Tracker](https://act.climatetracker.org/)_ _*[The Environmental Investigative Forum](https://eiforum.org/)_ _*[The Earth Journalism Network](https://earthjournalism.net/)_ _*[The Environmental Justice Foundation](https://ejfoundation.org/)_ ## Glossary ### term-cc Climate change* — Change in the usual weather found in a place. (source: <https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/what-is-climate-change-k4.html>) ### term-cca Climate change adaptation — The process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects, in order to moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities. (source: <https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/glossary/>) ### term-cc-mitigation Climate change mitigation — Human intervention to reduce emissions or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases. (source: <https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/glossary/>) ### term-coping-capacity Coping capacity — The combination of all the strengths, attributes and resources available within an organization, community or society to manage and reduce disaster risks. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/capacity>) ### term-disaster Disaster — A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society due to hazardous events interacting with conditions of exposure, vulnerability and capacity, leading human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/disaster>) ### term-exposure Exposure — The situation of people, infrastructure, housing, production capacities and other tangible human assets located in hazard-prone areas. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/exposure>) ### term-gg-emissions Greenhouse gas emissions — Emission of gases responsible for warming the atmosphere up, such as water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and ozone (O3). (source: <https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/glossary/>) ### term-hazard Hazard — A process, phenomenon or human activity that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/hazard>) ### term-mitigation Mitigation — The lessening or minimizing of the adverse impacts of a hazardous event. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/mitigation>) ### term-preparedness Preparedness — The knowledge and capacities developed by governments, response and recovery organizations, communities and individuals to effectively anticipate, respond to and recover from the impacts of likely, imminent or current disasters. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/preparedness>) ### term-recovery Recovery — The restoring or improving of livelihoods and health, as well as economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets, systems and activities, of a disaster-affected community or society \[…] to avoid or reduce future disaster risk. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/recovery>) ### term-response Response — Actions taken directly before, during or immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people affected. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/response>) ### term-vulnerability Vulnerability — The conditions determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors or processes which increase the susceptibility of an individual, a community, assets or systems to the impacts of hazards. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/vulnerability>)
climate-change-adaptation.basename	climate-change-adaptation
collaboration.preview	Investigation is Collaboration: How to Make It Work …

Key	English	Italian
about.basename	about
about.content	# The Kit The Kit is a collaborative, self-learning resource that makes investigative techniques and tools used by experienced investigators more accessible to people and communities who feel motivated to start their own investigations, collect and verify information, build evidence and create a better understanding of issues without losing sight of ethical or safety considerations. The Kit is a resource of [Exposing the Invisible (ETI)](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/). <br> <br> Please contact our team with feedback, questions, suggestions for additional content or intentions to collaborate on expanding the Kit by writing to [eti@tacticaltech.org](mailto:eti@tacticaltech.org) (GPG Key fingerprint: BD30 C622 D030 FCF1 38EC C26D DD04 627E 1411 0C02). <br> <br> ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/about_break.png) ## Exposing the Invisible [Exposing the Invisible (ETI)](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/) is a [Tactical Tech](https://tacticaltech.org/) project that has been actively experimenting with ways to promote investigation as one of the most important forms of public engagement. Through a series of films, interviews, guides and resources, ETI looks at different techniques, tools and methods along with the individual practices of those working at the new frontiers of investigation. - [eti@tacticaltech.org](mailto:eti@tacticaltech.org) - [GPG Key](https://keys.ttc.io/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xB0D6B0CF9491FED8) fingerprint: B0D6 B0CF 9491 FED8 ## Tactical Tech [Tactical Tech](https://tacticaltech.org/) is a Berlin-based non-profit organization that investigates the evolving impact of digital technologies on society. Through their work they aim to educate, advocate and create practical solutions that contribute to the wider socio-political debate around digital security, privacy and the ethics of data. - [@info\_activism](https://twitter.com/info_activism) - [facebook.com/tactical.tech](https://facebook.com/tactical.tech) - [ttc@tacticaltech.org](mailto:ttc@tacticaltech.org) - [GPG Key](https://keys.ttc.io/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xF6B047919EC6096D) fingerprint: 0X9B7146F981654FBEE17A0CAAF6B047919EC6096D <hr class="thick"> ### [Get started with The Kit](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/preamble.html)
about.preview	# The Kit The Kit is a collaborative, self-learning resource that …	# Il Kit Il Kit è una risorsa collaborativa di autoformazione che…
ad-watch.basename	ad-watch
ad-watch.content	# ad.watch - Investigating Political Advertisements on Facebook By Manuel Beltrán and Nayantara Ranganathan ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/ad-watch-cik-illustration.png) ```cik-in-short ``` IN SHORT: Two investigators trace their process of creating the project ad.watch, an open-research-style investigation into political advertising on Facebook. This case study traces the project's evolution - with its revelations, roadblocks, techniques and tools - from a limited endeavour to a growing resource that facilitates investigations on political ads around the world. --- This is about how we came to publish _[ad.watch](https://ad.watch/)_, a project uncovering information about the political advertisements (ads) published on Facebook and Instagram. Much of the advertising on the internet is personalised, a method commonly referred to as [targeted advertising](#term-targetads). Targeted ads use psychological, behavioral and other kinds of information about people to present each of us with a different message. The difference may be in the content, design, delivery or other characteristics. The tailoring of messages is complemented with information about its effectiveness, allowing for the testing of assumptions created during the psychological or behavioural profiling. Because politicians today use online platforms to advertise their campaigns and promote their messages, and these platforms deliver the ads on the basis of personal information, the phrase "the personal is political" has gained a whole new dimension. Ads are personalised according to our personal data and behavioural patterns, and we receive these targeted ads on our personal screens. However, understanding these mechanisms is not straightforward. The advertising delivery infrastructure operates invisibly, with platforms going to great lengths to obfuscate their mechanisms and establish many barriers to understanding how they function. Often, even advertisers don't get the full picture of who their ads reach, or why. We are Nayantara and Manuel, and we created ad.watch to understand the new channels, over which propaganda is created and circulates online. Data on political ads on social media platforms ----------------------------------------------- ad.watch compiles political ads posted on Facebook and Instagram from over 300 political actors in 39 countries. It includes visualised data and stories that allow you to browse through these ads and analyse them individually or as datasets per country, political party and other categories. The project emphasises that in order to understand how political propaganda functions online, we cannot simply study how it looks or what it says. Crucially, we must also pay attention to how it circulates. That means looking at information about how ads cater to different categorisations of people -- according to where they live, their age, their perceived gender and so on. At the time of writing this methodology case in the end of 2019, it has been more than five months since we released the project. The responses to it have been overwhelmingly positive, and it has been used by journalists covering elections and social media to investigate issues in a number of countries. > "I've been an investigative reporter for a long time, and data like this are essential for reporting on campaign activity in the digital age. Only looking at contributions and expenditures in disclosure reports isn't enough anymore," posted a user who shared the link to ad.watch on [HackerNews](https://web.archive.org/web/20200130082354/https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21091221). The project has been featured in news outlets and tech reporting sites like [Vice](https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pa7edb/this-tool-lets-you-see-facebooks-targeted-political-ads-all-over-the-world), [Huffington Post](https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/ad-watch-facebook-ads-library-political-advertising-fake-news_in_5d41ab92e4b0db8affb1df0d?) and [The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/society/in-the-crosshairs-of-facebook-ads-understanding-the-new-infrastructures-of-political-propaganda/article30122412.ece). Television media like SkyNews in the UK and ORF in Austria used the data to uncover stories about UK politics and the Austrian elections. It has also fed into ongoing conversations on political ads and platform policies and has been presented in art exhibitions in The Netherlands, Argentina, Norway, the United States and India. But we did not get to this point easily. The questions we asked ourselves changed over time, and our expertise and skills didn't always match the tasks we wanted to complete. Trying to understand the operations of such an obscure infrastructure of an exceptionally powerful company was a mammoth task. Since we did not have a specific goal at the outset, we followed threads that were interesting for us and tried getting around obstacles. We therefore narrate the story of the investigative journey of ad.watch through different practical, ethical, technical and political considerations. ### Making sense of the Indian elections We were in India in April 2019 when the Indian general elections began. It was supposedly the largest exercise of democracy in history. Because of the size of the country, with its population of over 1.3 billion people and the large number of Parliamentary seats (545), elections were to happen in seven phases over a one-month period from 11 April to 19 May 2019. Different regions had elections on different days. As we were both curious about technology and politics, we began to observe the role of the internet, data and social media companies in the elections. We became particularly interested in understanding how forms of new media were functioning during the electoral process. The role of TV, newspapers and other traditional media for political campaigning is fairly well understood -- it has regulations that apply to it, and has been the subject of popular culture for a while. But there was little public awareness and insight into the relationship between social media and targeted political advertisements and how that would be approached by regulators, by the public and by curious researchers like us. Social media platforms have grown quickly and in some cases dominate the media ecosystem during elections. Internet phenomena like "trending topics" (topics that are popular at particular times) also influence the direction of reporting and debate on traditional media. Yet these phenomena -- and how they are generated and how they spread -- are rather opaque. This makes it difficult for lawmakers or the general public to have appropriate responses. This state of affairs was a motivation for us to focus on election propaganda on social media. Because the Indian electoral law was put in place long before the use of personalised digital ads, we had to wonder how these laws would be enforced on social media platforms, particularly with the staggered nature of elections. One particular detail we were curious about was whether the 'silence period' would be observed on social media and how the Election Commission of India would monitor this. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >The silence period is a time just before the election days when >political parties are not permitted to campaign, organise rallies or >publish ads. This is meant to give voters a period where they can >reflect and make up their mind without additional influence from >campaigning that might affect their voting decision. Propaganda circulates in India over a vast range of platforms. The usual suspects like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Google and Twitter were being used in interesting ways, but others like ShareChat and TikTok were also home to vast amounts of organised and unorganised propaganda. We started keeping an eye out for different election-related measures taken by these platforms, as well as by food delivery and fintech (finance technology services) apps like Swiggy, PayTM and others. We spent some time researching how internet platforms were dealing with the use of their platforms for political messaging and advertising. We found different approaches: by mid-2019 [TikTok introduced a feature](https://qz.com/india/1593022/after-whatsapp-and-facebook-tiktok-fights-fake-news-in-india/) by which search results and popular political hashtags would have a public service announcement asking people to guard against 'fake news'; others, like Google, required certification from local authorities before an ad ran on Google's advertising platforms. After [several scandals](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/mar/17/the-cambridge-analytica-scandal-changed-the-world-but-it-didnt-change-facebook) about their role in the manipulation of elections, Facebook was under a lot of pressure to take preemptive action. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-tiktok.png) Screenshot: Some hashtags like on Tiktok like #Ambedkar appeared with a “Public Service Announcement” calling for responsible behaviour, while others like #chowkidar that aggregated incendiary content directly relevant to the elections did not have the same PSA. Date: 3 May 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. There was no single, clear guideline or approach that all the platforms were sharing. Instead, each company was testing the waters to see how it would deal with the Indian elections and the flood of political content. In order to explore this further, we had to decide which digital platforms to monitor. As we didn't have the time or resources to investigate them all, we decided to focus the preliminary part of the investigation on Facebook, because we knew that it was one of the most widely used online advertising platforms in India. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >With more than 241 million active users every month (as of early 2020), Facebook has more >users in India than in any other country. Facebook happens to be one of >the most widely used social media platforms in India after WhatsAapp, >which is also owned by Facebook (at the time of writing from late 2019-early 2020). Starting this investigation wasn't easy. Facebook had recently rolled out tools that aimed to make political ads more transparent in [India](https://about.fb.com/news/2018/12/ad-transparency-in-india/) and [elsewhere](https://about.fb.com/news/2020/01/political-ads/). ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-fb-disclaimer.png) Screenshot: Facebook’s announcement about introducing “Ads disclaimer,” “Ad Library” and enforcement mechanisms. Date: 10 June 2019. Source: <https://about.fb.com/news/2018/12/ad-transparency-in-india/>, archived link [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405203000/https://about.fb.com/news/2018/12/ad-transparency-in-india/). Facebook's Ad Library provided a way for people to browse political ads through keyword searches and page name searches. But as we started exploring it, we found problems with it: the search queries did not return comprehensive results -- just a selection of ads whose logic was unclear to us. Furthermore, there was no way to find the exact copy of the ad you might have noticed in the tool earlier, as the ads were not tagged with any [unique identifiers](#term-uniqueid) to trace them. Our intention was to retrieve the data to monitor the silence period across the seven-phase elections, which meant that we needed to filter ads both by region and by the period for which the ads were running. Such an investigation was beyond the scope of what the Ad Library was able to offer. (Months later, the Ad Library tagged every ad campaign with unique numeric codes or 'identifiers' for traceability.) This pushed us to look for alternative ways to monitor the ads for the purposes of our inquiry. We came to the conclusion that we needed to build our own database of ads. After digging further we found an unknown and barely documented tool called [Facebook Ad Library API](https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/api) (Application Programming Interface), which had just been released at the time that we looked into it in 2019. All the places where one would look for information about the tool back then -- [Github](https://github.com/), [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/) and such fora -- were silent about the use of the [API](#term-api). Facebook made little effort to document and communicate about it. We hoped that finding our way around the API could potentially allow us to build our own database in a programmatic way (although neither of us had advanced programming skills) and ask more meaningful questions of the data. Gaining access to the API involved several demanding steps: - we had to have a Facebook account - this account had to have the exact same name as our official government-issued documents - We had to add a phone number to our account and enable 2 factor authentication - we had to submit a copy of our proof of identity from a selected list of documents that Facebook accepts, such as a driver’s license, etc. - and finally, depending on our nationality, we had to follow additional steps This list differs from country to country. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >In the course of this process, we faced a few difficulties while >getting verified, including a house visit, >[but we will come to that later](#verification-by-facebook). As challenging as it was to get verified, it was equally challenging to learn how to use the platform once we gained access to it. ### Getting familiar with the API We finally made it to Facebook's API, but at this stage, we didn't know much about how to use it. As you will see, in the course of learning to use it, we encountered questions about how to create queries but also how to re-purpose the results into a form that would be useful. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-fb-graph.png) Screenshot: The Facebook Graph API. Date: 10 June 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. ```cik-example ``` >*Manuel* > >I spent many days understanding how to create queries >and what it was possible to query in the first place. In the absence of >proper documentation of the API, and without much discussion about it on >other fora (perhaps because it was newly released), this was all new and >uncharted terrain. In order to use the platform, I had to devise a query >(a list of coded questions) that asked Facebook for the data I needed. > >In the beginning I started [querying](#term-query) ads by the `&search_terms` >parameter, which returns all the ads containing the term in question. >For example, by querying `&search_terms='modi'` I received all the >ads containing the text 'modi' (i.e. Narendra Damodardas Modi -- >candidate in 2019 Indian elections, and Prime Minister of India since >2014 and as of 2019 when writing this piece) and shown in the countries >specified in the mandatory `&ad_reached_countries=['IN']` >parameter. The countries are specified through a two-letter [ISO country code](#term-iso), IN for India, in this case. By querying the API through the search terms we were able to obtain all the different ads about a particular term. However, this wasn't suited to our task of comprehensively understanding all the political ads purchased by a particular party in India, as the most extensive keyword search would always leave some ads out of the scope. Besides, sometimes the ads were in languages other than English, or contained [unicode](#term-unicode) characters like emojis that we could not anticipate. Instead of searching through the keyword method, we tried using the parameter `&search_page_ids=`, but we soon learned that searching for pages and searching with keywords were not compatible and could not be used simultaneously. We decided to drop the keyword method and went with using [Page IDs](#term-fbpageid) as the entry points. What this allowed us to do was collect all the ads on a Facebook page within a given country. We discovered that up to 10 different Page IDs could be added in one query. This led us to consider the possibility of solving the problem of collecting all the ads by political actors by manually collecting all their Page IDs and constructing one query for each 10. The first step was to identify the political actors whose ads we needed to collect. In the case of India, this was done by Nayantara, since she was familiar with the context. We then verified it with other people in our networks. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-ysr-congress.png) Screenshot: Page of YSR Congress Party on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/ysrcpofficial/](https://www.facebook.com/ysrcpofficial/). Date: 29 November 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. Once we had the full list of main political candidates and political parties we were interested in, we needed to search online for their Facebook pages to obtain their Page IDs -- a number that uniquely identifies each FB page. This involved a dedicated process for each page. First, we needed to find the political actors' pages on Facebook. In some cases, the pages were easy to find; other times we had to discern if they were fan pages or official pages. Some political actors had multiple pages; some pages were constantly changing names because of coalitions or due to rebranding; and sometimes there were no pages for some parties and candidates. This meant we had to do a lot of work to understand whether we had arrived at the right page. Posts of these pages were sometimes in regional languages, and in India alone there are 22 official languages and nine different scripts. And naturally, this challenge grew increasingly complex when the project grew, as we will see later. Once we collected the Facebook pages, we followed a simple but repetitive task: - Right-click on the profile picture and open it in a new tab. - Within this URL, find the Page ID number, select and save it. In this way, we mapped, collected and verified the Page IDs. Once we had this list of Page IDs, we composed our query, which looked like this: ```cik-recommendation ``` >ads_archive?ad_active_status=ALL&ad_reached_countries=['IN']&fields=ad_snapshot_url,ad_creation_time,ad_creative_body,ad_creative_link_caption,ad_creative_link_description,ad_creative_link_title,ad_delivery_start_time,ad_delivery_stop_time,currency,demographic_distribution,funding_entity,impressions,page_id,page_name,region_distribution,spend&limit=99&search_page_ids=121439954563203,218904931482352,351616078284404,1447651982136257,1473429256300357,192136870799912,290805814352519,241701912507991,245976872240667,163382127013868&transport=cors As you can see above, we also included other parameters, which were mentioned in the otherwise sparse Facebook documentation of the API: - `ad_active_status=ALL` - which means we were looking for all the ads, active and inactive. - `ad_reached_countries=['IN']` - which means that the country where the ads have reached must be India (IN). - `limit=99` means that we only want 99 results. This parameter is extremely important as we will understand later. - and the fields we wanted to get responses to are what we have after `&fields=` directive: ```cik-recommendation ``` >ad_snapshot_url,ad_creation_time,ad_creative_body,ad_creative_link_caption,ad_creative_link_description,ad_creative_link_title,ad_delivery_start_time,ad_delivery_stop_time,currency,demographic_distribution,funding_entity,impressions,page_id,page_name,region_distribution,spend Facebook later incorporated the `&platform_publisher` parameter, which is meant to tell us if the ad appears on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger or Audience Network. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >[Audience Network](https://www.facebook.com/business/marketing/audience-network) >allows third party apps to use Facebook's targeting infrastructure to >deliver ads on platforms outside of Facebook and Instagram. For each ad, the responses we sought were the following: - ad_snapshot_url - the ad snapshot URL (the unique identifier of each ad) - ad_creation_time - the time at which the ad was created - ad_creative_body - the creative body of the ad (content usually in the form of text and sometimes emojis) - ad_creative_link_title - links that might be added in the content (often these lead to surveys where more data is asked for) - ad_creative_link_caption -- captions that can accompany the links (like 'Learn More' or 'Click Here') - ad_delivery_start_time - the time at which the ad was scheduled to be delivered - ad_delivery_stop_time - the time at which the ad was scheduled to stop being delivered - currency - the currency in which it was paid for - demographic_distribution - the ages and genders of the people to whom the ad was delivered - funding_entity - the entity that paid for the ad - impressions - the number of times the ad might have been viewed - page_id - the page identifier (ID), - page_name - the name of the page - region_distribution- the regions in which the ad was delivered - spend - a range of money that was spent on the particular ad In the query shown above, it meant that we were looking for ads, both active and inactive, that reached India, of ten political actors, up to a limit of 99 ads. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-query-results.png) Screenshot: Inputting the query above on <https://developers.facebook.com> returns data in this form. Date: 30 November 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. This query returned some data, and it was our first step towards gaining an understanding of what the data looked like. Even by this stage, we had only managed to collect data on the 99 most recent ads. Facebook allowed for collection of up to 5,000 ads, but the likelihood of the query crashing increased dramatically as we raised the number of ads requested. It would happen so often that the browser tab from where we visited the Ad Library API would freeze when we made a large query. So we stuck to queries that returned between 99 and 200 results. We needed to find a way to get beyond the 99 results that were practical to collect, but also beyond the 5,000 that was theoretically offered in order to collect all the ads. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >The API queries would unexpectedly crash for unknown reasons, sometimes >working, sometimes not, and sometimes delivering different errors for >the exact same query. By this time, it became obvious to us that >Facebook's lack of interest in documenting the API was paired with >possible deterrents for people to collect data systematically. The scale >of the barriers made us wonder if the platform was intentionally >blocking us from accessing the data, and if the release of the Ad >Library and API was a way to whitewash transparency concerns with a >purposely unsuited tool. It also occurred during a period in which >[Facebook was cracking >down](https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2019/04/25/api-updates/) >on a lot of software companies for collecting data from their regular >API. These bans can be seen as a strategic move in the aftermath of the >_[Cambridge Analytica scandal](https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/cambridge-analytica-files)_, where Facebook used the scandal to limit transparency under the banner >of protecting user's privacy. Besides, the effectiveness of user >targeting and the competitive edge of the Facebook advertising platform >logically depends on minimal disclosure about its internal workings. At the bottom of the page of results for the query, we found a URL with a 'pagination' number. This link took us to a different URL where the next page of (99) results appeared. And so on. The key part of the pagination was in the returned parameter `&after=`. A unique sequence of numbers and characters were given that pointed to the next page of results for the same query. We found that if we included this pagination in our next query, it would lead us to page 2, then 3, etc. It looked like this: `&after=c2NyYXBpbmdfY3Vyc29yOk1UVTFPREV3TXpRd01Eb3pNRGM0Tmprd056WTRNamd6T0RVPQZDZD` There was no way of knowing how many pages of results there were going to be until we went through all of them. But in this way we could at least manually go through each page of results and copy the data from the browser to a text file. The data was given in [JSON](#term-json) format, and every page contained the syntax of the beginning and the end of the file. This meant that if we stored the data as it came, we would have had to create one file for each page of results. We quickly realised that saving the results of every 99 ads in a separate file would be an extremely arduous and inefficient task. So we looked for a way to copy the result of the JSON query without the header and footer. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >The header means the portion of the response that indicates that the >data begins at that point and is contained below. This is how it looks >for the JSON responses by the Ad Library API: `{ "data": [` > >And the footer, which that indicates that the data ends there, looks >like this: `] }` From the first page of a given query, we stored the header and the content, but not the footer. From all the following ones, we saved just the content without the header and footer, and when we reached the last page of the results we only collected the content and the footer. We could identify the last page of the results because on the final page, there would be no more pagination links leading to the next page of results. This way we managed to have data about the 10 political parties and political actors in just one JSON file. For this system to succeed, we needed to add a comma (,) and a line break in place of the footer that we removed. In this way we use the JSON syntax to indicate that instead of the end of the file, more ads would follow. The pagination was useful in getting around the regular crashes of the API, as we used it to restart the data collection process from the page where it crashed. We spent time trying to figure out why these crashes were happening but we could not find clear reasons. Sometimes we'd retry with the same query and it wouldn't crash. Overall it helped to use a low amount of results from the parameter `&limit=`, and to not be too fast in doing the queries. We constantly had to walk the line between not getting blocked from 'overusing' the API while also avoiding the unpredictable crashes. The trial and error approach also created other problems for us, such as getting blocked by the rate limits of the API. Facebook had not specified the limits of use, but some undefined ones were clearly in place. Our first efforts to automate the collection of data with a [Python](#term-python) script were deterred and it seemed as if Facebook was deliberately making it hard to automate the collection, and would give more chances of success when queries were made from smaller, slower, manual interactions. The challenge at this point therefore became how to automate the collection of ads while still making it seem like a manual, human effort. We developed a very mechanical and repetitive pattern to collect the data manually. The work flow looked like this: - load a query - copy the result except the footer - click the next page - while the next page loads, paste the data in a text file - add the comma and jump of line to keep the continuity of data in the syntax - switch tabs - copy the data without header and footer - paste it in the document - add the comma and the jump of line... ```cik-example ``` >*Manuel* > >Shortcuts like `ctrl+c`, `ctrl+v`, and `alt+tab` >helped make this mechanical process more efficient. To make the job of >the API and my own actions efficient and synchronised, I tweaked the >`&limit=` parameter to return data that would take the same amount of >time to load in the browser as the time needed to complete my part of >the workflow of copy-pasting data into the text file. The randomness of >human behaviour circumvented the FB blocks and crashes most of the time. >Nevertheless it was an extremely slow, repetitive and meticulous task. >It became an endurance routine of spending hours every day just >performing this manual collection of data, building megabytes and then >gigabytes of JSON data through this method. > >I became very efficient at it, to the point where I could do it without >thinking, embodying the movements required, like riding a bicycle. The >challenge was to keep myself sane while continuing the task. Through >this system we eventually collected all the ads' data on the political >actors we were researching in India. ### Violations of the silence period The Indian electoral law imposes a silence period 48 hours prior to the day of elections -- which means that all campaign activities, including online and offline advertisements, are banned for the two days prior to election time. If these rules were to be followed on the internet, our query to the Facebook Ad Library API should not have returned advertisements running from the 10th of April 2019 until the end of the day on the 11th of April 2019 (the day of the first phase of elections). To see whether this was the case, we needed to find a way to make sense of the data we had collected. It was in JSON format, so we needed software that could handle and help analyse JSON data. ```cik-example ``` >*Manuel* > >While looking up web forums, I learned about >[Tableau](https://public.tableau.com/), a data >visualisation and analysis software. I downloaded the trial version of >Tableau Public, a software available for computers running Windows OS. >Working with Tableau Public was not straightforward from the start. I >needed some tips from various fora on the internet and explanations on >YouTube to understand what one does after getting hold of data in JSON >format. > >But Tableau is not available for Linux, which is the Operating System I >normally run on my computer. So to be able to use Tableau, I downloaded >a virtualisation software called VirtualBox. Virtualisation software >allows you to run a different OS than the one installed on your computer >without needing to add another OS on your device. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-virtualbox.png) Screenshot: VirtualBox, an application that allows you to use your computer to virtually access another machine. Date: 20 July 2019. Source: Manuel Beltrán. Once set up and installed, we used Tableau to make sense of the data. We had to play around with Tableau to understand how to make the software read the data we had, how to make it read multiple files of data, what the structure of such combined data would have to be, and generally what features Tableau offered. We were able to ask questions like: - What ads were shown in a certain window of time? - Which political parties were showing ads in which regions? - What ads were old men in south India seeing? One parameter that we thought would be helpful in understanding which ads were violating the silence period was `"ad_creation_time,"` which records a date in this format: `"2019-04-02T17:22:45+0000."` But after further study we realised that the date and time at which an ad was created did not necessarily coincide with the time when it was delivered to people. To understand when ads ran, the more useful parameters were `"ad_delivery_start_time"` and `"ad_delivery_stop_time."` This gave us the range of time within which an ad made its way onto people's screens. Because of the multi-phase nature of the Indian elections (i.e. voting taking place at different times in different regions) we also had to match the silence period times with the corresponding regions that were going to the polls and therefore subject to these silence periods. To understand that, we used the parameter `"region_distribution."` We filtered the data to show ads that were active during the silence period of a specific region and analysed them further. We started to see that the violations were not accidental or exceptional, but rather routine. Using the parameters of `"ad_start_date"` and `"ad_stop_date,"` we identified ads that were running during the silence period. On top of this, we used the `"region_distribution"` parameter to isolate ads that were running in the silence period for particular states. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-tableau-viz.png) Screenshot: A step in the process of understanding the number of ads in violation of the silence period using Tableau visualisation software. Date: 20 July 2019. Source: Manuel Beltrán. In this way, we started to systematically collect all the ads that violated the silence period. At this moment we were already about to enter the fifth phase of the elections so we collected violations of the first four phases. We learnt that one of the most important metrics -- the amount of money spent on ads -- was provided only as a range. This complicated our efforts to determine the expenditure of political actors. But since this was such a crucial piece of information, we decided to arrive at a compromise and calculated the average of the range for every ad. As expected, this information led to several interesting discoveries. Some political actors who had created thousands of advertisements had spent less money than political actors who had created fewer ads but with a larger spend. We understood that the number of ads is not always directly proportional to the amount of money spent. For our investigation on the silence period, it meant that even if one party had many more advertisements in violation, it was possible that another party had spent much more money on timed ads breaking the silence period. These were important observations as we deconstructed the meaning of these violations and their scope. In total, we collected 2,235 advertisements in violation of the silence period in India during the first four phases. Once we realised that we had concrete evidence of violations, we faced the question that many researchers and investigators struggle with: "What can we do about it?" At this point, the country was still in the middle of the multi-phase election, with a couple of weeks to go before it concluded. Our options were either to notify Facebook of the violations or to notify the Indian Election Commission (EC). There was of course the third option: to continue documenting it and writing about it. However, without a media affiliation or a publishing platform, we were not sure that this would be the most impactful route. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >Even though we did not really expect the Election Commission (EC) to be equipped or inclined >to tackle this, we were more hesitant to notify Facebook about the >evidence. Reporting these violations to Facebook would have meant that >we placed the responsibility of ensuring the integrity of democratic >processes on a foreign private company with a terrible record of >accountability, instead of on a democratic institution. It would have >meant that we would be actively entrusting Facebook with oversight >functions that have a significant impact on our electoral processes. >Although we imagined that reporting to Facebook would be a quicker way >to get the ads taken down, as a matter of principle we decided to report >it first to the EC and publish our findings to the public. We filed a report with evidence of the data on the 2,235 advertisements in violation, categorised by the four phases of the elections along with a short explanation. As expected, we received no response. Along with reporting to the EC, we also decided to write about it. HuffingtonPost India agreed to run our story with the findings about the [violations of the silence period](https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/violations-election-campaigning-on-facebook_in_5cd012f1e4b0e4d75735734b) by political ads on Facebook. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-huffpost-india.png) Illustrative image accompanying the reporting. Credits: Manuel Beltrán and Nayantara Ranganathan. The violations continued to take place in the remaining phases of the election and, to our knowledge, no action has been taken so far. Towards ad.watch ---------------- ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/ad-watch_02-cik-illustration.png) In the course of finding answers to our specific questions about the silence period, we found other interesting ways of reading the data through Tableau. One of the main challenges here was understanding how to structure the data. As the data we were collecting was in multiple files, we had to make sure that files were "stacking up" the right way. We designed the data collection in such a way that there were cut-off limits for files on the basis of their size. This meant that if a political actor's ad data was massive (like Donald Trump's has been), then the file would contain fewer than the standard number of ten actors' ad data, and instead just contain one politician's data. We were able to get a grip on structuring the data through much trial and error, as well as with help from the Tableau community forums and YouTube videos about the tool. Since it is such a popular data analysis and visualisation tool, finding answers to such details was a matter of exploring already available fora. Apart from the breaches of the silence period, we found other interesting details: the architecture of the information on political ads, the categories of information available as well as the data that was missing, were all revealing. For example, we learned that Facebook profiled people into gender binaries of male and female, despite allowing users to identify amongst a broad range of options on the user side. This was an interesting peek into how differently things work at the user-experience level versus how they work at the back-end infrastructure designed for marketing. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-fb-custom-gender.png) Screenshot: Dropdown menu options that appear on Facebook account settings after you choose to set your gender as “Custom”. Date taken 29 November 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-fb-gender-binary.png) Screenshot: Segmentation of Facebook users into the gender binary, visible in the process of creating ads or boosting posts. Date taken 29 November 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. Once we managed to uncover the silence period breaches, the Indian elections were well underway, and the [2019 European Parliamentary elections](https://www.europarl.europa.eu/at-your-service/en/be-heard/elections) were approaching. On this occasion, we also started digging into data on Spanish parties for the European Parliament elections and the Spanish municipal and national elections of 2019. Slowly, we began broadening the scope of our data collection and research. Although we were now collecting and exploring Facebook ad data from various contexts, we were uncomfortable writing stories about countries that we had no context or knowledge of. Beyond that, we felt it was somehow incorrect to do so even if we'd had some understanding of the places or found collaborators from different countries. But while staying in our lane, we also wanted to make this data in other countries accessible. We decided that we would collect the data available in all the countries, but leave the analysis and investigations to whomever might be interested in taking them up. We connected with colleagues and friends in other parts of the world where elections were going on to see if the data we were collecting might be useful for them directly or if they were interested in advocating for releasing similar data in those regions, too. For example in the Philippines, Facebook is a crucial channel for the Duterte government's disinformation campaigns. The Philippines also happens to be one of the labour markets for exploitative and traumatic contract jobs for content moderation, including for Facebook. We spoke to a friend and colleague in the Philippines to share what we had worked on, and heard about the developments and preparations from there. Once we decided to start looking at political ads globally, we had to seriously consider what approach to take, which groups or persons were already working on projects related to political advertising and what gaps we might be able to fill. We knew that _[FBTrex](https://facebook.tracking.exposed/)_ for example, is a tool that helped users collect metadata of posts including political ads that show up in their newsfeeds by installing a [browser extension](#term-extension). ```cik-tip ``` >Tips: > >[Facebook Tracking >Exposed](https://facebook.tracking.exposed/) (FBTrex) is a >project whose vision is that individuals should be in control of their >algorithms. Among other things, the project offers a browser [plugin](#term-plugin) that >collects the metadata of all the public posts on your timeline and >allows you to either contribute this data to a public dataset, or keep >it private for your own use. FBTrex also allows researchers (and users) >to use/reuse a portion of the data through their >[API](https://facebook.tracking.exposed/docs/). > >_[ProPublica](https://www.propublica.org/)_ has created a >tool called _[Political Ad Collector](https://projects.propublica.org/political-ad-collector/)_, >which allows you to install a browser plugin that collects all the >political ads you see while browsing and sends them to a database that >enables ProPublica to better analyse the nature of political ad >targeting. > >_[Who Targets Me](https://whotargets.me/en/)_ is a project >that also uses a browser plugin you can install to collect all sponsored >posts on your timeline. The plugin sends this data to a crowdsourced >global database of political adverts, it matches the sponsored posts >against categorised lists of political advertisers, and draws >conclusions about who is targeting you online. We had become familiar with fields of information that the Facebook Ad Library API was providing, but we did not know the fields of information that were available for advertisers to target users. That meant that even if we knew that a certain ad was reaching between 1,000 and 10,000 people in Delhi, we did not know whether those were the parameters that the advertiser had selected for targeting the ads. We were interested in knowing the options available to administer the targeting, so to speak. So we created pages of fictitious political parties and tested buying and targeting ads. We created one page each, and "boosted" posts. The level of detail available from this side of the window was, unsurprisingly, far greater than the information that was being revealed in the name of transparency. We could create "custom audiences" by specifying what kinds of "Demographics, Interests and Behaviours" we wanted to target. We could also input data of people who might have indicated interest in our business or campaign and Facebook would offer to deliver ads to a "lookalike audience." These are standard advertising methods, but we were about to discover that the fields available for targeting seemed quite problematic and could lend themselves to all kinds of discrimination. For example, we found a category called "Friends of people celebrating Ramadan." ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-targeting-suggestions.png) Screenshot: Targeting suggestions when creating an ad. Date: 29 November 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. We were aware of developments in the US where [practices of discrimination](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/mar/22/facebooks-ethnic-affinity-advertising-concerns-racial-profiling) had been recorded and Facebook held to account. We were also aware that Facebook had committed to not allow targeting based on race and gender when it comes to ads on employment, housing and credit. These categories confirmed that such problems were unaddressed in other parts of the world. For example, the above option of "friends of people celebrating Ramadan" is a category that can easily be used to exclude Muslims at a time when anti-Muslim sentiment in India is both emerging from the State as well as the society at large. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-exclusion.png) Screenshot: Suggestions for excluding people from the targeting of an ad. Date: 29 November 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. Publishing ad.watch ------------------- We decided to collect the data of political actors across the world. As mentioned before, we had been using [Tableau](https://www.tableau.com/) for internal experiments and to understand the data. At this point, we discovered that Tableau allows online publishing, and in fact, provided relatively dynamic and sophisticated levels of visualisation. While we jumped into using Tableau software to help us make sense of the data, once the question of publishing arose, we had to think about whether we wanted to make the entire project dependent on a tool that was proprietary and mostly used by marketing departments to conduct data analysis. We also had to consider whether we were making our tool vulnerable by relying on proprietary software that could decide to revoke access at any time. We explored other much-loved open-source alternatives like [Rawgraphs](https://rawgraphs.io/) and [Datawrapper](https://www.datawrapper.de/). However, given the size and particularities of the data, these were ruled out. Some of these alternatives could not analyse the content of the ads because the ads sometimes contained characters from non-Latin scripts. So we decided to go ahead and use Tableau Public. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >It was puzzling to understand why many of these highly acclaimed open >source and free visualisation software were unable to open even small >extracts of the JSON files. > >We used a website called [JSONLint](https://jsonlint.com/) >that helped "validate" the JSON data -- that is, helping us spot whether >there were formatting errors in the files. Doing this helped us figure >out that the syntax errors identified were because the field with the >text often contained scripts other than the Latin script, and also >emojis and characters that were included in recent versions of Unicode, >the standard for encoding scripts into machine-readable characters. So we started designing our own visual [interfaces](#term-interface) with Tableau to browse the databases. One of the problems we encountered while using Tableau was the amount of computing resources it requires to handle databases of this size, which were surpassing five gigabytes. Our computers running through the virtual machine were very slow or sometimes simply unable to load the data. With the limited financial resources we had, buying a more powerful computer was not an option. ```cik-example ``` >*Manuel* > >The university where I teach provides teachers access >to a remote desktop with an Intel Xeon Processor with 20GB of RAM. This >turned out to be a great solution. In the absence of this, we would have >had to rent a Virtual Private Server for the same purpose. A remote desktop can be accessed through >Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). This is a protocol that allows you to access and control a system that >is not in the same physical location as you. Using RDP from my laptop allowed us to start loading the databases on Tableau and have the resources on my [terminal](#term-terminal) available for other tasks. It even made it possible to close my laptop while the RDP continued to load. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >Tableau allows you to import JSON files of up to 128MB only, so we had >to split the files below that limit. We used a simple Python script >called [json-splitter](https://github.com/jhsu98/json-splitter) for that task. It was a challenge to find the right balance of what we wanted to achieve with the project. On the one hand, we were sitting on a vast amount of data relevant to the politics of many countries, and we had already found critical issues in the limited amount of countries that we analysed ourselves. There was a certain vertigo about the depth of what else might be there, encouraging our need to get it out. As a project that exposes the mechanisms of not widely understood technology it was important to present it in a way in which anyone can learn and understand how political ads function. It needed to be powerful enough to allow journalists and researchers to conduct their investigations. And it also needed to problematise how the infrastructure of Facebook ads functions. Merging all these elements took some time and we explored different iterations. Between making it mobile-friendly or desktop-based, we opted for the desktop as it allows for a more in-depth experience. While nearing the completion of the interfaces that were about to give light to ad.watch, the question of how to update the database became more imminent. If we were to directly dump the data to whoever needed it, perhaps the updates were not so relevant, but as a live resource we felt it was more important to be up-to-date at all times. Some weeks before the release of the project online we participated in a workshop of the [Exposing the Invisible](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/) project of Tactical Tech, (to work amongst other things on the very inception of this text). There we got help from Wael Eskandar to develop the initial core of a Python script that would automate the ad collection from the API. Some of the challenges in developing it included how to make Python incorporate the modifications that we were previously introducing manually. The next challenge was making the script understand when the ads from a particular query were finished so the script could jump to the next query. Or how to make the files stay below Tableau's limit of 128 MB each. As previously noted, Facebook placed limits on automated queries, so we started mimicking human behaviour by adding randomised time delays between the queries. From its initial version, the script became something of a precious system of data collection, which we were improving day by day. It also became a source of experimentation through which we understood better how the Facebook API works, and to experiment with the collection of data other than that of the political parties. At a later point we created a system of text files with Page IDs that the script would go through, and a separate file with the two-letter ISO country codes, so it could collect several countries in one go. This new system also enabled us to make updates in the list of political parties more easily. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-release.png) Screenshot: Homepage of ad.watch website. Date: 29 November 2019. Source: Manuel Beltrán. The first release of [ad.watch](https://ad.watch/) on July 26, 2019, was done with the manual collection of data, but by then we had also perfected the script to a level that allowed us to regularly update the data, which proved extremely valuable for the effectiveness of the project. We went live with the website and posted on our personal social media networks to spread the word. We received a lot of positive reactions, including from journalists who were using the data to understand Facebook's much publicised ad transparency efforts, noting the trends in various countries' elections. Forks in the road ----------------- ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/ad-watch_01-cik-illustration.png) ### Verification by Facebook Back when we were first trying to access the data and needed to go through the identity verification process, we realised that the two of us had to face quite different processes of verification to gain access to Facebook's ad platform. ```cik-example ``` >*Nayantara* > >As someone whose "Primary country location" was >India, I had to undergo an additional step for address verification. >This involved choosing between receiving a code delivered to my house >via post, or a visit from "someone." The time difference between the two >options was significant: the postal mail would take three weeks, and the >visit to my house would happen within a week. Because we wanted to get >on with the process as soon as possible and were also struck by the >house-visit process, we decided to go with that option. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-three-step-verification.png) >Screenshot: Three-step verification process for accessing the Ad Library API. Date: 20 April 2019. Source: Manuel Beltrán. > >What we came to learn in the course of this identification process blew >our minds. > >A day after making the request for verification, I (Nayantara) >received a phone call from a man who was going to conduct the process. >He said he was calling about Facebook verification and to ask whether >the next day was a good time to visit. > >![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-ongrid-contractor.png) >Screenshot: Identity information of OnGrid representative who was tasked with the verification. Date: 23 April 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan > >This entire episode was interesting for many reasons, including showing >how the rise of identification technology and businesses in India >inter-played with big tech companies like Facebook looking for eyes and >ears in India, a perfect example of identity-verification-as-a-service. > >On that occasion, I asked the caller who he was and which company he was >from. He hesitated a bit and seemed like he had not expected the >question. Once we established that we could both speak Kannada (a >language spoken predominantly by people of Karnataka in southwestern >India), we established a more familiar and trusting tone of >conversation. He said he worked for a company called >[OnGrid](https://ongrid.in/#/home), and that his name was >Umesh (name changed). As he was speaking to a woman on the line, I >could sense an awkward tone as he asked me about my address and >directions to my house. He also became more forthcoming with revealing >details about himself. > >Umesh assured me that I did not need to be at home when he visited, and >as long as there was someone there who could confirm that I live there, >it was sufficient. Two days later, Umesh arrived at my place to conduct >the verification. He took pictures of my house from the outside, a >landmark near it, and took the signature of the person who lives at home >with me (since I was not at home during the visit). > >![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-ongrid-whatsapp.png) >Screenshot: WhatsApp conversation between Nayantara and OnGrid representative. Date: 23 April 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. > >Naturally, we were curious about the company that was Facebook's >verification service provider. OnGrid is an Indian company that claims >to be enabling people in India to "establish trust instantly," or in >other words, engaging in a trade of identification information. They >offer everything from "education verification" to a check of court >records. Two years ago, they were in the news for a creepy image that >sent a collective shiver down people's spine: an advertisement for >non-consensual image recognition using the national biometric >identification architecture, Aadhaar. As a separate entity, OnGrid's >terms of service and data policy are different from Facebook's policies >about retention of information submitted for identification purposes. > >![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-ongrid.png) >Image: Now-deleted image posted on Twitter by OnGrid. Date: 29 November 2019. Source: <https://mashable.com/2017/02/14/india-aadhaar-uidai-privacy-security-debate/>. Archived page [here.](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405202514/https://mashable.com/2017/02/14/india-aadhaar-uidai-privacy-security-debate/?europe=true)* > >Facebook's policies did not mention anything about outsourcing some >elements of the verification process or how the data policies might >change in that instance. This possibly meant that the commitments made >by Facebook towards the deletion of identification data shared with >Facebook was not something that OnGrid -- while servicing the need for >"last-mile verification" -- was obliged to respect. Indeed, Facebook >claims to permanently delete the data that it collects from users who >undergo the verification process. OnGrid, the company that is hired by >Facebook in India, on the other hand, retains this data for providing >"identification services" to other entities. OnGrid uses people's data >to create their database in order to reuse and offer it as a service to >other entities. > >After this process, I finally had my address verification process >completed, and had access to the Ad Library API. ```cik-example ``` >*Manuel* > >As a Spanish citizen living in the Netherlands, my >identity verification process was much simpler and involved fewer steps. >However, once submitted, the final acceptance took about two days to >come through, as compared to the instantaneous response Nayantara >received in that step, indicating that mine might have involved a human >in the process. These episodes were helpful in understanding the different data handling processes in different countries, the vulnerabilities created by involving third-party verification actors, and the outrageous fact that any of this was even necessary for obtaining public-interest information that was quite crucial to understanding how social media could be interfering with democratic processes. ### To include images and video or not? We had a plan for visualising data about the ads but the ad "visuals" themselves could not be shown. That is, the images or video content, which is the element that Facebook and Instagram users are meant to see, could not be visualised because of the peculiarities of the data structuring and accessibility. The data was not provided in a downloadable manner independent of reliance on the API, and therefore it was a challenge to visualise it. But even if we were to find a way to embed the link and present the visuals, there was another problem: the URL with the visuals includes an active "access token." This is a unique, time-bound token that prevents the link from being useful after an hour. The links would not be of much use without a viewer's own access token. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >This is what an ad snapshot URL looks like: > >>https://www.facebook.com/ads/archive/render_ad/?id=251563729117836&access_token=EAAjPOWfPqZCgBAAJ0csteVNkFJcyxbQZA7m1xbJ8w3fzFRlm6apQ5cAnzsjBNOOJt4zSEE8IxB4k9HcKydhbcd7P4SnNTBn82G7s>gyy5YXX8fmZC0hUGcpQMfZCp3uWaSWeX4urEcNPwB8SM01clzJSqRXPjjh8ZBguzXZC9sc9whaz0hE9MGEj889ztZBW2XNxVfitweUSkVrcKGiwePQQZB7uGBOa > >An access token is what comes after `access_token=`, and is the long >string of letters and numbers: > >>EAAjPOWfPqZCgBAAJ0csteVNkFJcyxbQZA7m1xbJ8w3fzFRlm6apQ5cAnzsjBNOOJt4zSEE8IxB4k9HcKydhbcd7P4SnNTBn82G7sgyy5YXX8fmZC0hUGcpQMfZCp3uWaSWeX4urEcNPwB8S>M01clzJSqRXPjjh8ZBguzXZC9sc9whaz0hE9MGEj889ztZBW2XNxVfitweUSkVrcKGiwePQQZB7uGBOa We considered scraping images of the Ad Library using one of the Add-Ons for the browser like 'Download All Images'. There were also many scripts in Python to help one do so. However, Facebook prevents all these scraping techniques from collecting the visuals. Besides, Facebook also forbids users from doing such scraping in general. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-fb-terms.png) Screenshot: Facebook’s Terms of Service. Date: 8 December 2019. Source: Manuel Beltrán. On the one hand, it was important to include the visuals as they have a recall value for people browsing the interfaces. On the other hand, we wondered if it might actually be a good thing to not distract people with visuals, as the most crucial aspect to convey was that the visuals themselves might not be as special as the metadata about them, like the targeting. Nevertheless we also tried to use the "[wget](https://www.gnu.org/software/wget/)" command to do this, but it did not work. We eventually found a workaround using features available in Tableau to allow for users of ad.watch to be able to input their own access tokens and view the contents of the ads. However, after the release, we found something called an '[Access Token Debugger](https://developers.facebook.com/tools/debug/accesstoken/)', where it was possible to extend the lifetime or validity of each access token. We then started to use extended access tokens in our system of collecting data. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-token-debugger.png) Screenshot: Access Token Debugger. Date: 30 November 2019. Source: Manuel Beltrán. #### Working with journalists While working together with journalists to investigate stories emerging from the data, many wanted to see the raw data. However, sharing the data came with one problem. The data contained the parameter of `"ad_snapshot_url"`, which contained our personal access tokens, which we described earlier. This access token is unique to different developer accounts and gets recorded in the data returned by queries. Since we were being careful not to do anything that might get our access to the API revoked, we had to remove it before sharing the data. But removing the access token from each ad's data had to be automated as we had millions of ads. The solution was rather easy to find searching in _[StackOverflow](https://stackoverflow.com/)_, and we were able to use a tool called "[SED](https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/sed-command-in-linux-unix-with-examples/)" (Stream Editor) that is already included in the terminal of Linux. ``` sed -i -e 's/EAAjPOWfPqZCgBAAJ0csteVNkFJcyxbQZA7m1xbJ8w3fzFRlm6apQ5cAnzsj BNOOJt4zSEE8IxB4k9HcKydhbcd7P4SnNTBn82G7sgyy5YXX8fmZC0hUGcpQMfZCp3uWaSWeX 4urEcNPwB8SM01clzJSqRXPjjh8ZBguzXZC9sc9whaz0hE9MGEj889ztZBW2XNxVfitweUSkV rcKGiwePQQZB7uGBOa//g' US_20_1.json ``` Using these parameters, SED searches in a text file for the content of the access token and deletes it. This tool enabled us to easily clean the raw files of data in an automated and efficient way. As the data we gathered was about the ads themselves and did not involve the personal news feeds of users, we didn't have to deal with the issue of safeguarding personal data. After publishing ad.watch ------------------------- ### Maintaining, updating and adapting the databases Once the project was made public, it also became imperative that the data be updated regularly and the database be maintained. This involved questions about the frequency of updates, whether to collect data from the beginning each time, and if not, how to collect data exactly from where we had left off. We added more countries as their data was added in the Facebook API. Argentina and Sri Lanka were added very shortly before the elections there, and Singapore data was also released. There were no verification procedures for Norway and Switzerland but we were able to collect the data about these countries already. ```cik-example ``` >*Manuel* > >As the time passed after the release, I also worked to >tweak the scripts we used for collecting the data, so that the >collection was more efficient, with minimal human intervention for >certain tasks. ### Facebook’s response: Shortly after the launch, Facebook’s (ex) VP of ads had some words of encouragement for the project. This was awkward, as the project wasn’t intended to be a “visualisation tool” but challenged the lack of systematic access to data by Facebook. The project is an action to highlight the fundamental conflict between Facebook’s advertising infrastructure and the conditions needed for meaningful democratic participation on social media. With the increased individuation enabled by targeted advertising on Facebook, and their failure to open up this data in all countries they operate in meant that these conditions were being defeated time and again. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-fb-response.png) For this reason, we did not want Facebook to co-opt our project and make it part of their transparency success story. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-fb-response-m.png) ### Twitter censorship We started to notice something peculiar two days after releasing the website. Some tweets made by others about the project were no longer visible to us. It was unlikely that multiple people had tweeted about the project and then deleted their tweets. Soon we realised that our own tweets about the project were also missing. We didn't initially notice this since we could both see our own tweets. However, we eventually realised that we could no longer see each other's tweets. Understood as "[shadowbanning](#term-shadowbanning)," this was a phenomenon that we had heard of before. This is made even trickier to spot as the tweets continue to be visible to the author of the tweets, raising no suspicions. This phenomenon was a regular occurrence that people have observed when it came to tweets and [user accounts related to Kashmir](https://www.dawn.com/news/1502702/is-twitter-aiding-indias-quest-to-silence-kashmiris), for example. We decided to take up the issue immediately via a report with Twitter's support team. A day later we had still not heard back from them. That was when we decided it might be worth soliciting support and help to understand what was going on. We posted the following call for support. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-call-support.png) Screenshot: Tweet calling for support about the censorship. Date: 2 August 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. By now we had discovered that not only had tweets disappeared, it was also impossible to post a tweet with the project's URL. We found that others were also experiencing this issue. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-twitter.png) Screenshots: People on Twitter alerting us to the censorship. Date: 4 August 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. It was rather strange that the URL of the project was also blocked in Twitter's Direct Messages. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-dm-block.png) Screenshot: Censorship within Twitter’s Direct Message window. Date: 3 August 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. We received support from many friends, colleagues and strangers in the form of documentation of error messages, connecting us with and suggesting people working at Twitter to contact. Meanwhile, we discovered that someone who had tried posting a link to the project on LinkedIn had also received a warning message. We guessed that the URL might have been flagged on some kind of centralised blacklist beyond the platforms. This was indeed the case, as we found that one of the security firms that rate URLs and creates blacklists - [https://fortiguard.com/webfilter](https://fortiguard.com/webfilter) - indeed listed ad.watch as spam on the basis of someone's report. We filed an appeal with them, and received a response saying they had re-classified it (funnily enough) as advertising. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/adwatch/ad-watch-spam-lookup.png) Screenshot: Results from a lookup that had classified ad.watch as spam. Date: 5 August 2019. Source: Nayantara Ranganathan. Eventually Twitter removed the shadowbanning but didn't provide us with any explanation. Our inquiry continued; someone put us in touch with a person working at Twitter who seemed eager to help, but this went nowhere. We also explored the possibility of using different channels to try to get an explanation about the reason for blocking, including through the use of the [Right to Explanation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_explanation) in the _[European GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)](https://gdpr-info.eu/)_. The Right to Explanation theoretically can force Twitter to report on the reason why the censorship took place, if it was algorithmic. Key takeaways -------------- From the technical glitches in the tools to the earnest promises in the policies, we learnt an immense amount about the underworld of information economy, that is the sale of personal data for marketing, and its outsized impact on the socio-political realities of people. Beyond Facebook, the project acquainted us with the ethos and modus operandi of companies that are engaged in the extraction and monetisation of data about people’s lives. This project was about believing that a small team of two could somehow challenge an entity like Facebook, with its scale of resources and power of narrative. This meant that we were constantly under the risk that our API access might be withdrawn, or our methods classified as against Facebook's terms of use, or even considering that Facebook had access to so much sensitive information about us that could be used in damaging ways. These drastic things did not come to be, but at the time of working on the project before releasing it, we carried with us all of these possibilities. Overall, many factors came together for the making of the project: - understanding the gaps that existed in this milieu - trusting that there was a way to hack around limitations when things were not straightforward - reaching out and being beneficiaries of generous advice from friends - taking the communication of the data seriously These were some aspects that helped, in hindsight. As of January 2020, the project is spinning off in new directions: we are working on making information about political advertising on social media more easily digestible for different groups of people in different parts of the world. We are also circling back to our initial goal of devising a method to make the data downloadable for anyone who wishes to go through it themselves. The maintenance and updates of the databases also keep us busy. As political landscapes globally are changing and new parties and coalitions emerge, we receive contributions from visitors who email us with new pages to be added to ad.watch. We continue to document and update ad.watch with newer iterations of the project. Visit us at [ad.watch](https://ad.watch/), or write to us at info\@ad.watch. \*All access tokens in the article have been modified. <hr class="thick"> _Published April 2020_ Resources ---------- ### Articles and Guides - _[Ad Tool Facebook Built to Fight Disinformation Doesn’t Work as Advertised](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/technology/facebook-ad-library.html)_ from The New York Times (archived copy from Wayback Machine available [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405201150/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/technology/facebook-ad-library.html)). An article about Facebook’s ad library. - _[Cambridge Analytica Files](https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/cambridge-analytica-files)_, from The Guardian (archived copy from Wayback Machine available [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405203959/https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/cambridge-analytica-files)). An investigation series on the controversial data mining and elections marketing practices of political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. - _[New Media, New Violations: Election Campaigning on Facebook Violates Code Of Conduct](https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/violations-election-campaigning-on-facebook_in_5cd012f1e4b0e4d75735734b)_, article from HuffingtonPost India (archived copy from Wayback Machine available [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405201403/https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/violations-election-campaigning-on-facebook_in_5cd012f1e4b0e4d75735734b)). - _[This Tool Lets You See Facebook’s Targeted Political Ads All Over the World](https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pa7edb/this-tool-lets-you-see-facebooks-targeted-political-ads-all-over-the-world)_, article from Vice (archived copy from Wayback Machine available [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405201628/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pa7edb/this-tool-lets-you-see-facebooks-targeted-political-ads-all-over-the-world)). - _[Teens exposed to highly charged political ads on Facebook and Instagram](https://news.sky.com/story/teens-exposed-to-highly-charged-political-ads-on-facebook-and-instagram-11786042)_, article from Sky News (archived copy from Wayback Machine available [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405202006/https://news.sky.com/story/teens-exposed-to-highly-charged-political-ads-on-facebook-and-instagram-11786042)). - _[The Influence Industry](https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/projects/data-and-politics/)_, from Tactical Tech (archived copy from Wayback Machine available [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20200405213953/https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/projects/data-and-politics/)). A research project looking at the practices of collecting, processing and using voters personal data in elections around the world. ### Tools and Databases - _[Bash](https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/)_. A language to communicate with the operating systems of Linux distributions. - _[Facebook Ad Library API](https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/api)_. Facebook's API that allows certain users to search ads tagged as related to politics and issues of political importance. - _[Facebook Tracking Exposed](https://facebook.tracking.exposed/)_. A project that offers a browser plugin, which collects the metadata of all the public posts on your timeline and allows you to either contribute this data to a public dataset, or keep it private. - _[Json splitter](https://github.com/jhsu98/json-splitter)_. A command line tool for splitting large JSON files into smaller files. - _[Json lint](https://jsonlint.com/)_. A tool that helps validate (check) json files and helps reformat them. - _[Political Ad Collector](https://projects.propublica.org/political-ad-collector/)_ from ProPublica. A tool, which allows you to install a browser plugin that collects all the political ads you see while browsing and sends them to a database that enables ProPublica to better analyse the nature of political ad targeting. - _[Remmina](https://remmina.org/)_. Application that helps connect to remote computers using protocols like Remote Desktop Protocol. - _[Sed](https://www.gnu.org/software/sed/)_. An editor that allows you to perform basic text transformations within the terminal. - _[Stackoverflow](https://stackoverflow.com/)_. A web forum where developers ask and answer questions. - _[Tableau](https://www.tableau.com/)_. A suite of software applications for data visualisation and analysis. - _[VirtualBox](https://www.virtualbox.org/)_. Application that allows you to run an operating system different from the one installed on your computer. - _[Wget](https://www.gnu.org/software/wget/)_. Software to retrieve content from webservers. - _[Who Targets Me](https://whotargets.me/en/)_. A project that uses a browser plugin browser extension to crowdsource political ads, you can install it to collect all sponsored posts on your timeline and see who’s targeting your vote. Glossary -------- ### term-api API (Application Programming Interface) - a software tool that facilitates communication between a user and a dataset, amongst other things. Facebook's Ad Library API allows users to query ad data using a particular set of commands developed by Facebook. ### term-extension Browser extension – also called add-ons, they are small pieces of software used to extend the functionalities of a web browser. These can be anything from extensions that allow you to take screenshots of webpages you visit to the ones checking and correcting your spelling or blocking unwanted ads from websites. ### term-plugin Browser plugin - a piece of software that can be added to browsers to enhance specific functionalities. ### term-fbpageid Facebook Page ID - a number that uniquely identifies each Facebook page. ### term-interface Interface - (in this case) a set of visualisations that are interactive and allow users to have a graphical representation of the data. ### term-iso ISO country code - the short alphabetic codes created and maintained for each country by the International Organization for Standardization: [https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#search](https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#search). ### term-json JSON - JavaScript Object Notation is a popular format in which data is recorded. According to the JSON website, it is easy for humans to read and write and easy for machines to parse and generate. ### term-query Query - a list of coded questions a user can input in programs and apps to obtain data addressing a question or subject of interest. ### term-python Python - a programming language that allows developers to write various programs such as web applications, websites, data analysis tools: [https://www.python.org/](https://www.python.org/). ### term-pythoneditor Python editor - application to navigate, debug, compile and run scripts in the Python language. ### term-rdp Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) - a protocol that allows you to access and control a system that is not in the same physical location as you. ### term-shadowbanning Shadowbanning - when some tweets (or accounts) are deprioritised or made to disappear from timelines and from accounts without an explicit censorship notice. ### term-targetads Targeted ads (advertising) - advertising whose content or conditions of delivery are tailored to specific persons or groups based on the data available about them. ### term-terminal Terminal - also called command-line interface (CLI), is a means of interacting with a conputer by using a text-based interface where one can enter commands to a computer program. ### term-trendtopics Trending topics - topics that are popular at particular times. ### term-unicode Unicode - the standard for encoding scripts into machine-readable characters. ### term-uniqueid Unique identifiers - (in this case) unique codes that are created and tagged with every ad, so that they can be retraced if needed. ### term-vps Virtual Private Server (VPS) - a virtual machine, rented out as a service, by an Internet hosting company. ### term-virtualsoft Virtualisation Software - software that allows you to run a different Operating System than the one installed on your computer without needing to add another Operating System on your device. ### term-wget Wget - a tool by the GNU project to get files from webservers. The tool allows for the transport of files through more than one protocol.
ad-watch.preview	# ad.watch - Investigating Political Advertisements on Facebook By …
anti-biometric.basename	anti-biometric
anti-biometric.content	# The Making of an Anti-biometric Mass Surveillance Campaign By Filip Milošević, SHARE Foundation ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/AntiBiometricCampaign-cik-illustration.png) ```cik-in-short ``` In Short: This case study describes a series of actions carried out by a community of activists during an 18-month campaign against a new mass surveillance project in the city of Belgrade, Serbia. Not only did they manage to raise awareness about the problem, but they also engaged citizens in joining the movement. After the campaign, the government finally admitted to its lawless tendencies and halted the facial recognition software rollout. --- ```cik-warning ``` > Even though this text was written by a single person, it is a story of many, > narrated from the perspective of several digital rights activists from > the _[SHARE Foundation](https://www.sharefoundation.info/en/)_ who > coordinated the campaign. > > The SHARE Foundation is a digital rights organization from Belgrade, > Serbia, which gathers researchers, engineers, lawyers, activists and > artists to better understand emerging technologies, strive for open > internet, and empower fellow citizens to counter mass surveillance by > governments and corporations. ## How it started One cold winter evening in Belgrade, Serbia, in January 2019, there was a rather odd public announcement made on the Serbian national TV: > "There will be no significant streets, entrances or passages between buildings that will not be covered by cameras. We will know from which entrance and building the perpetrator came, from which car..." (author's translation from Serbian.) These were the words of the Serbian Minister of Interior (the man in charge of the police) at that time, who boasted about a new smart surveillance system that our government had just bought from the Chinese company Huawei. He said that deploying 8,000 smart cameras would make our capital city of Belgrade safer, and even help fight organised crime and terrorism. As researchers at the Serbia-based SHARE Foundation - with a special interest in surveillance - we were shocked, but another thought instantly came to our minds: > “Many of our fellow citizens actually see this as a good thing. Who wouldn’t want more security and less crime?” As you read this, there is one important fact to know about Belgrade’s street safety record. At the community- and street-level, Belgrade is a fairly safe place for citizens. There are however _[documented](https://balkaninsight.com/2021/02/16/in-serbia-states-ties-to-crime-become-hard-to-miss/)_ high-level interactions between some of the governing actors and organized crime, which go far beyond the street-level safety that 8,000 cameras would be able to guard. After this public announcement, many questions started popping up in our minds: - What is the real purpose of this new street surveillance project? - Why was there no previous public discussion? - Is such a mass surveillance system even legal in our country? - How will it affect our society? - And finally, how do we - the people who care - stop this? ```cik-note ``` > Some details about the situation in Serbia, as of 2021-2022: > > Lately, Serbia has been considered as a hybrid regime, officially a democracy > striving to join the European Union, but in reality, more of an > [authoritarian system](https://balkaninsight.com/2020/05/06/freedom-house-serbia-montenegro-hungary-no-longer-democracies/) > under strong influence from _[China](https://thediplomat.com/2019/01/serbia-chinas-open-door-to-the-balkans/)_. > The government often controls the media, _[threatens journalists](https://cpj.org/2020/04/serbian-reporter-ana-lalic-on-her-arrest-and-deten/)_, > suppresses freedom of speech and protest culture, and [smears independent investigative journalists](https://europeanjournalists.org/blog/2021/03/10/serbia-we-condemn-dangerous-and-baseless-smear-campaign-aimed-at-krik/) and political opponents. > > Obviously, covering the whole city with > cameras that recognise people without their knowledge and consent will > help with this kind of social control, producing a strong chilling > effect as in [panopticon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon) > prisons. > > - “Those who already have disproportionate amounts of power > stand to gain more and more, and those that are already in positions > of powerlessness will be made even more powerless by this dynamic of > who gets to watch and who is watched.” (quote from Ella Jakubowska > from European Digital Rights (EDRi) in a conversation with SHARE > Foundation’s Filip Milošević, [full interview here](https://www.sharefoundation.info/en/share-interview-ella-jakubowska/). We realized that we needed to understand and expose the real intentions of the deal with Huawei, to help citizens understand the consequences of this system for our society, and to offer them ways to join an initial campaign as well as a longer-term movement so that together we could create a counter-narrative in the public discourse to oppose the false narrative that the government promoted. ```cik-note ``` > Clarifying some key concepts used in this article: > > - A false narrative is a story that is perceived as being true but > has little basis in reality. > > - Political narrative refers to storytelling techniques and discourse used by politicians in order to present a topic or a problem from a specific angle. It aims to influence the attention or action of the audience (citizens, voters, etc.) by offering a certain perspective of the reality (sometimes in line with, or contrary to facts), which may serve particular political interests. > > - Counter-narratives are ideas, discourses or stories that emerge > from marginalised, non-mainstream groups as opposed to those created > and promoted by dominant and powerful actors promoting what can be considered > a mainstream or a "master" narrative. The concept of counter-narrative > implies reaction, resistance and opposition (sources: _["Counter-Narrative", paper by Raúl Alberto Mora](https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/key-concept-counter-narrative.pdf)_ and _["Routledge Handbook of Counter-Narratives" 2020](https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9780429279713)_.) ## Initial research and the first steps of the campaign At the SHARE Foundation, we immediately sent FOI (Freedom of Information) requests to the Serbian Ministry of Interior (MOI) requesting locations of the cameras, including the analysis based on which these locations were determined, and details of the public procurement process and other relevant legal procedures. After a little over a month, the Ministry replied that procurement documents were protected as "confidential." The information on locations and analysis were not provided to us in any document or any medium. _[Here is a short article about it](https://www.sharefoundation.info/en/new-surveillance-cameras-in-belgrade-location-and-human-rights-impact-analysis-withheld/)_, including the attached FOI requests and related communications from SHARE Foundation. Even though we didn't get the exact information we requested, the denial in itself was valuable information and a key issue to present to the public. We got a strong reason to kick-off the public discussion and our research by writing about this denial and sending a [press release](https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/a472333-nabavka-nadzornog-sistema-tajna-strucnjaci-kazu-moguca-zloupotreba/) to the few independent media outlets that instantly published the news. This starting process was important for us as it revealed that at times, the act of storytelling can be an act of investigation, or a way to kick-start an investigation. By doing further research with publicly available information sources about this and similar projects worldwide, we found that for promotional reasons, Huawei actually [published](https://archive.li/pZ9HO) a case on their company website providing detailed information about the features and deployment of the smart surveillance system in Belgrade and its cooperation with the Serbian Ministry of Interior. It was interesting (and somewhat shameful) that a private company served us so much more information than our own government. But this published case was also an opportunity for our background research. However, as soon as we analyzed newly obtained information and published it, the case study was removed from the Huawei website. We still managed to retrieve a snapshot of the webpage from Archive Today (https://archive.li/pZ9HO) and the Wayback Machine (https://web.archive.org/web/20190313232443/https://e.huawei.com/en/case-studies/global/2018/201808231012). ```cik-tip ``` > Retrieving lost webpages and more > > As this case demonstrates it, online archives are extremely useful resources for investigators, both for finding deleted webpages and for saving and preserving online information. Check the guide _["Retrieving and Archiving Information from Websites](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/web-archive.html)_ available in this Kit, to learn more techniques, tips and tools that help you retrieve historical and ‘lost’ information from websites as well as archive and preserve your own copies of webpages for future reference. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab01.jpg) Image: Huawei case study on Serbia’s street surveillance needs. Source [Wayback Machine capture](https://web.archive.org/web/20190313232443/https://e.huawei.com/en/case-studies/global/2018/201808231012) This shady and controversial sequence of actions by a public-private partnership confirmed that our government was hiding information from its citizens, but it also fueled the needed debate on this topic and helped us reach at least the initial bubble of concerned citizens through the media. We knew we had sparked discussion because people were commenting a lot and sharing the article in which we exposed this odd content removal. At this point, everything we did was reactive, without much thought on strategy. What we felt, though, was that our government would just go on with the project. So, whether we somehow stoped it or not through a campaign, this fight would be long and hard and we could not go to battle alone. Our next goal was to find a way to initiate direct communication with interested fellow-citizens, so we could continue these efforts together, and hopefully go beyond a one-off campaign and trigger some kind of an anti-mass surveillance movement that was in it for the long haul. ## First contact: reaching out to the community Belgrade is big enough to have a few individuals and small communities interested in topics such as privacy, security and surveillance. To be precise, this means two or three civil society organizations, one hackerspace, and several people occasionally tweeting about these issues. We initiated offline meetings to kick-start discussions and to come up with some ideas on how we should proceed. At first it was a small gathering in [Belgrade Hacklab](https://wiki.hackerspaces.org/Hacklab_Belgrade), then we got a workshop slot at a local hackathon-conference, which we used to promote the topic and reach out to some new people. At this point, we had established communication with around 15 people directly, and reached out to 30 more, which were aware that we were being proactive about the issue. Most of them we already knew personally. ### The initial campaign needs The initial campaign "infrastructure" for the public campaign included: - creating a simple micro-site with a contact form, - choosing the website name and registering a domain, - running an initial social media push to build an organic (natural) community around the topic and campaign. Now, we needed to reach out a bit further. To do this, we put up a simple one-page basic .html micro web-site containing only a few simple - yet strong - sentences and several links (as in the image below): ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab02.jpg) Image source: SHARE Foundation / #hiljadekamera ```cik-note ``` > Serbian to English translation of the text from the image above: > > It said: > > "As we speak, thousands of cameras with facial recognition technology > are being deployed in Belgrade. Our police is hiding all information > about the project. What are the locations, where is the data going, > who has access and for what purpose? > > This system will follow us when we commute to work, to see a friend, a > doctor, grab a drink, go to a protest, light a cigarette, get out of the > car, hug someone, talk, criticize. > > Mass surveillance [makes citizens obedient](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon). > > Do we want it? > > If you want to stay informed or somehow help, [let us know](https://link_to_a_form). > > More about the topic: Blic / Peščanik / Foreign Policy / Telegram" Being aware of the average human attention span nowadays, it was just enough content that everyone would read it, enough information to get to the point, enough links if someone wanted more, and most important, a link to the form where people could say what they think, offer support, help, and establish contact. Additionally, there was a link to a Telegram channel we created since privacy-aware people use it, and would feel familiar and identify with the anonymous source that put up the site. When we finished the text for the micro-site, which involved _[making an ascii](https://manytools.org/hacker-tools/convert-images-to-ascii-art/)_ camera picture and putting it all together into a _[responsive html](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsive_web_design)_ page that could be viewed well both from mobile and desktop devices, we needed an idea for an internet address (URL) that we could register. After mentioning "thousands of cameras" so many times those days, we realized that it was the perfect name for the URL, but also for a social media hashtag, a campaign and a movement. > [www.hiljadekamera.rs](http://www.hiljadekamera.rs) / #hiljadekamera ("thousands of cameras" in Serbian) After someone from the team leaked the website we just wanted to preview on the internal Telegram group, it immediately got picked up by a well-known activist and went semi-viral. We expected this because we knew that there was already some interest in the topic. We got over 30 form submissions in no time. We didn’t get many Telegram channel subscribers, but it wasn’t so important since most of the people from the form left us their email, which was the best way to continue communication. That first online wave went really well. Now that we had a name, a URL and micro-site, form and telegram channel, we could use that to go back to physical space and continue reaching out and building wider community. ### Street marketing Of course, stickers came first to our mind. But what kind of stickers? Let’s not just print the URL or hashtag and mindlessly stick them everywhere. Especially in public places they would get removed by the city services. What we realized was that the police were required by law to mark areas that are under surveillance, but they were not doing it. This was our chance. We came up with the idea to disguise our stickers into official ones so we would: - 1. help citizens understand that they are under surveillance, and create a bit of "under surveillance" atmosphere downtown; - 2. apply our stickers to camera poles and not have them removed because they look official; and - 3. add a _[QR code](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code)_ which leads people to our website. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab03.jpg) Image source: SHARE Foundation / #hiljadekamera We never knew how many people scanned the code, but the stickers were certainly popular giveaways at events, and filming the process of scanning the code with a phone and automatically opening our website turned out to be the favorite content for TV crews and journalists who were covering the story. ### Bench under surveillance Out of all the issues related to this project, the most abstract one to explain was how mass surveillance would affect citizen behavior and introduce self-censorship through _["the chilling effect"](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/05/when-surveillance-chills-speech-new-studies-show-our-rights-free-association)_, which refers to the inhibition of legal rights and is harmful for freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and democracy. There is an annual open art festival in Belgrade, which means it’s pretty crowdsourced. Anyone can apply for a free spot and present their work, and almost anything can be considered art: a painting, a sculpture, acting and theater, workshops, playing music or mixing records. Since our next idea was to explore and show how citizens are reacting to and feeling under surveillance, we chose to do a small installation and space intervention in order to embody the "chilling effect" among festival-goers by putting them under intrusive surveillance at times when they wanted to relax. Since there are usually no places where people can sit at crowded festivals, we got the most comfortable, best looking bench we could find and positioned it on a nice and cosy spot. Just over the bench, we deployed two dummy cameras with red blinking LEDs so they would appear real. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab04.jpg) Image source: SHARE Foundation / #hiljadekamera The setting turned out nice. We just printed a QR code on a caption plate that was directing to a short questionnaire on how people felt while hanging out under surveillance. Questions were tailored to younger festival-going audiences and included something like: "Would you share secrets to a friend, would you dance, lie down, kiss or sext your partner under these cameras...?" We did get some responses, but most of the interaction and discussion happened on the spot. We were surprised that youth could clearly express their feelings and were very aware of the mass surveillance intentions, mostly through popular culture - movies, books and video games - and that many of them were offering to join our mailing list and spread the word. However, most of them were still not aware of what it really meant for their privacy to have cameras creeping in every day and slowly covering streets of their city. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/AntiBiometricCampaign-01-cik-illustration.png) ## Engaging the community: a collaborative event Our next steps were: - plan a datathon / sprint writing event, - choosing and tailoring information for the official website of the campaign. By now it was almost a year since we were deep into research activities and discussions within the small existing community, with only occasional media outreach. At that point we finally felt ready to go further into campaigning mode and reach out to a wider audience. For this purpose, we needed more than a obscure ASCII micro-site, stickers and a clear picture in our minds. We realized we needed a new push: a decent website with all the information we gathered so far, processed and systematized for a regular citizen, with several options for people to join the campaign. It was important to include as much existing community members into this process for several reasons: - 1. creating more ambitious content and website requires different human resources and skills and we had no budget; and - 2. it was important to decentralize the campaign and make it as leader-less as possible to avoid a sense of ownership on our side, and to gain more engagement from all participants by making them feel equal partners in the project. We made an early decision that the project / campaign would be independent and bias-free in terms financial support and geopolitics - we didn’t care if it was Chinese or European or American tech, so we didn’t want to receive any campaigning funds except from crowd-funding. So, remember the online form we created and linked on the micro-site for citizens who were interested in staying in touch or helping out somehow? - We returned to it a week later only to find out it already had over 50 submissions of mostly messages of support, but also help offers from people with different skills such as visual artists, web designers, developers, researchers, journalists and lawyers. This is where we came up with idea to invite them to a collaborative, sprint-like writing and design event where five groups would work together on different segments and content for a new website. Communication with participants was a challenge, but crucial for the success of the event. Initially, we invited at least 60 people. Half of them we already knew, some of them were friends of friends, and some of them we picked from the online form. As an event explainer, again we put up a single ASCII web page and sent it to potential participants as an invitation. It said: > "It has been a year since the Ministry of the Interior suddenly announced that the deployment of a mass video surveillance system with facial recognition technology was underway. The project and its implementation are still non-transparent. After many reactions, inquiries, several organised discussions and community work to reveal further information, it is time to gather around this problem and do as much as we can together. > The idea is: > - to compile informative texts in several working groups, > - to do a technical analysis of the system through patents and other publicly available information, > - to enable open source camera mapping tools, > - to create visual solutions for presenting data, > - to create a plan of activities, > - to tailor communications, and finally > - to put it all together on the internet for fellow citizens to access." ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab05.jpg) Image source: SHARE Foundation / #hiljadekamera After two weeks of planing and communicating, we had around 30 confirmations for the sprint event. It helped that we directly communicated with all of them, had a defined plan of what we wanted to achieve, and that the campaign was already gaining momentum. - Otherwise, it probably wouldn’t have been possible to get all those great people to spend a day volunteering on some abstract idea. Most of them knew what group they would be joining, but also that they could switch groups if they felt the need to. Groups were named symbolically: 1. .TXT - researchers and journalists collecting most the important information together and writing it into a human-readable language, 2. .EXE group - mostly engineers figuring out how to best visualize and explain the architecture of smart surveillance systems, 3. .PDF group - lawyers and advocates analyzing and summarizing all the legal issues about the project and strategizing at policy level, 4. .MAP - developers working on an application for crowd-sourcing camera locations on a map, 5. .HTML - web designers putting everything together into a new website. For the event venue we booked a nice free community space gallery that had everything we needed to host this bunch for a whole day: tables, chairs, electricity, wi-fi and a toilet. We brought some croissants and coffee in the morning, had fruits all around the place and ordered pizza later in the day. We did not over-think or over-plan this action, we wanted it to be simple, comfortable and serve as a space for people to gather and feel safe talking about sensitive topics. Prior to event, we sketched some ideas on what content the website should probably have and then briefly presented it to the team in the morning. Groups gathered around their tables and the sprint started. In eight active hours, we had all the textual content done, visual identity done, concept / sketch for a big surveillance system infographic, several iterations of mapping application, but most importantly, we had 30 people hanging out and working together towards one goal - to fight biometric mass surveillance. Most of us had just met, some of us knew each other but were collaborating for the first time, and many are still active on the project as of 2022. ## Reaching beyond the bubble In brief, this part was all about: - "the hunt" - crowd-sourcing a map of cameras, - "reclaim your face" - making a petition to ban biometric surveillance, - "ogether against thousands of cameras" - setting up a crowd-funding campaign. Once we engaged the directly interested community, we wanted to go beyond and reach wider audiences to build more awareness and support. After the sprint event, a month or two passed until we tightened it up and translated the content to English. The translation was important because we were obviously one of the first cases (guinea pigs) of the "western" world with an issue that other countries will also face sooner or later. So, our case is a valuable source of information and awareness on the topic and its developments - useful for researchers, journalists and activists around the world. Once we released the website - https://hiljade.kamera.rs - it was shared intensely on social media and we also got attention from traditional media, so TV and radio appearances followed. We knew the website and its content worked very well once we realized that these media appearances were going smoothly. - Newsrooms had everything in one place to do a story. All the leads and information editors needed, all the questions and answers for journalists were there, we just had to show up and talk it through. Finally, at the end of every appearance, when asked what citizens could do themselves, we were prepared for a concrete call to action: help us map the cameras around the city! ### CTA "The Hunt": crwodsourcing camera locations The fact that the Ministry of Interior did not provide information about the project, nor the map and the exact number of cameras installed so far, was a good opportunity to "help" them do so, seek responsibility and make citizens aware of the mass surveillance issue. After a clumsy attempt to create a crowdsourcing mapping application from scratch during the sprint event, we decided to use an existing open source application and just adapt it to our needs. To avoid potential spam and problems with the relevance of the data we would receive from citizens, instead of inviting people to use the application itself, we asked them to send us photos of the surveillance cameras and their locations via Twitter with a hashtag, or directly via e-mail. This process required occasional administration of incoming content on our part, but it turned out not to be an overly demanding task, making our data management and verification much easier. Also, these kinds of mechanics turned out to be a good decision because the citizens were happy to publicly post photos on Twitter, which was a great campaign engagement, and promotion for the initiative's Twitter account and its constant activity. To promote this action, we again created a single webpage on the website of the initiative - https://hiljade.kamera.rs/lov/ - where we posted basic instructions, graphics with models of cameras that we "hunt", and a temporary map. Camera maps and graphics with the sentence "how to recognize a camera that recognizes you?" went very well on social networks, but also on online portals and news agencies. The media liked the call to action and the fact that there were interesting graphic elements displayed. All this led to more media coverage of the campaign and our story as well as new guest appearances on TV programs. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab06.jpg) Image source: SHARE Foundation / #hiljadekamera ### CTA "Reclaim Your Face": petition to ban biometric mass surveillance Many people are skeptical about petitions. There are few systems where they have legal weight and lead to direct changes. However, it turned out that their influence is more often indirect, and that petitions can actually contribute to exerting moral authority and spreading awareness about a certain problem. When colleagues from [European Digital Rights (EDRi)](https://edri.org/) suggested that we petition for a ban on biometric mass surveillance with several other organizations across Europe, we were immediately skeptical. After only a month, it turned out that this was one of the most important activities for us in the long run during the entire campaign. Organizing a petition in the digital age can be easy. It is possible to create an account on one of the online petition platforms and then share that link across social networks. However, this simplicity has a downside: - First of all, there is great public saturation with the large amount of petitions on social networks, which makes it difficult for visibility and limits attention. - Second, you are inviting people to leave data on websites whose data and privacy policies you cannot control (many are selling email addresses, data leaks, cookies, trackers, etc.). - Third, you cannot control the interface and most of the content on these standard petition pages, thus functionality and public engagement suffer, because universal design that is made to suit everyone will never be as good as a unique design created for a special need. Organizing a petition that way would be similar to promoting businesses via GeoCities (generic) websites, instead of having your own website. Of course, creating your own website, a micro-site, a single-page site, and a unique petition platform requires resources. In addition to technical matters, good petitions require quality text, visual identity, design and production of different communication elements, promotion plan, etc. - What made the difference for us and our campaign was the importance of cooperation between like-minded organizations and membership in international organizations such as EDRi. Our petition was organized in several countries at the same time by local organizations, so most of the above assets were created collaboratively, and then each organization would only localize the materials. Out of all the elements needed for a petition, the most challenging to produce and localize was probably the signature counter - a little piece of software where petition signatories need to enter their details. It had to be tailor-made, private by design (without trackers and with localized privacy policies), and then translated, color coded and finally embedded into each organization / country petition's website. Once everything was in place, we simultaneously launched the petition. Locally, we reached out to several supporters who could create some petition related content, which added up to the promotion. This is a work by a comic artist who covers daily news: ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab07.jpg) Image source: Igor Lečić / milandog.rs. Serbian to English translation of image text: “There is too many of them Sancho! / What should we do? / Let’s sign the petition!” The petition feedback was incredible. Thousands of citizens signed up during the first several hours. Media outlets covered it and social media followed it. It was one of the trending topics for a day or two, which is great for awareness. But why was this one of the most important activities of the campaign, as mentioned earlier? While signing the petition, citizens would be able to opt-in for receiving news about the campaign. After only several days, we had almost 10,000 new subscribers on our mailing list, which from that point onward became our most important communication tool (up until that moment, we had only several hundred organic subscribers). We were not dependent on Facebook, Twitter and other gatekeepers to communicate anymore, at least not with all these people who opted-in (no [dark-patterns](https://datadetoxkit.org/en/wellbeing/darkpatterns/)!) and willingly gave us their email address to stay informed. The petition also convinced us that we had increasing support. We expected to see 1000 signatures as a good result, but this was ten times bigger. It opened the door for the last activity of the year, ideal for the Christmas giving season - _[a crowd-funding campaign](https://www.donacije.rs/projekat/hiljade-kamera/)_. ### CTA ‘Together Against Thousands of Cameras": the crowd-funding campaign The campaign name and brand was already gaining recognition and a bit of coolness, so in collaboration with two local streetwear brands, we designed and printed some masks, beanies, bandanas and hoodies. This offering was yet another way for citizens to engage with the campaign, to give and show support. It led to yet another issue-awareness wave, and was also the first financial influx into the project - as we would’t seek or accept any funding from other organizations for independence reasons, as previously mentioned. This helped us continue all the efforts of battling mass surveillance. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab08.jpg) Image source: SHARE Foundation / #hiljadekamera Crowdfunding, micro-donations, and donations towards civil society organisations (CSOs) in general are still not common in Serbia (as of 2021-2022) due to several factors such as weak individual economic power, late e-commerce adoption, strict financial policies and lack of interoperability with global payment services. Therefore, we set our crowdfundng goal at around 5000 Euro, which we almost reached in a day during a campaign pre-release for family and friends. This made us change the goal to 10,000 Euro, which we also reached far before the deadline. Once again we were surprised with the amount of support from our fellow citizens and were further encouraged to go on. ## Multimedia and public relations At this stage, we focused on: - multimedia production - short documentary, podcast and live-stream, - narrating media appearances - pandemic restrictions protest story and data cross-referencing examples. Alongside all the activities described until now, an important part in communicating our work was the media content that we produced ourselves. Different media formats will reach different audiences and will have varying success rates, so we tried with several outputs for which we had resources and people with skills to produce them. We created _[a podcast](https://www.sharefoundation.info/sr/hiljadekamera-pt-1/)_, _[a short video documentary](https://youtu.be/XlMldmOhYG8)_ and _[a live-stream event](https://youtu.be/M1bfIifxxAw)_. Podcasting was an experimental form, part of an ongoing series following tech, society and cyberspace, so even if streamed only a couple thousand times (more via Telegram channels and RSS feed than YouTube), it was appreciated by niche communities, and thus important for the campaign brand awareness. Our short video documentary was a huge success. We filmed cameras around the city, several actions we did including the sprint / datathon event, interviewed members of the initiative and the National Data Protection Commissioner. We were however ignored by the Ministry of Interior when we reached out with an interview request. Nice drone footage and dystopian music from local artists added a great deal to the professional direction, camera and editing done by our affiliates. The film's outreach was great not only because it was shared on social media and watched online, but because it was aired on at least three cable TV stations multiple times in the span of a few months. Most of the cable TV stations will air content that they like and receive for free, especially if the format suits them well aesthetically, and they can fit it easily time-wise (ours was good for their needs as it was up to 15 minutes long.) A day after the documentary premiere we realized that once again we managed to break another bubble and reached even more fellow citizens. Finally, in regular circumstances we would organise an event to promote our initiative’s work to date and to spark more debate. However, during pandemic lockdowns (this was 2020 - 2021), we were doomed with an online event. In the midst of the "Zoom fatigue", we had to come up with something a bit more interesting in order to dive out of the over-saturated civil society webinars and online conference spaces. Instead of inviting people to a video conference, we produced an online stream on YouTube, but made sure it was dynamic, visually appealing and welcoming. We had a host and five activists in the studio talking back to back on different segments of the surveillance issue and the campaign. We had four additional guests - a journalist, a security professional, a technology expert and a law expert - joining via video call, followed by a Questions & Answers session where viewers could address questions and comments. The production was done in our office, and included: - a grey backdrop, - several light panels, - one DSLR camera, - one web camera, - a computer - all feeding into [OBS (Open Broadcasting Software)](https://obsproject.com/) via HDMI capture cards. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/anti-biometric/ab09.jpg) Image source: SHARE Foundation / #hiljadekamera In the end, the live stream was kinf of over-produced, since some of the watchers asked if this was a recording or a live-stream, but nevertheless it was an interesting way to talk about the matter and avoid another typical online event. Basically, all of the above mentioned content and messages were spread organically, without any particular marketing and Public Relations strategy, and with zero funds invested on ads - our policy is to never pay Facebook, Google and the like for promotion. Our philosophy was important, relevant topics and good content will find its way eventually. Could the outreach with this content be better? Probably yes - but we were just a bunch of activists dealing impromptu with an emerging issue, on our own resources, not on anyone’s agenda. It worked the same with public relations. We had many media appearances, but no-one is a professional PR / spokesperson in our team. Sometimes that’s stressful, having anxiety and tremor in front of cameras and journalists, in a live morning program or a podcast... But showing these vulnerabilities to a certain extent is also fine and can even be charming because no one expects activists to be professional spokespersons, or a grassroots initiative to contract someone like that. Mostly it’s just about good understanding of the issues and preparing several key messages aligned with actual events. ```cik-example ``` > For example, massive [protests in Belgrade in the pandemic year of 2020](https://www.dw.com/en/violence-breaks-out-at-new-serbia-protests/a-54098931) were a strong example of how government is imposing fear through massive surveillance, and is using this system to suppress protest culture. At that time, government officials were constantly threatening in the media about using video footage and processing protesters, which made a lot of people change their minds about going out to the streets. This was a relevant occasion to further explain the "chilling effect" and it's influence on society and protest turn-out. > > Our key message when communicating during those days was that compared to protests of the last twenty years, these were the first occuring under thousands of cameras capable of recognizing our faces and converting them into data. This data is further easily stored in government data centers, ready to be cross-referenced with databases of people employed in the public sector, people who get social aid, or small business owners who might need additional tax officer inspection. Also, as our previous research proved, this kind of metadata is often retained forever, so even in five or ten years from now, someone could deny you a job, deny your child a scholarship or kindergarten admission, or make you a voter against your will because at some point in time you were out in the streets protesting government decisions you were opposed to. > Although it may sound dystopian, our research confirms that these surveillance systems combined with emerging and clumsy digitalization, data centralization, digital identity programs, smart cities and algorithmic governance lead to authoritarian societies, so these threats have to be communicated, and possible dark scenarios like these need to be narrated. Once fellow citizens get to understand possible implications of these systems on security and privacy through examples, it is fair for them to choose whether they are for or against mass surveillance. But without information, different narratives and open discussion, it's not the citizens who decide, but governments instead. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/AntiBiometricCampaign-02-cik-illustration.png) ## Finale: the first win What happened so far: - public hearing where officials confirmed they will not use facial recognition, for now, - new internal affairs draft law legalising facial recognition proposed and withdrawn, - established community ready for the next battle. The more our campaign grew, the less the Minister of Interior talked about the surveillance project. Actually, for more than a year they went totally silent on the matter. There was one leak of video footage from these surveillance cameras in the meantime that they instantly confirmed to us when we asked about it. For us, this meant more proof that the data was not secure, so we would also use the example whenever we communicated about the issue. On the other hand, we had no proof that authorities started using the facial recognition feature of the system, which aligned with recommendations of the National Data Protection Commissioner, but the Ministry never spoke about it. Then, on 21 May 2021, during a public hearing about information security at a National Assembly, when asked about rising concerns of mass surveillance and facial recognition in Belgrade, a Ministy representative responded: > "We are aware that citizens are concerned about this issue, and we have witnessed over 200 articles during the last year about biometric surveillance in Belgrade. I can assure you that, even if some people from the Ministry of Interior think that it is possible by current law, until there is a public debate, until there is consent, and the Assembly vote, we will not employ software for facial recognition." Three months later, the Minister of Interior [announced the new Draft Law on Internal Affairs](https://www.sharefoundation.info/en/total-surveillance-law-proposed-in-serbia/), one that, among other things, contained provisions for legalising a massive biometric surveillance system. It was announced under the radar on the Ministry's website, without the media being informed, with less than three weeks' deadline to submit comments. We were lucky to even find out about it a week before the deadline, but we were prepared. We joined a public discussion event (the first one ever organized by the government on this topic), [sent our comments](https://www.sharefoundation.info/wp-content/uploads/Draft-Law-on-Internal-Affairs_Comments_SHARE-Foundation.pdf) to the Ministry, and alerted international and community media. Even though heated public debate followed for several days, we were sure that it wouldn’t affect the government’s intention, and that accepting comments from civil society was just a formality before passing the law. Four days after the deadline and with strong public opposition, an unexpected press release was issued by the Minister himself: > "Considering all the facts, President Vucic asked me to withdraw the draft law on internal affairs from the procedure. I will do it. That is my defeat, and I will bear consequences, but I also want to let the public know that I will continue to fight for a safe Serbia despite the (foreign) agents and their financiers. The draft law on internal affairs has been withdrawn; you will have to look for some other reason for the blood on the streets of Belgrade." It seemed incredible, but after that quote at the beginning of this article where the Minister himself was assuring the public that nothing will be able to deter new smart cameras that were already being deployed in the streets of Belgrade, two and a half years later, after all the efforts we put to prove it’s not legal and we don’t want them, [the law to legalise them was proposed and then urgently withdrawn](https://edri.org/our-work/serbia-withdraws-a-proposed-biometric-surveillance-bill-following-national-and-international-pressure/). But even more importantly, all these efforts, done together by the activists and joined by many fellow citizens, made a strong community. A community with its own narrative, one that protects the integrity of every citizen, a community ready for the next challenge. <hr class="thick"> Published November 2022 ## Resources - _["10 Tactics for Turning Information into Action"](https://archive.informationactivism.org/basic1.html)_ - basic guides, wprlshop cards and campaign examples from Tactical Tech. - _[CIVICUS Campaign Toolkits and Guides](https://www.civicus.org/index.php/media-center/resources/toolkits) - resources created and / or collected by CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world. - _[SHARE Foundation's Anti-Biometric Surveillance Campaign website](https://hiljade.kamera.rs/en/home/)_ - including articles, crowdsourced map, press releases and campaign updates. – _[Technopolice resources](https://technopolice.fr/leak/)_ - tools and methods from French initiatives providing ways to leak files for people who work in companies involved in Biometric Surveillance and administrations (content in French). – _[Technopolice Campaigning Action Guide](https://technopolice.fr/semobiliser/guidesdactions/)_ (content in French). ## Glossary ### term-ascii-art ASCII art - a graphic design technique and aesthetics for presentation of pictures pieced together from basic computer printed characters. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASCII_art). ### term-biometric-surveillance Biometric surveillance - a technology that measures and analyzes human physical and/or behavioral characteristics for authentication, identification, or screening purposes. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surveillance#Biometric)) ### term-chilling-effect Chilling effect - an effect that reduces, suppresses, discourages, delays, or otherwise retards reporting concerns of any kind. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilling_effect)) ### term-counter-narratives Counter-narratives - stories impacting on social settings that stand opposed to (perceived) dominant and powerful master-narratives. The concept of counter-narratives covers resistance and opposition as told and framed by individuals and social groups. (Source: [Routledge Handbook of Counter-Narratives](https://www.routledge.com/Routledge-Handbook-of-Counter-Narratives/Lueg-Lundholt/p/book/9780367234034) 2021) ### term-false-narrative False narrative - a story that is perceived as being true but has little basis in reality. ### term-street-marketing Street marketing - a form of guerrilla marketing that uses nontraditional or unconventional methods to promote a product or service. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_marketing)) ### term-panopticon Panopticon - the idea of total surveillance centralization is older than sophisticated computer systems and originates from the new prison design proposal dating back to the end of the 18th century. According to the same design, the daily life of prisoners is monitored from the central tower, from which someone can but does not have to be watching them. The very idea that they can be spotted at any point, so that prisoners always behave as if they are being watched. (Source: [hiljadekamera](https://hiljade.kamera.rs/en/threats/)). ### term-political-narrative Political narrative - a term used in the humanities and political sciences to describe the way in which storytelling can shape fact and impact on understandings of reality. However, political narrative is not only a theoretical concept, it is also a tool employed by political figures in order to construct the perspectives of people within their environment and alter relationships between social groups and individuals. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_narrative)) ### term-rwd Responsive html - Responsive web design (RWD) is an approach to web design that makes web pages render well on a variety of devices and window or screen sizes from minimum to maximum display size. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsive_web_design)). ### term-viral Viral** (in internet terms) - The term viral pertains to a video, image, or written content spreading to numerous online users within a short time period. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viral_phenomenon))
anti-biometric.preview	# The Making of an Anti-biometric Mass Surveillance Campaign By …
bio-investigation.basename	bio-investigation
bio-investigation.content	Bio-investigations in the field =============================== By Xavier Coadic ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/Bioinvestigation-cik-illustration.png) ```cik-in-short ``` IN SHORT: An introduction to the concepts and practices of biological investigations (bio-investigations), including the collection and analysis of samples from the field and examples of research that you can do at home and in the local environment of your community. --- Our living environment is as much a book about the past and present as it is a permanent source of information. Whether it's a hazardous chemical spill, a change in [biodiversity](#term-biodiversity), an urban renovation project or an improvement in water quality, we sometimes need to draw attention to clues and evidence from our physical environment, which often complement maps or other data we may find online. Based on my (the author's) field experience, this guide will present ways to explore, find and collect meaningful and "invisible" information that can be used in many investigations of our living environment. To begin, all you need is a curious mindset and some methods to help you gather evidence of the existence of certain past or present environmental events. What is a bio-investigation? ---------------------------- We call bio-investigation the processes of locating and taking [samples](#term-sample) and measurements in the environment, as well as preparing these proceedings and analysing samples or phenomena that will provide information, which can be incorporated into a broader investigation. Bio-investigation, like other types of investigation, is also an act of creating knowledge so that it can be understood by others, by documenting the processes and actions that arise. Documentation will allow you to share your experiences and results until you are no longer the custodian of knowledge yourself. For example, your bio-investigations can focus on polluted soils (soil, groundwater, soil gas), sludge and sediments (marine, estuarine, fluvial), air (ambient air, workplace air, air quality in a village or urban neighbourhood), etc. This guide is dedicated to bio-investigation of the environment and it will cover both human and non-human activities. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >The term "non-human,", mentioned above, means "everything with which >humans are in constant interaction:" animals and plants, but also >elements such as water, air and earth, sometimes including objects >and artefacts produced by human activity. This reminds us of other >characteristics of these non-human elements involved in a situation. > >For example, during the 2019-2020 bushfires in Australia, the media >often focused on issues of disappearance of large animals, >especially mammals, and the risks they faced. "Remarkable plants," >because they are aesthetically impressive, are also sometimes the >subjects of emotional campaigns. > >Microorganisms, whatever their reign, are usually invisible from >public consideration, even though they represent a majority of the >victims of these disasters and are thus a loss for the planet and >humans in terms of the services they provide to the ecosystem. > >Taking these "non-humans" into consideration of our vision of the >environment during bio-investigations allows us to broaden our >imagination, enrich our knowledge, grasp new sources of information, >and consolidate our investigation process. Naturally, this >consideration also allows us to take a more refined ecological >approach to environmental situations. > >A ["common good"](#term-commons) will then be considered as a "biotic community" >bringing together humans and non-humans in a relationship of strong >interdependence. This guide proceeds in three stages: - Describing why and how to organise yourself before conducting an investigation and taking samples in the field, - Providing the basics of sampling procedures with different possibilities to analyse these samples, - Showing you what you may find in different contexts with feedback from the field, and with real examples of connecting local issues with investigative and awareness-raising actions by groups of people on the ground. It's important to note that this guide refers to some basic steps to start using living material and your environment to disclose problems. You will find methods, tools, tips and, above all, an investigative state of mind to be implemented in the ecological field, with environmental considerations concerning water, earth, air, plants, etc. Investigate, cook, live ----------------------- Studying our environment and trying "to make the living talk" is a bit like the process of cooking. Learning to cook is something that one can start at a very young age and with little knowledge (and by enjoying eating well and making others enjoy the food), first by trusting the senses, and then by adding experience to the recipes. In bio-investigation, too, as we develop our techniques, we learn differently, we learn how to supply ourselves with ingredients, we acquire better tools and weave collaborative networks. Being an environmentalist or a bio-investigator is like cooking, perhaps by taking an interest in even smaller things/beings in life. For example, a small scientific experiment to extract [DNA](#term-dna) from an organism may be considered filthy, unethical, complicated or risky. Yet you can do it yourself in less than 15 minutes in your kitchen on split peas or strawberries, simply with the products you probably have in your household. It's fun, it demystifies a lot of methods and concerns, and it's a first step towards discovering the invisible. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_biopanique.png) ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_biopanique2.png) Photos from a workshop held in 2007 -- "Biopanique cuisine et féminisme" (Biopanic cuisine and feminism) with DNA manipulation in a kitchen and a roundtable on women's liberties. See [the transcript of the workshop](https://notecc.frama.wiki/atelier:biopanique) and the documentation of [the DNA extraction process](https://notecc.frama.wiki/norae:biologicus:bioprivacy_note-autodefense-1). Photos by Xavier Coadic. Now let's see how to get there. ## Regaining control of information in your environment People all over the world -- in the countryside or in the city, in the mountains or by the sea -- share a common goal: to gain an understanding of the information that concerns their surrounding environment and to participate in the further elaboration of this information. This is especially true in the case of climate upheavals, accidents and natural or industrial disasters. In June 2019, when [an industrial abattoir spilled blood](https://web.archive.org/web/20190914192128/https:/www.ouest-france.fr/bretagne/chateaubourg-35220/pres-de-vitre-des-litres-de-sang-dans-la-riviere-6399394) in one of the streams in Châteaubourg, France, or during [the petrochemical industrial fire in Rouen](https://web.archive.org/web/20200506160635/https:/www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2019/09/28/incendie-de-l-usine-lubrizol-a-rouen-l-enquete-s-elargit-a-la-mise-en-danger-d-autrui_6013462_3244.html) in September of the same year, we (local citizen investigators and activists) found that many people were overwhelmed and that others wanted to simply meet over a coffee to discuss these disasters and to consider a new social configuration and organise themselves to address these issues. So we, a local group of citizen investigators, gave as much importance to these circumstances of the meetings and the desire to work together as we did to the investigative methods and sampling protocols we wanted to deploy. It is almost certain that other disasters will occur, in other forms and under different circumstances. We have always adapted and, more importantly, have responded more effectively when we met regularly before or after an incident. We have also experiencedt a re-appropriation of urban wastelands to limit gentrification and/or expropriations, with soils polluted by industrial heavy metals. We have had to deal with the pollution of coasts and beaches in Brittany by the oil spill or by [chlorophytes](https://web.archive.org/web/20180730093913/https:/educatif.eau-et-rivieres.asso.fr/pdf/pollution.pdf), the decomposition of which [releases a very toxic gas](https://web.archive.org/web/20161003032955/http:/www.liberation.fr/terre/2009/08/04/les-algues-vertes-en-decomposition-fabriquent-un-gaz-tres-toxique_574307). In each of these cases, it was necessary to deal with the emergency and regain control of the environment, the land and the information. Bio-investigation was an essential ingredient in this process. ```cik-warning ``` > Safety First! > > Just as when you are cooking, gardening or tinkering, there is a > golden rule in bio-investigations (and in any investigations): don't > put yourself or others in dangerous conditions. Here are some basic > precautions: > > Individual precautions: > > - think before you act, > - prepare and plan your research. Below you'll find some tips related > to mnemonics, i.e. different constructions that facilitate > memorization, which can be useful to keep long things in a short > - examine the place(s) where you want to take action, > - protective equipment is your friend, > - use appropriate equipment and training tools, > - don't forget digital security tools and tactics, > - don't work alone -- even more so in the case of field > (environmental) sampling, > - establish strong and trustworthy collaboration with others. > > Collective protection: > > - work in pairs or more as it will help and save you (e.g. climbing a > wall or taking samples from a river), > - all group members should equip themselves carefully with all > individual precautions, > - reuse, transform or develop methods and techniques for safe teamwork > (drawing inspiration from urban graffiti, hiking, caving, diving, > firefighting, etc.), > - document your work - you can get inspired from the experiences of > [common and resistance writing](http://www.sens-public.org/articles/1375/) (or > documentation as a form of resistance). > > Remember that if one of you is in danger, the others will be in danger, too. ### Operate in good local conditions When creating, using and modifying the recipes, there are elements of culture, knowledge and experience that are shared and transmitted. This configuration is illustrated by the recipe of a [Far Breton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far_Breton), for example -- a typical cake from Brittany that says as much about the techniques and natural resources used to make it as about the customs and habits of the people who cook it. A cooking recipe, no matter how instructive it is, can be commented on by a considerable number of people in order to make adjustments as new (re)uses and adaptations are made. This is the equivalent for environmental investigations: an area in which a simple commentary in the context itself can play a crucial role in following research methods and learning from them. So make sure you meet with the people who live on the sites you want to investigate and, if necessary, with their consent and after explaining the questions, interview them in a written, audio or video form (see _["Interviews: the Human Element of Your Investigation"](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/interviews.html)_). You are certainly not alone in your concerns or your interest in this domain. Build relationships with indigenous people. The things you will do together are woven bonds that will leave connections and memories behind, creating a historical structure. As in the situations of food crises, environmental tensions can be a theatre of powerful political debates and expressions of emotions. These crisis situations are the arenas of political and social discord that often lead to the dissemination of manipulated or even deliberately falsified information. Test, be vigilant and criticise these phenomena. ```cik-example ``` >Example: > > Here is a theoretical example of preparation before field sampling in > the case of a factory fire that impacts water, air, soil, crops. > Consider [the weather and the extent](https://mamot.fr/@XavCC/102865820616257736) of the disaster; > identify and map potentially critical intervention and sampling points > with an online mapping tool such as [overpass turbo](https://archive.is/2yTEr). _[Overpass > turbo](https://overpass-turbo.eu/)_ is a data filtering tool for > _[OpenStreetMap](http://www.openstreetmap.org/)_ -- you can learn > more in this [OSM Wiki](https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Overpass_turbo). > > An industrial sulfur refinery site burns and two silos explode. The > plant is located in a large city and in close proximity to a > working-class neighbourhood with residential blocks and working-class > houses. > > This is the case of an industrial disaster -- an industry that is > central to the economic activity of a region and important for > national consumption. The industrial site is maintained by an > international company, and backed by associations and politicians who > have been lobbying for this company for many years. On the other hand, > there are politicians and associations that have been lobbying against > these activities and this company. > > During the industrial accident and in the immediate aftermath, many of > these organisations could find it in their interest to disseminate or > modify information in their favour. Add to this the concerns (and even > panic) of the residents around the industrial site. > > Prepare your field action plan and biological and chemical sampling > scheme considering that the information that circulates and is > produced during this accident may be profit-driven in one direction or > another. Consider that the assistance you receive in the field while > taking samples may influence the political interpretation of your > investigation. ### Protect yourself and know your limits In order to carry out bio-investigations, you need to have detailed information about sampling authorisations: meaning, where you are allowed to collect samples from and where this is prohibited by law for various reasons. Biodiversity can be protected on the site you are targeting, or a health alert (e.g. risk of infection) may be announced. The relevant authorities, local associations and NGOs concerned very often disseminate this kind of information. You can also be guided by people authorised to carry out investigations in the field (scientists, associations, NGOs, academics). In any case, act consciously and do not destroy or pollute nature. ```cik-warning ``` > Safety first! > > When going to collect samples in the field, you must consider that you > are usually observed by humans or devices (e.g. CCTV cameras). Even if > you have the legal right to go there and nothing prevents you from > taking samples, the fact that you are doing it may attract someone's > attention. Please think about it in advance. > > Pay attention to video surveillance, monitor public or hidden camera > locations, analyse the location in advance, walk the site before > acting. In many cases, there are websites where you can view live > images from surveillance cameras installed in the area, such as in > [Brussels](https://bruxelles.sous-surveillance.net/), > [Seattle](https://seattle.sous-surveillance.net/), or > [Rennes](https://rennes.sous-surveillance.net/). > > If you carry a smartphone or an [IOT device](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_of_things), the > geolocation and automatic WiFi connection can betray you and the other people who are next to you. ### Apply good practices while in the field Use the [mnemonic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mnemonic) allowing to make an inventory of the group and equipment. The key steps are grouped under the following list: - Person(s) - Who are the people you work with in the field? What do you need to take care of these people? What are their needs and skills? Discuss together. - Equipment - What equipment do you need to meet your operational objective? What equipment do you actually have? Check the availability, condition and functioning of this equipment. - Workwear - What type of workwear is appropriate for your field operation? Check the condition of these outfits. - Communication devices - What means of communication do you need in the field? Think about confidentiality and rules of constraint in case these communications are compromised. Make an inventory, test, train. - Food - Will you need to hydrate and/or eat something once in the field? Provide food and drink for a set amount of time. - Driving - Who does what? When? Where? Limit unnecessary effort and the risk of complications. - Course of action - How will you proceed: objectives of an action, its duration, stages, planned replacements, etc.? Plan carefully. - Appointments - Where, how, why, do you make an appointment to begin? Or when and why do you give yourself an appointment at the end? Tips to help you move in groups or in pairs: - Direction - From where are you departing, in what direction do you or the team need to go to reach the sampling site? - Meeting point - What is the exact meeting point to start the work? - Itinerary - Which intermediate points do you decide to pass through to reach the meeting point? Why? - Training - In what configuration and with what means are you going to make the trip? What you should remember once you get to the meeting point before launching the work: - Situation - Description of the initial situation of the field in which you are going to intervene (e.g. a private agricultural field a few hundred metres from the factory, or within the perimeter of a surveilled building with demonstrations around it and police forces). - Objective - What are your specific objectives to be achieved (e.g. 12 water samples at three different locations down the river + photos; or five air quality measurement points during 24 hours to form a study area in addition to some meteorological data). - From idea to action - What are the techniques considered to achieve the objective? For each need, which precisely described techniques will you implement? - Implementation - Task assignments and division of tasks / sectorisation. Make it clear who does what, how and where. - Coordination - How you communicate, people to contact in case of problems, individual and collective security measures. ```cik-example ``` > Theoretical example of preparatory work prior to taking samples: > > On the river that was polluted last week, in the field of Mr. X who > allows you to come on it if avoiding to damage any property, you have > to take 12 samples from three locations that you have marked on your > maps. The sampling techniques are described next to your maps. You > have split into three teams of three people each. Each team has a > designated person to supervise the sampling and security. > > You have one hour to work on each location, including taking pictures. > Communication between teams goes via _[Element/ex-Riot](https://element.io/)_ application with encryption > enabled. Report any problems to the person supervising your team. Wear > respiratory masks, latex gloves and do not come into direct contact > with water to avoid contamination of samples. Take samples with a > stick and small bottles that you then place in coolers. ## Prepare your protocol for samples ### Making a recipe ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/Bioinvestigation_01-cik-illustration.png) When you cook, you start with a need -- to feed -- and then a desire -- to eat well. You prepare your idea in the kitchen, starting by making a list of the ingredients you have and/or what you need to get. Afterwards, you use tools to try to aggregate, gather, combine elements just before you start cooking, which is another affair in itself. Drafting recipes of your sampling operations for a bio-investigation before going to the field will allow you to minimise the risk of forgetting details, to retrieve the sampling conditions, and to give a context of the samples (if you give your samples to other organisations for analysis). Bio-investigation, just like cooking, is based on a recipe. You need recipes and other people probably need yours, too. So write down, document and share your recipe (suggestion: under free license); it will also be very useful to ensure the credibility of your investigation and its results. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > > Possible ways to share your investigative "recipes" with others (after testing and documenting them). > > - A tutorial, which is focused on learning, allows the newcomer to take it as a lesson. It is similar to the process of teaching someone how to plant vegetables or cook. > - A goal-oriented form of a practical guide shows how to solve a specific problem and a series of step-by-step instructions. It is similar to the process of growing vegetables or a recipe in a cookbook. > - An explanation form, which focuses on comprehension and explanation and provides both background information and context. It is comparable to an article on the social history of the tomato or the cooking in general. > - A reference guide that describes a completed project. It is intended to be accurate and complete, thus verification and incorporation of sources are important. It could be similar to an encyclopedia article. A good practice is to have trusted people read your sample collection protocol and ask them what they understand and what they don't understand. This will improve the usability of your "recipes". For each measuring and sampling operation (physical, chemical, biological, meteorological, etc.), write a recipe beforehand. Here you enter into the practices of metrology -- through citizen investigation using measurement science. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/cik-bio-en-1.png) Diagram made in a bar with people who wanted to practice bio-investigation. A pyramid of tile layers helping to symbolize the different areas to be chosen to define the places where biological and chemical materials should be collected. Diagram and photo by Xavier Coadic. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/cik-bio-en-2.png) The inverted pyramid connected to the base pyramid by the red dot represents the continuation of the investigation process after the field operation. Diagram and photo by Xavier Coadic. A bio-investigator's mindset links the following actions: - identifying/discovering methods and tools, - inventorying sampling areas, - investigating a particular situation, - making field records and samples, - analysing samples or measurements in this situation on defined and described areas, - interpreting analyses, - informing others (team, public, etc.) beyond your initiative. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/cik-bio-en-3.png) Preparation scheme that represents the mindset to be adopted, as well as the methods and tools needed for field sampling. Diagram and photo by Xavier Coadic. ### Building your protocol When you examine your environment, the protocols matter. Your protocols' content will be influenced by the examples you find during your preparatory research, by the advice you receive, by the conditions in which you work, and sometimes even by the cases you pursue. The important thing is to keep protocols simple to reproduce, to write them clearly, to test them, and then to adapt and improve them whenever circumstances require it. Establish your own protocols as you would write a recipe. Whatever you do, you should always follow 5 procedures: - geolocate your samples, - measure and plot the sampling areas, - take photos or videos of the steps you take, - describe and comment on your work, - make your protocols and procedures public if it doesn't pose a risk (think about _[metadata](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/en/guides/behind-the-data-metadata-investigations/)_ and protection of individual data or _[anonymisation](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/en/guides/domain-games/)_). ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: > > Your recipe must also take into account the sequencing of your work, > which is vital to the chain of custody and confidence in your samples. > This is your logistics [routine](#term-routine). > > It's like an envelope with a certification stamp that serves as a > capsule on part of your sample's life cycle (with its instructions). > One capsule for each essential activity: sampling / measuring, > storage, contextualisation, information indexing, transport. > > The quality and integrity of these steps of your routine are important > for the probabilities of reliable analysis and therefore strengthen > your investigation (or weaken it if they are not sufficiently > elaborated in the specific context). > > Each routine is a specific treatment that must be well identified > (object, nature, task, calculation, etc.) and tailor-made for each > type of sample. A water sample will not have the same routine as a mud > sample or a [morphological imprint](#term-morphoimprint), even though > the treatment may be similar (labelling for example). You can store > your protocols in an online library (if your work is not confidential > or putting you and others at risk) to make them available to other > projects while preserving their integrity in their uses. For example, > write everything down in a wiki, as if it were a recipe that you would > like to convey with gestures, explanation of ingredients and > associated data. It's a process to be made visible and interpretable. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/cik-bio-en-4.png) > Diagram of the life cycle and stages of a bio-investigation with progression of the documentation and the amount of data indexed and made accessible. Diagram and photo by Xavier Coadic. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/cik-bio-routine-en.png) > Bio-investigation routine schema and steps for documentation and data generation. Diagram and photo by Xavier Coadic. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_documentation-shapes.jpg) To enhance the quality of your routine and associated documentation, you can use [Ishikawa's](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaoru_Ishikawa) approach to [cause-and-effect analysis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishikawa_diagram) using the cause-and-effect diagram or the following rule: 1. Material: materials used in the processes. 2. Equipment: equipment available and required. 3. Method: procedure to be followed. 4. Manpower: people available to carry out the process. 5. Environment: environment in which the process is carried out. You may find this approach useful to control the quality of your routine. ## Choosing sampling areas You can use several methods and tools to select interesting and relevant locations to collect samples for your bio-investigation. Here we will give you new methods to identify areas for environmental information collection and physical sampling in the field. ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: Selecting sampling locations with [Overpass-turbo](https://overpass-turbo.eu/) > > Overpass-turbo is a website that allows you to build maps with a few > clicks by collecting data available in the [*OpenStreet Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/) databases. You can, if you > have the skills, also use the code to build these queries, create a > map and easily retrieve the associated data. > > For example, if you have the ability to locate public drinking water > points, or the surroundings of a school, or the location of a factory: > > Click > > `Wizard`` / Assistant > search > school > build research > run` > > Or > > `Wizard / Assistant > search > amenity=drinking_water > build research > run` > > You will then obtain a standardised set such as: Codes + sources + > data + maps. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_overpass-0.png) > Example of drinking water points. Source: <https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/MG7>* > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_overpass-1.png) > Schools. Source: <https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/MG4> > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_overpass-2.png) > Factories. Source: <https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/MKM> Here is [documentation (in French) on how to prepare yourself](https://notecc.frama.wiki/norae:biologicus:bioprivacy_note-moprho-face-3) for selecting sampling areas. Energy-related infrastructures (oil, gas, electricity) with their facilities (production, storage, processing, transportation) represent a triple interest in your investigation: - they allow you to consider a landscape according to its energy network, - they allow you to know where to look for information in specific cases during your investigations, - they have a considerable influence on the landscape and ecological environment. Here is an example of a map, based on OpenStreetMap, accessible via a website with associated data. This particular map is zoomed on the city of Rennes in France: ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_openinfra.png) Source: [https://openinframap.org/\#12/48.11283/-1.6717](#12/48.11283/-1.6717) There are many possibilities for taking samples and observing living organisms, some with simple protocols and basic materials, others with more elaborate methods. It's like trying to make a dish cooked with similar but sometimes slightly different ingredients and changing the manufacturing process and cooking methods from time to time. In this guide we provide some inspiring and proven examples that can serve as a basis for your 'investigative mindset'. It's also for training. But you will find many other possibilities and methods, more or less sophisticated, on the web. Don't hesitate to look for them yourself, for instance by Dorking (see _*[Search Smarter by Dorking](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/google-dorking.html)_ in this Kit). Focus on the results contained in the free licensed wikis with notes about contributing communities. The best is to meet people with knowledge and experience in crafts (agriculture, gardening, fishing, DIY, biology, entomologist's hobby, etc.) who could advise and help you especially in the beginning. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_group-1.jpg) ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_group-2.jpg) ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_group-3.png) Illustrations of a 3-day introductory workshop on environmental investigation in 2017 with participants from a social integration programme. Photos by Xavier Coadic.* ## Taking soil samples ### Creating a diagram of an area to be tested There are many community gardens blooming in the city. Many abandoned areas are being reinvested in by communities, and developers are taking control of floodplains to build huge and expensive housing complexes. Amateur gardeners occupying abandoned or fallow land are regularly confronted with the issue of soil pollution in these areas. Often, they are unaware of traces of bio-chemical inputs. In addition, soil analyses carried out in professional laboratories cost several hundred euro. The invisible biodiversity of soils (fauna and flora, micro-organisms, plankton, bacteria, etc.) is almost never taken into account. It is estimated that several thousand species of bacteria and fungi can coexist in one gram of temperate forest soil. Each of these species is not represented by a single individual but by a multitude of individuals. In our gram of soil, we can count up to 1 billion bacteria and 1 million fungi and protozoa. Exposing them can help defend environmental causes and protect living conditions for all. #### Here's how to create a diagram of the experimental area:** ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_diagramezone.png) Source: <http://aliceblogs.epfl.ch/years/y1_2018-19/studios/grandgirard/ferretti-lapo> - Make a diagram of the area where you want to conduct soil tests and indicate on the diagram where the samples were taken. For example, write "X1" for areas of high human activity (e.g., children often play there) or "X2" for areas of low activity. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_diagramezone2.png) Source : <https://recaa.mmsh.univ-aix.fr/1/Documents/1-6.pdf> - Prepare your sampling plots in the field by dividing the land into several homogenous [units/grids](#term-grid). ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_fouillefine.png) Source: <https://mieux-se-connaitre.com/2011/02/larcheologie-sauvetage-de-memoire/> - Remove grass, stones, twigs, etc. from the surface of the ground you plan to dig. - Using a spatula or spade, dig a hole 15 cm deep (you may need to dig deeper for some chemicals) and leave this piece of soil aside. - Scrape the soil from the sides of the hole with a spoon (prefer a plastic or glass spoon, avoid metal). - Collect about 28 grams (approx. 1 ounce) of soil all around the well. - Every time you take a sample, take a picture. - Every time you see an insect or plant, take a picture. - Archive your samples with their associated note card ([see an example here](https://cdn.ttc.io/src/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/pdf/Bioinvestigation_fische-prelevement.pdf)). - Place the collected soil in a sealable plastic bag. Using a permanent marker, write on the bag the placement of the sample "X1" or "X2", your name, the date of the test and the tests you want to perform (example: arsenic and lead). Seal the bag. Wash the spoon with soap and water, rinse with [distilled water](#term-distilledwater) and use a clean spoon for each sample. - Expand your assignment - Collect a total of 4 to 6 samples from the sectors in your study area, using the same protocol, each time with a clean instrument. - When all samples have been collected, labeled and sealed, place them in a larger bag and store them in a container, along with the schematic of the investigated area that you have created. - You can even give samples to the laboratory for analysis by an NGO, association or university if you have established a relationship of trust. Or analyse them yourself. Once you have completed your searching, sampling, archiving and documentation work, compile everything into a file. This file can be then used to make a presentation of the area under study, including, for example, the discovery of high lead concentrations from former military cartridge mining activities on a site where a school is about to be constructed. Or, as another example, in the case of the construction of a marina complex, you could provide evidence of the existing biodiversity and its ecological importance that must be preserved. ```cik-example ``` > Example: > > You can also consider using art and science to spread the word, > involve people, and build ecological action - such as making a > [Winogradsky column](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winogradsky_column) > out of peat from an area of ecological interest on which a developer > decides to start construction. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/801/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_ph.png) > Example of a [civic marathon](https://movilab.org/wiki/OSCEDays_2017_à_Rennes) initiated to design and test protocols for peat sampling in urban areas that are subject to real estate pressures. Photo by Xavier Coadic. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_colonne-wynogradsky-small.png) > Photo by Xavier Coadic. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_christophe.png) > Photo by Xavier Coadic. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_umap-OSMlight.png) > The associated map of the sampling (in green) and working (pins) areas in the city of Rennes in France. Source: [https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/fr/map/byodit_151971#14/48.1128/-1.6762](https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/fr/map/byodit_151971#14/48.1128/-1.6762) > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Biointeractive_Winogradsky.jpg) > Source: <https://www.biointeractive.org/classroom-resources/poster-winogradsky-columnmicrobial-evolution-bottle> > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_harvardmuseum.png) > Source: <https://schaechter.asmblog.org/schaechter/2018/08/how-to-build-a-giant-winogradsky-column.html> ```cik-warning ``` > Warning: Note that investigating the soil requires taking > precautions to avoid injury and to protect yourself from infections > such as tetanus or yellow fever, for example. ### Using plants as markers Plants that grow in a defined area can help you imagine possible tracks of investigation regarding past events in that area. Indeed, plants, through the soil that filters water and provides [minerals](#term-oligoelements), absorb many elements from a past more or less close to the ecological life of the environment you wish to investigate. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > > Biodiversity concerns all living things, their interactions with > each other and with their environment. The markers of this > biodiversity are indications given by the presence in number and > diversity of living organisms. Start by identifying a site with a set of plants [whose bio-indication and/or bio-accumulation](https://rivieres-pourpres.frama.wiki/documentation:plantes_bioindicatrices) potential you are looking for. You can then focus on mapping the location of these plants and collecting some specimens. This mapping, completed with the samples taken for analysis (at a laboratory or by yourself), can reveal valuable information on the state of the site and on the human activities that took place before these plants grew. Numerous plants in your environment can serve as a reservoir of information when you are interested in a particular piece of land which, for example, is likely to have been exposed to heavy metals during human activities (factory, armed conflict, uncontrolled dumping ground). The presence of these plants does not necessarily mean that heavy metals are present in the soil. However, if you suspect that the soil on a piece of land contains heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, nickel, etc.), you may decide to collect plants with the capacity to absorb and store these metals in order to provide evidence after analysis. For example, ferns will be interesting to collect for your investigation if you have information that the ground on which they grow may have been polluted with arsenic. ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: > > - See this _[Wikipedia entry of bioindicators](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioindicator)_ for information only -- it may depend on your ecological region and you must adapt the list by yourself. > > - Also see _[this list of bioindicator plants](https://rivieres-pourpres.frama.wiki/documentation:plantes_bioindicatrices)_ (in French). By searching on the internet or taking advice from farmers or NGOs specialising in plants as markers of biodiversity, you can more easily create a list of plants to be identified in the area of interest. Print out photos of these plants before going to the site for mapping and sampling. It may be possible to follow a similar process by analysing the (micro)fauna in the soil, and the animals that eat it. ```cik-note ``` > Note: > > Plant samples degrade fairly quickly after collection. It is better to > plan to collect the sample and get it to the laboratory (if you have > this in the plan) on the same day. > > Some rules of good practice: > > - Wrap the samples in newsprint paper, which will block [photosynthesis](#term-photosynthesis) and absorb water vapor > condensation, and package them in tightly sealed plastic bags. > > - Store in a cold place (\<10°C) for a maximum of 1 night before > bringing them to the laboratory. If a ventilated oven is > available, dry the samples for 24 hours at 70°C in suitable > containers. > > - Do not exceed this temperature, otherwise some of the volatile > elements, especially nitrogen, may be lost. > > - Repack in a plastic bag. The samples can then be stored for several > months in a dry place. > > - In any case, never close the bags with staples: a single staple is enough to contaminate the sample with iron and can damage the grinders. The quantities to be taken depend on the analyses requested but also on the dry matter of a plant: a standard analysis requires at least 50g of dry matter to be able to grind the sample reliably. ```cik-example ``` > Theoretical exercise: > > Based on the [list of plants given here](https://rivieres-pourpres.frama.wiki/documentation:plantes_bioindicatrices), > and their potential for indication or accumulation, try to make an > exercise in a safe place (make sure of this before you start) near > your house or town, for example in an abandoned construction site or > industrial harbor. > > Map this site locating these plants and then take plant samples for > each type of plant. Finally, offer your samples to a soil and plant > analysis laboratory (established by an association or a university > near this site). ### Measuring soil pH: an investigative exercise Being able to determine soil qualities can be important in an environmental investigation. Tracking changes in soil qualities by conducting regular analyses, can help you understand changes in the environment. pH measurement describes the acidity (pH) of an environment. The hydrogen potential, noted pH, is a measure of the chemical activity of hydrogen ions in solution. There are many _[tutorials](http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/02/complete-guide-to-soil-ph-testing/)_ available on the internet for _[soil pH analysis](http://www.sunset.com/garden/garden-basics/acid-alkaline-soil-modifying-ph)_ with digital sensors or test strips. ```cik-warning ``` > Some actions below require special tools if you want to implement them > yourself at home. We provide examples of suppliers for such tools, but > we do not endorse any particular vendor of these products. The pH is a coefficient that characterises the acidity of a soil, due to the presence of H+ ions. It defines the concentration of H+ ions in the liquid state of the soil. The pH varies from 0 to 14 and neutrality is reached when the pH is equal to 7. Soils can be classified according to their acidity level as follows: - pH \< 4,5: highly acidic soils - 4,5 \< pH \< 6: low-acid soils - 6 \< pH \< 7: well-balanced soils for good mineral nutrition - pH \> 7: calcareous and/or saline soils The pH is measured with a [*pH meter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH_meter). #### Protocol and work stages 1. Preparation of solutions* - Weigh exactly 10.0g of soil A, B and C. - Pour each weight into a [beaker](#term-beaker) which will be marked A, B and C. - Add 50 ml of [distilled water](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distilled_water). - Insert a [magnetic stirrer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_stirrer) into each beaker and stir the solutions for 30 min with the stirrer. 2. Filtration solutions - Place a [funnel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funnel) on a high beaker. - Place a filter (e.g., coffee filter) over the funnel and filter solution A. - Do the same for solution B and then for C. 3. pH measurement - Adjust the pH meter: calibration is done with a buffer solution at pH=7 and one at pH=4 (it is available in kits for aquariums or swimming pools in shops or via the Internet. You can buy buffer solutions for electronic pH meters - pH 4 and 7 online, for example from [here](https://www.bienmanger.com/1F3877_Solutions_Tampons_Pour_Metre_Electronique.html)). - Insert the pH-meter probe into one of the solutions and read the pH value. Note the different pH values measured. - Clean the pH meter and measure the pH value of the second solution. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_ph_meter.png) pH meter. Photo by Sergei Golyshev [(AFK during workdays)](https://www.flickr.com/photos/29225114@N08), [CC BY-SA2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/) #### Here's an investigation exercise we suggest: Investigators wanted to know where the soil found on the vehicle chassis came from., so they took three soil samples: - sample A: from the location where the vehicle was parked. - sample B: from the owner's workplace. - sample C: from the owner's place of residence. Then they sent these samples to a laboratory. Your task is to analyse these soil samples to determine the provenance/origin (as in location) of the soil found at the "crime scene." ```cik-note ``` > Note: Here we describe a study of the mineral salt content of a > soil in order to identify the origin of the sample "A: from the > location where the vehicle is parked" Protocol and investigation exercise To identify the presence of ions, tests involving a chemical reaction are necessary. To do this, a small amount of appropriate reagent (see table below) is poured into the test tube containing the test solution. Then you observe what happens and make notes about your observations. You must have the following reagents: [Sodium hydroxide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hydroxide) (Na+; HO-); Sodium (2Na+; SO4²-); Silver nitrate (Ag+; NO3-) and Barium chloride (Ba+; Cl-). Summary table of characteristic tests for ion identification : \| Ion to identify \| Reagents used \| Observations \| \|---------------------------------------------------\|-----------------------------------\|-------------------\| \| Fe2+ \| Sodium (Na+; HO-) \| \| \| Fe3+ \| Sodium (Na+; HO-) \| \| \| Ca2+ \| Sodium (2Na+; SO4²-) \| \| \| Mg2+ \| Sodium (Na+; HO-) \| \| \| [Mn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manganese)2+ \| Sodium (Na+; HO-) \| \| \| Cl- \| Silver nitrate (Ag+; NO3-) \| \| \| SO42- \| Barium chloride (Ba+; Cl-) \| \| Pour approximately 2 ml of the sample containing the ion into a [test tube](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_tube) using the pipette. Then introduce a few drops of the reagent with a pipette. Observe and record your observations in the table. You will see colour changes, with or without precipitates (the formation of a [dispersed phase in colloid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiphasic_liquid) in your test tube). These colours indicate a reaction that brings out a particular chemical component present in your soil sample, which will ultimately give important clues to the overall composition of a sample you are trying to trace. Thus, 2 tubes with samples from 2 different sampling points with identical results and observations will give you an indication of high probability that the vehicle has been at both sampling locations. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_precipite-vert-rouille.png) Source: <http://www.clg-moulin-lepecq.ac-versailles.fr/IMG/pdf/Chap_4_Tests_de_reconnaissance_de_quelques_ions.pdf>. For ions Ca2+ producing a white precipitate <https://webphysique.fr/test-identification-ion-calcium/> ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_tests-ions.png) [Download here](https://cdn.ttc.io/src/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/pdf/Bioinvestigation_tests-ions.pdf) a summary table of ion tests in pdf format. This stage will help by your observations to determine the reaction for the presence of each ion (first column). Determining the presence of ions in soil samples - Pour 2ml of the sample to be tested into 7 test tubes to perform 7 tests as described in the table above. - Run the ion determination tests. - Write down your observations. Then run the same tests for samples B and C. Comparison of your observations and conclusion Using the previous results, you can now determine the composition and origin of the soil sample taken from the vehicle. Will sample B or sample C have the same reactions as observed by sample A? The sample, among all those tested, which will show you the same results of reactions with identical colours or precipitates will also indicate the correspondence of composition with your soil sample taken from the vehicle. This will be important information that will help you trace the history of the vehicle's movements. Like all important information, it will have to be treated with other contradictory processes. ### Collecting samples for DNA analysis of the soil Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is the carrier of genetic information present in all living organisms. It is specific for every species and may be unique to each individual of a species. Soil is the living environment for a large number of living species. From an ecological point of view, soil is one of the most important reservoirs of biological diversity on our planet. One gram of soil can contain billions of bacteria belonging to several million species. Microorganisms have a fundamental role in soil function: organic matter dynamics, carbon and nitrogen cycles, degradation of organic pollutants, retention of metallic pollutants, etc. Microorganism communities also help measure all the environmental stresses affecting the soil. In this context, they appear to be good indicators of changes in soil quality and past soil-related events. Soil samples collected as part of an investigation can provide meaningful and useful information following summary analyses, including for the [genomes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genome) of microorganisms. The protocol for soil sampling to assess soil microbial diversity is similar to that for physicochemical analysis described above. Sample collection and packaging are critical steps that will ensure robust analyses and results on the characterisation of microorganism communities in the soil examples you have collected. As in cooking, the recipe and the actions are almost more important than the final dish. The objective of the protocols is to get from a few kilograms of soil from the sampling area a pill box (50 to 100 g) for preservation by ensuring that this "subsample" is representative. See more details and tutorials on the EcoFinders project website and pay a special attention to [this video](https://invidio.us/watch?v=_k7BEInBXEc). ```cik-note ``` > Note: > > If you wish to go further in your investigations, you can download the > protocol used for your extraction and then repeat [this > explanation](https://www.foodrepo.org/dna) of [DNA sequencing](#term-seqdna) (determining the genetic information of a > living organism), or reuse [this DNA precipitation documentation](https://openwetware.org/wiki/DNA_Precipitation). If > you become passionate about your work or you work on funded projects, > you will find kits for advanced analysis on websites like > [the-odin.com](https://www.the-odin.com/) from \$99 to \$1,900, as > well as [free materials and working methods](https://diybio.org/hardware/) on > [diybio.org](https://diybio.org/), and a map of [Do It Yourself Biology](https://sphere.diybio.org/) communities around > the world that you can contact to build collaborations. > >![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_diybio_sphere.png) > Source: <https://sphere.diybio.org/> #### Protocol for taking and packing/storing samples If you choose to send your samples to an NGO, laboratory or university for advanced analysis, here is a protocol that may help you. We will distinguish between 2 types of soil analyses: - those to be carried out on fresh soil, - those that can be carried out on dry soil. Analysis of fresh soil: moisture at sampling, nitrates/ammonium, nitrogen and carbon mineralization test, microbial biomass, etc. The steps are as follows: - Pack the soil sample in a hermetically sealed plastic bag (tie, knot). - Label it with all necessary information. - Put it in a cool (\<10°C) and dark place as soon as possible (cooler then fridge) and transport within 2 to 3 days to the laboratory. Analysis of dry soil: Here are the steps: - Pack the soil sample in a thick, unsealed plastic bag. - Put it in the shade, leaving the bag half-open in order to start drying, but avoiding the possibility of contamination of the samples (spilling the bag, animals or insects). - Under these conditions the samples can be stored for 2 to 3 weeks before being sent to the laboratory. If both types of analysis have to be carried out, the sample should be treated as on fresh soil, and drying will be carried out on a fraction of the sample by the laboratory itself. The quantities to be taken range from 1kg for a standard analysis to 10kg in the case of mineralization tests. ```cik-note ``` > Note: > > For 1 gram of soil, there are up to 1 billion bacteria and 1 million > fungi and protozoa. See ["Diversity of soil organisms"](https://www.supagro.fr/ress-pepites/OrganismesduSol/co/4_1c_OSdiversite.html) by Torsvick et al. (1994), Hawksworth (2001), Schaefer and Schauermann (1990). These examples of working methods are also valid for many types of soil (mud, sand\...). They enable -- for example, in the case of a major factory fire with a plume of smoke travelling hundreds of kilometers -- sampling to be carried out on several sites, over several months or years. Most importantly, these methods are easy enough for instructing others in group activities (just like cooking collectively). ## Taking water samples ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/Bioinvestigation_02-cik-illustration.png) Soil receives and filters water from rain or human activities. The water then [continues its cycle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Water_Cycle-en.png) and we can observe it in several states: groundwater, rivers, marsh, sea and oceans. Just like plants or soils, different bodies of water can help reveal a lot of information about our environment. ### Taking water from a river Sterilize your container before sampling: - in the oven at 170°C for 1 hour, - in an autoclave at 120°C for 20 min, or - in a pressure cooker with a little water for 40 minutes after the valve has been turned on. ```cik-warning ``` > Warning: > > If you follow this procedure make sure you only use glass containers > that can withstand this treatment. If you do not have this type of > glassware, we also describe methods to take samples with plastic > bottles. Keep in mind that the documentation of your protocol and > precise information on the sampling conditions is more important than > the attempts to sterilize the tools. A laboratory can process your > samples if and only if you are rigorous on these points. If you > perform analyses yourself, they will only be of value if you are > rigorous on this point of documentation and precise information. Carry your material packed in a chest cooler or a cooler bag to the sampling site in order to protect it. For water samples taken from rivers, wells, etc. attach the sterile bottle to a rope, weight your device so that it submerges below the surface. Hold the bottle in the water with a pole to avoid your body being in contact with the water. Water samples should be poured into sterile single-use bottles or vials (cleaned with disinfectant if necessary). Vials containing samples for analysis shouldn't be completely filled -- 3/4 full will be sufficient. Samples should be stored until analysis at 2° to 5 °C. If a chest cooler is used during field work, avoid exposing it to sunlight. Ensure the traceability of a sample (identification of the vial: date, time, title of your mission, initials of the persons, reference of the applied protocol, GPS coordinates of the sampling site). Samples should be analysed preferably within 8 hours of collection, otherwise within 24 hours. ```cik-note ``` > Note: Here is [an example of an aquatic sampling form.](https://cdn.ttc.io/src/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/pdf/bioinvestigation-sampling-form-english.pdf) In a notebook, write down everything you do and how you do it. You can also equip yourself with an [aquarium test kit](https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/aquarium-products/test-kits) and conduct tests for pH, carbon dioxide, iron, etc. in the watercourse that will provide even greater precision to your operations. You can also use a thermometer and a [Secchi disk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secchi_disk). ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_secchidisk.png) Image of a Secchi disk. Source: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secchi_disk> If you do not have glass material for sampling, you can use plastic containersor sterile bottles that you can get from websites such as DeltaLab. ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: > > In order to minimise the cost of acquiring materials and also to > initiate meetings that could result in collaboration or help in your > investigations, you can ask for donations of materials (bottles, glass > containers, syringes, pipettes, pH kits, latex gloves, etc.) in > pharmacies or a fire brigade or an infirmary near you. You will > certainly find people ready to help you. > > These institutions often have kits with professional equipment that > are subject to very strict regulations and whose date of use has > expired. The kits are packed in plastic to maintain sterility for a > certain period of time. Laboratories are subject to very strict rules > for the use of packaged kits. Even if professionals can no longer use > them after the expiry date, you can do so if the packaging has not > been damaged. Indeed, laboratories also carry out analysis of samples > taken by citizens and stored in mineral water bottles. Though using > kits that are still sterile but whose expiry date has passed makes the > job simpler. As with soil samples, you may consider using your water samples to detect the presence of dissolved metals. For a detailed guide, see the [protocol](https://web.archive.org/web/20181211204629/http:/www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/eau/eco_aqua/metaux/protocole-echantillonnage-analyse-metaux-traces.pdf) established by the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight Against the Climate Change (Québec, Canada). You can also watch this video [on the technique of taking water samples from rivers](https://invidio.us/watch?v=Gcr43iWzMRs) or create a protocol for the waste inventory in rivers and on riverbanks, inspired by [Riverine Input](https://surfrider.eu/le-blog/riverine-input-un-protocole-scientifique-made-in-surfrider/) from the Surfrider Foundation Europe. ```cik-warning ``` > Safety First! > > For your safety and that of the people you work with, remember that, > for example, in the extreme cases that you suspect radioactivity in > the water or a pollutant that causes high risk for humans, you must > provide suitable, automated and secure means of collection. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_echantillonage.png) > Source : Water, Radioactivity and Environment. SFRP / Environnemental section, December 3-4, 2014. "Prélèvements d'eau dans l'environnement: de la théorie a la pratique", Fabrice Leprieur, Benoît Philippot and all.:<https://www.sfrp.asso.fr/medias/sfrp/documents/S4b-Fabrice_LEPRIEUR.pdf> ### Using river plants as markers When taking water or plant samples from rivers or riverbanks, you must take precautions and have a clear methodology. Plants in these environments can be used for further tracks of your investigation or as evidence of the recent or distant past. ```cik-warning ``` > Safety First! > > Be careful when taking samples in the field because some plants can > also be dangerous for you (causing irritation / allergies). Such > caution is valid in all situations and in all different areas > (streets, fields, trees, rivers, etc.) during field examination and > sampling. For example, [Hydrocotyle ranunculoides](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocotyle_ranunculoides), > known commonly as floating pennywort, is an invasive water plant, > potentially toxic to mammals. It contains saponins which sometimes > causes foaming on the water surface. Another non-toxic plant may also be of interest in your research -- the river water-crowfoot (Ranunculus fluitans) aquatic herbarium, here in bloom (from June to mid-August) in the [Dordogne](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dordogne_(fleuve_français)) region: >![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_dordogne_redoncules.png) >![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_dordogne_redoncules-2.jpg) Photos by Xavier Coadic taken in Dordogne region in France It reaches up to 6m in length. River water-crowfoot is of ecological interest, it provides us with indications of the health and functioning of a river. The plant aids in purification: it assimilates parts of the nitrates and phosphates and oxygenates the water. Ranunculus are homes for many insects (e.g. dragonflies), a refuge for juvenile fish, spawning places for some fish -- a niche in which we can find other indicators concerning the river and its environment. When ranunculus covers a river almost completely, it's an indicator of: - a state of no flooding for several years, which normally reshapes the river bottom, - a low water level and high water temperature, - the presence of nitrates in the water. These indications provide you with potentially valuable insight about the river's past and the environmental conditions and human activities in the river watershed -- for example, pollution of the water by [nitrates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrate). ```cik-example ``` > Example: > > Here's a project to show you how to collect elements from rivers -- _[Hack The Panke:](http://www.artlaboratory-berlin.org/html/eng-DIY-Hack-the-Panke.htm)_ > > - "Microbiologist Daniel Lammel and biochemist and illustrator Eliot > Morrison from the artist and scientist collective DIY Hack the > Panke will guide participants along the Panke River in > Berlin-Wedding, discussing the interaction of water, soil and > atmosphere from the molecular level and how this effects and is > affected by organisms up to the larger ecological level. They will > explain how water, plants and soil take part in cycles of carbon > and nitrogen that support life, and how Berlin's urban > environment can both nurture and threaten biodiversity." In the case of river pollution in rural areas, try to organise yourself in third places by going to meet the farmers of the area concerned and people who could teach you new methods of soil, water or plant sampling. [See the report](https://rivieres-pourpres.frama.wiki/) about activities around a river that runs through the city of Rennes. ### Water reserves and ponds To take samples from reserves and ponds, apply the same methods and procedures as in the river. Remember that if the water reserve or the pond is on private property, you must obtain the prior agreement of the people who own the land. In addition, you can find maps with data on groundwater quality on the web, for example here for France: ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_brgm_map.png) Source: Brgm // Infoterre <http://infoterre.brgm.fr/viewer/MainTileForward.do> and other websites with data for the UK and Australia: <https://rivieres-pourpres.frama.wiki/documentation:outil:cartographie> ### Seas and oceans If you want to take samples for seawater quality analysis, the bottles you use must be kept closed when they are not in use. They should not be washed with tap water but rinsed in situ with seawater before each sampling. This will avoid leaving traces of products or other elements from the tap water infrastructure in your seawater samples. The methodology itself is the same as described for rivers. For the state of bathing water, the Surfrider Foundation has established a _[sampling protocol](https://blog.surf-prevention.com/2016/06/05/analyses-eau-surfrider/)_ that you can use. The Surfrider Foundation also carries out bathing water analysis and regularly publishes [the data](https://fr.oceancampus.eu/contribuer) obtained, as well as offering _[online courses](https://en.oceancampus.eu/apprendre)_ to learn methods for monitoring the coastal marine environment. #### Plankton Plankton are microorganisms present in soil, river water or sea water. They are ecological indicators of the sampling environment. They are of interest to many citizens and university science programmes or eco-activist observation initiatives. The collection of plankton also represents many opportunities to collect other elements (micro-plastic, algae, shrimp\...) and can result in collaborations that may be useful for your investigations. ```cik-example ``` > Example: > > [The program implemented and documented](https://www.notion.so/wikiexplore/Programme-Objectif-Plancton-Concarneau-e367dc4bf5434766826c30ef9370da50) > at Concarneau allows you to acquire all the basics needed to bring > together boaters, fishermen, citizens and scientists, and to > manufacture [plankton nets](http://www.plancton-du-monde.org/latelier/travaux-manuels/atelier-n1/) > from curtains and PVC pipes. You will then be able to carry out > investigations and participatory and citizen workshops by reusing the > documentation, protocols and prototypes, as well as the collected data > provided by programs that give access under free license. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_plancton-1.png) > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_ocean_kit.png) > Screenshots, source; <https://www.notion.so/Programme-Objectif-Plancton-Concarneau-e367dc4bf5434766826c30ef9370da50> You can find comparable initiatives by searching online. This will allow you to compare methods and tools and to build partnerships. #### Plastic waste on the coastline During your bio-investigations you can map or ask for analysis of the waste that you find in rivers and on the coastline. With the same intention as sharing recipes, you can use other people's tools, methods and data to feed your investigations and even to carry out your own bio-investigations, as well as by contributing to databases larger than the area you are interested in. ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: > > _[Ocean Plastic Tracker](https://oceanplastictracker.com/)_ is a > web application for tracking and visualising geo-referenced waste > reports: > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_palstick-trackers.png) > Screenshot, source: <https://oceanplastictracker.com/> You can combine your efforts in tracking and analysing plastic waste with those of your water microorganism sampling, water, soil and plant analysis. You will then be able to produce solid data and records to reveal pollution, inform a campaign to stop a construction project, support a collective project for site preservation, or even for use in your _[supply chain investigation](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/what/supply-chain.html)_. ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: > > This is not a mandatory step in your investigation process, however, > recording the sound during your observation and sampling operations in > the chosen environment can help you contextualise your information in > the future. It can even be used during the presentation, publication > or exhibition of your research. > > This requires time, skills, and specific equipment to record sounds -- > for example, around a watercourse or the park in which you are going > to carry out investigations or in the heart of the industrial > wasteland you are investigating. > > It is up to each investigator or working group to assess whether this > investment of resources and time makes sense in terms of the final > objective of the investigation. ## Monitoring air There is a growing number of citizen science projects for monitoring and mapping air quality. This involves taking measurements of certain particles present in the air, rather than taking samples. These particles may come from industrial activities, pollination phenomena, vegetation fires, technological disasters or armed conflicts. ### DIY tools and citizen actions with cartography Here we examine the use of a DIY tool, [Lufdaten](https://luftdaten.info/fr/accueil/), and some maps used for publishing air quality data, as well as examples of citizen workshops on air quality and metrology. The electronic hardware and measurement protocols are well documented in several languages, so we will focus on mapping and especially on the possibilities of working in small investigation groups that can collaborate with each other on a larger scale. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_luftdaten.png) Screenshot, source : <https://luftdaten.info/fr/accueil/> ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_map_luftdaten.png) Screenshot, source : <https://luftdaten.info/fr/accueil/> _[AirBeam project](https://www.habitatmap.org/airbeam)_ -- and its associated mobile application -- may be of help for you. For example, in 2018 in Rennes, France, citizens created the group Capteurs citoyens & qualité de l'air ("Citizen sensors and air quality"), meeting at [Les Champs Libres](http://www.wiki-rennes.fr/Les_Champs_Libres) in the framework of the RDV 4C (Créativité - Collaboration - Connaissances - Citoyenneté), every first Thursday of the month. Their action is based on public consultation but is carried out independently, with the [Ambassad'Air](http://www.wiki-rennes.fr/Ambassad'Air) operation (citizen initiative to control the air quality in the commune of Rennes alone). Check the [documentation and reports of related workshops, in French only](http://www.wiki-rennes.fr/Discussion:Capteurs_Citoyens_Qualité_Air), and the _[AirBeam user's guide](https://www.habitatmap.org/airbeam/users-guide)_. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_aircastingRennes.png) Source: <http://www.wiki-rennes.fr/Capteurs_Air_Beam> ```cik-example ``` > Example: micro-sensor data obtained by citizen investigators > > The [Luftdaten](https://twitter.com/hashtag/luftdaten?src=hashtag_click) > micro-sensors also show a high level of fine particles (PM2.5) in and > around the city of [Rennes](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rennes?src=hashtag_click) in > Brittany, France: Pacé, Vezin, Bruz, Servon. > > December 4, 2019: > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_air-rennes.jpg) > Source : [luftdaten https://archive.is/saMD0](https://archive.is/saMD0) > > On January 17, 2020: > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/801/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_rennes-air-2.png) > Source: <https://rennes.maps.sensor.community/\#12/48.1031/-1.6867> ### Collecting additional samples Measuring air quality from a fixed or mobile device can tell you about possible events that may have occurred at the time and place of measurement (such as a fire) or before measurement at a remote geographic location. A degassing of an industrial stack several miles away can be displayed on a sensor or on a map several minutes or hours after the event due to the influence of winds and other environmental parameters such as humidity, relief, etc. Taking great care to protect yourself from accidents and contamination, do not hesitate to supplement these air measurements with samples taken as close as possible in the chronology of events with the methods described above. You will be able to complement these samples with collections of soot, sludge, ashes, oil pellets (that you can for example scrape with a knife from a street lamp or a house roof). Place all this in clean and waterproof containers and remember to include descriptive notes. Keep the mindset that we try to describe here. ```cik-warning ``` > Safety First! > > Whether you work alone or in a group, going to investigate your > environment and taking samples will make you an object of curiosity > with the public, including those who do not share your ideas and > intentions. You will attract attention. Therefore, try to remain > discreet. > > In addition, the simple act of transportation of samples, biology and > chemistry equipment may attract police or private security forces. In > France, for example, since 2015 and the generalisation of the state of > emergency after the terrorist attacks, police services have been > taking more and more liberty to search, confiscate and destroy > materials for increasingly vague reasons. Carrying your tools and > equipment in a backpack can result in a police check and the immediate > seizure or destruction of your equipment. At train stations and > airports this can go even further, potentially resulting in an arrest. > > In many parts of the world the simple act of putting a sticker on your > laptop or sewing a patch on your bag can attract the attention of the > police or private security services. In some countries, using the > _[Tor browser](https://www.torproject.org/fr/)_ or the _[Tails > operating system](https://tails.boum.org/index.fr.html)_ can make > you a target for prosecution. > > In this kit, you'll find safety recommendations in each guide as well > as a stand-alone introductory _[Safety First!* Guide](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/safety.html)*_ to help > you assess your risks and prepare to mitigate them. You even have a > guide to learn how to behave in the field: [Away from Your Screen, Out in the Field](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/field-research.html). > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_biopack.jpg) > This kind of ostensible labelling can get you in trouble. Source: Xavier Coadic.* > > You may meet people, including police officers, who label you an > "eco-terrorist." It will take a great deal of patience and fortitude > to explain that your actions have nothing to do with any form of > terrorism. It is difficult to prepare for this, but you have to be > very serious about it. You also have to think about protecting those > around you from the repercussions of such allegations. > > In late October 2019 in France, a biologist and professor > investigating the effects of tear gas used by the police in response > to social movements [was arrested and held in police > custody](https://web.archive.org/web/20200518165151/https:/www.liberation.fr/checknews/2019/10/31/pourquoi-alexander-samuel-docteur-en-biologie-qui-enquete-sur-le-gaz-lacrymo-a-t-il-ete-place-en-gar_1760815) > for 48 hours, and his home was searched while he was in detention. On > his personal Facebook account, the professor listed the items that > were searched at his home and in his vehicle. These included his > laptop PC, USB sticks containing his lectures and his work on tear > gas, several books on the police and the history of tear gas, and a > number of empty tear gas grenades. > > Within the framework of your bio-investigation, you will certainly > have to return several times to a site to carry out observations, > sampling and measurements, sometimes over several months or even > several years. This repetition of bio-investigation activities may > reinforce curiosity and the interest that a particular population or > organisation may have for you. ## Other markers and data in your environment To complete your bio-investigations you can use other elements of the landscape that are symbolic for a wider audience, rather than just the target group that might be interested in the subject of your investigation. For example, in the case of a shopping mall construction project, you might take a remarkable tree as an [iconic totem](#term-totem) of your bio-investigative work. This can provide both opportunities to collect a lot of data that will be useful in your investigation and to mediate your work and the ecological environment. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/cik-bio-en-5.png) Sketch illustrating the processes of bio-investigation work on and around a tree selected as an iconic totem. Source: Xavier Coadic Taking this illustration as an example, draw your own plan with a grid, as described earlier in this chapter. Indicate the GPS coordinates on your sketch and the North/South orientation. Note what tree it is if you know, or add a detailed description, the circumference, the GPS location and its proximity to a building or other remarkable construction. Take photos of the trunk, leaves, surrounding soil and insects you find. Get sample note sheets similar to the example provided in this chapter. Take samples of soil, water if there is water on the ground, plants present near the tree, and the leaves of the tree. Fill in your sampling sheets as you go along. Annotate and carefully package all your samples. If present, identify mosses and lichens on the surface of the tree trunk. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_tree-lichen.png) Source: University Paris Sorbonne: <https://www.particitae.upmc.fr/_resources/doc/> ### Lichens as markers _[Lichens](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen)_ are present everywhere in our environment: in the mountains, by the sea, in the city, on stone, on wood, on metal. Also lichenised fungi are composite organisms resulting from a [symbiosis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiosis) between at least one [heterotrophic fungus](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champignon) and microscopic cells possessing [chlorophyll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorophyll) ([green algae](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_algae) or autotrophic cyanobacterium for carbon). Lichens grow very slowly. On average, annual growth is between 0.5 and 2mm for crustose lichens, 0.5 to 4 mm for foliose lichens and 1.5 to 5mm for fruticose lichens. They can be excellent markers of the health of the environment in which they are found. It is not mandatory to be a lichen specialist, nor to know how to identify them perfectly to carry out an inventory and take samples for bio-investigation. We'll give you some inspiration to get you started. ```cik-note ``` > Note: > > Specialists distinguish several types of lichens according to the > overall appearance of their thallus (the vegetative apparatus of a > plant, devoid of conducting vessels and therefore forming neither > roots, stems nor leaves in the strict sense). Here is a list of lichen > types from _[Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen)_: > >[Common groupings of lichen thallus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen) growth forms are: > - [fruticose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruticose_lichen) -- growing like a tuft or multiple-branched leafless mini-shrub, upright or hanging down, 3-dimensional branches with nearly round cross section ([terete](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terete)) or flattened. > - [foliose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foliose_lichen) -- growing in 2-dimensional, flat, leaf-like lobes. > - [crustose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crustose_lichen) -- crust-like, adhering tightly to a surface (substrate) like a thick coat of paint. > - [squamulose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squamulose_lichen) -- formed of small leaf-like scales crustose below but free at the tips. > - [leprose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leprose_lichen) -- powdery. > - [gelatinous](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collema) -- jelly-like. > - [filamentous](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filamentous_lichen) -- stringy or like matted hair. > - [byssoid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byssoid_lichen) -- wispy, like teased wool. > - structureless. For the purposes of your investigations, we focus on three main types of lichens based on three morphological distinctions of the [thallus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thallus): - Crustose lichens: that you can mark with a C in the inventory sheets, - Foliose lichen: that you can mark with an F, - Fruticose lichens: that you can mark as Fr. What you will need: - a camera, - a device providing GPS coordinates (for example, a mobile phone with GPS), - a small magnifying glass, ×30 minimum, - curiosity, - something to take notes on, - a ruler, - a piece of wire mesh or something similar with dimensions of one square marked. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_lichen-1.png) Example of crustose lichen on a fence near a crematorium. Source: Xavier Coadic Fruticose lichens are rather sensitive to air pollution and are therefore rare in cities. Equipped with your cameras, sampling kits and inventory sheets, you can take observation notes such as ground heights, North/South orientation, photos with the magnifying glass. Repeat this from time to time, marking pollution events or major disasters that occurred just before your last investigation. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_lichen_phone.png) Example with a crustose lichen on a tree. Make an inventory and locate the lichens at the seaside by using a piece of plastic waste on which the diameter of the circle is indicated with a felt marker, with the 4 cardinal directions correctly oriented. Photo: Xavier Coadic. Sentier des douaniers. Cancale You can then multiply the number of locations in town, design a rigorous inventory file with all the contextual information (GPS location, height on the ground, weather, date, etc.) and make a file or complete the work scheme around the tree as described before without being a lichen expert. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_lichen-3.png) Example of fruticose lichen (in yellow and orange) on a branch of a bush by the sea in Brittany. Photo by Xavier Coadic ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_lichen-4.jpg) Example of foliose lichen on a rock by the sea in Brittany. Xanthoria parietina, mushrooms and algae symbiosis, yellow thallus and orange apothecia. Parmelia of the walls. Photo by Xavier Coadic Don't be afraid to make a mistake. Just like in cooking, you learn by practicing and understand by documenting. ```cik-note ``` > Note: > > Some organisms known for accumulating [pollutants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollutant) are or could be > used as [bioindicators](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioindicator) or > for environmental assessment ([biomonitoring](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomonitoring)). For example: > > - lichens, by accumulating the pollutants, enable a retrospective analysis of their exposure to heavy metals or radionuclides ; > > - [the zebra mussel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_mussel) (freshwater mussel, dreissena polymorpha) accumulates metallic elements in the canals; > > - fungi also have potential to biomonitoring, especially for metals (Source: [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioaccumulation)). ### Flowers and yeasts In your direct environment, you may also find surprising opportunities to conduct parts of your bio-investigations, while having the freedom to collaborate on other science and ecology projects at the same time. This means you can gather even more interesting and reliable information and data while continuing to learn more and sometimes getting even more surprised. In spring and summer, there are probably flowers in trees and bushes all around your place. Be aware that many of these flowers are naturally covered with yeast, which is of great interest to scientists, bakers, amateur or professional beer makers. These flowers also contain a lot of other information on the quality of the environment, on genetics, on biodiversity, and on the plant heritage of the region. So much information and data that can easily be incorporated into your investigations if needed. This example of _[BrewLab](https://brewlab.blog/)_ explains how to [capture wild yeasts](https://brewlab.blog/?p=1836), how to cultivate them, how to obtain or produce your material and even proposes to go further with the precise identification of these yeasts by genetic analysis. Although BrewLab researchers are experimenting with new types of beer from wild plants, their research and tips are a useful learning resource for citizen-led bio-investigations. You will also find a [wiki page](https://notecc.frama.wiki/norae:biologicus:biomimetisme_note-culture-1) to guide you in this adventure. Or do [similar experiments with potatoes](https://notecc.frama.wiki/norae:biologicus:biomimetisme_note-culture-2), which are very common in everyday food consumption and agriculture. ### Products you consume Investigating the ingredients present in mass-market products is possible with _*[OpenFoodFact](https://fr-en.openfoodfacts.org/)_, a mobile application that uses [barcodes](#term-barcode) to give you access to free databases. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/Bioinvestigation/Bioinvestigation_openfoodfacts.png) Source: <https://fr.openfoodfacts.org/decouvrir>* This information and data can help you in your bio-investigations, especially if you can determine the manufacturing or farming locations - part of the [supply chains](#term-supplychain) - of these products or their ingredients and then use the sampling and measurement protocols from this guide. Learn more about researching products and their supply chains from the chapter _*[Supply Chain and Product Investigations](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/what/supply-chain.html)_ in this Kit. ## Analyse or share your samples We have parts of ourselves to retrieve, understand and react to while investigating our environment. By conducting bio-investigations, we collect both Bits (information units) and Bits (pieces) of Life. This is what you will see during the meetings that will mark out your investigations in the field. The analyses of the samples you have taken, the measurements and the observations you make during your field actions within the broader framework of the theme of your investigation contribute to this reconstruction of a narrative and the re-appropriation of parts of life. It's up to you to choose whether to outsource the analysis of the pieces of information, to whom and under what conditions. ### Share your samples for analysis by others Once your field activities are completed, you will need data to be extracted from your samples, your measurements to be analysed, and then followed by data qualification and interpretation. This is a very important stage to transform your efforts into a usable material relevant to your investigation purpose. We have mentioned situations where other organisations potentially interested in your work might have different interests from yours and therefore use this data to serve a completely different purpose than your own. When choosing a third party to conduct a part of the analysis you need, you should keep these risks in mind. You can choose to work with _[hackerspaces](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackerspace)_ or biohackerspaces* (a list is for example [available here](https://wiki.hackerspaces.org/List_of_Hacker_Spaces)), or NGOs or other associations that have the analysis and processing capacities specific to your topic and your samples, or even university and state labs or private companies. Not all laboratories or community facilities have the same analytical capacity and expertise. Your choices will also be driven by these possibilities or impossibilities. These tests can be free or paid, and sometimes very expensive. The high cost of analysis should never be used as a way to blackmail you. If this happens, do not collaborate with the organisation that is doing this to you. In any case, try to be accompanied by a legal advisor, establish a clear collaboration contract, whatever form it takes, containing your rights and duties, the price or the explicit exemption from payment of the tests, the rights and duties of your working partner(s) and above all the clear conditions of confidentiality and exploitation of the data that will be derived from the analysis. You are never required to give all of your notes, observations, samples and measurements to a single organisation. You can even distribute them among several organisations in order to have material to compare and also to keep a part of it to carry out similar or different analysis yourself. ## Bio-investigation as a community act It may seem long and fastidious to prepare and then carry out a bio-investigation, but it is a process that gives you a lot of satisfaction as you advance in your methods and learning. Just like cooking. You can, for example, set up biology cafés in a bar in the neighbourhood that is subject to real estate pressure to teach people how to organise themselves in small working groups. You can then discover, in collaboration with people concerned by environmental issues, other methods of working and sampling. See this example from the author -- "[Ateliers de Biologie" in Rennes](https://xavcc.frama.io/ateliers-biologie-rennes/). Bio-investigation and its methods can easily become a mindset and a community action, especially when you need to act to change an existing situation. Bio-investigation allows you to learn more about your local environment and the possible problems it confronts. These are your issues, as well as of your community. Get involved. <br/> Acknowledgements: This guide would not be possible without meetings, collaborations, mutual aid and trust. Although it is written by one individual, it is the result of work of many people who have contributed to it in one way or another. Thank you to: Mily1000V, Laura, Wael, Hackorn, Emmanuel Poisson-Quinton, Jacques Le letty, Rieul Techer, Yann Heurtaux, Asso Ping à Nantes, Ewen, Jaxom, Sylvia Fredriksson, Le Biome HackLab in Rennes, La Myne in Lyon. Thank you to Sasha Gubskaya for the English translation and adaptation of the initial [French-language guide](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/fr/what/bio-investigation.html). <hr class="thick"> Published July 2020 in French, and December 2020 in English Resources --------- ### Articles and Guides In English - [Alabama Environmental Investigation and Remediation Guidance](http://adem.alabama.gov/programs/land/landforms/AEIRGInvestigation.pdf) from The Alabama Department of Environmental Management. - [DNA Sequencing](https://www.foodrepo.org/dna) from Open Food Repo DNA. - [Hazardous materials investigation, sampling, & documentation](https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/environment/technical/disciplines/hazardous-materials/investigation-sampling-document) from The Washington State Department of Transportation. - [Lichens Biology](https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/beauty/lichens/biology.shtml), guides and tips from the U.S. Forest Service. - [Successful Microbiological Investigations](http://microbiologynetwork.com/content/file/Sutton_APR__14_2_Successful-Microbiological-Investigations.pdf), by Scott Sutton. - [Archeograph.com](https://www.archeograph.com/archeograph/). A collection of tutorials, graphic and cartographic resources for graphic designers and archaeologists. In French - [Accueillir les Non-Humains dans les Communs (Introduction)](https://scinfolex.com/2019/01/04/accueillir-les-non-humains-dans-les-communs-introduction/#_ftn21) by Lionel Maurel. - [Analyse du sol à faire soi-même](https://web.archive.org/web/20180606161045/http:/fablabo.net/wiki/Analyse_du_sol_à_faire_soi_même). A low-cost and reliable soil analysis kit for gardeners. From PING association in Nantes, available on Fablabo. - [Capter et (co)produire des savoirs sous contraintes : le tournant expert de Surfrider Foundation Europe](https://www.cairn.info/revue-politix-2015-3-page-93.htm) by Julien Weisbein. - [Comment composer avec le monde « non-humain »?](https://www.franceculture.fr/emissions/la-conversation-scientifique/comment-composer-avec-le-monde-non-humain) by Philippe Descola. France Culture, broadcasted on January 3, 2015. - [Échantillonnage et analyse des sols pollués](https://notecc.frama.wiki/_media/guides_sols_pollues.pdf). Analysis framework from the Institut de veille sanitaire, France. - [Guide pratique pour la description des sols en France](https://web.archive.org/web/20180219122430/http:/www.forum-zones-humides.org/iso_album/guide_description_sol_v2.pdf) from the Conservatoire d'espaces naturels de Bourgogne, France. - [Guide d'échantillonnage à des fins d'analyses environnementales](http://www.ceaeq.gouv.qc.ca/documents/publications/echantillonnage.htm) from the Centre d'expertise en analyse environnementale du Québec. (archived copy from Wayback Machine available [here.](https://web.archive.org/web/2018/http:/www.ceaeq.gouv.qc.ca/documents/publications/echantillonnage.htm)) - [Lichen, Agent de la qualité de l'air](https://www.inventairefac.com/2017/03/17/lichen-agent-de-la-qualite-de-lair/) by Mathias Roth. - [Manuel des Protocoles d'Échantillonnage pour l'Analyse de la Qualité de l'Eau au Canada](https://www.ccme.ca/files/Resources/fr_water/fr_water_quality/protocols_document_f_final_1.0.pdf) from the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 2011. - [Méthodologie de diagnostic des sols pollués](https://hal-ineris.archives-ouvertes.fr/ineris-00972099/document) by Hafid Baroudi (workshop entitled «polluted soils», june 1997, Paris, France. pp.3-7. ffineris-00972099f.) - [Protocole d'échantillonnage de la qualité de l'eau](http://www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/eau/rsvl/protocole-echantill-qualite.pdf) from the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment, and Fight Against Climate Change (MELCC) and the Conseil* régional de l'environnement des Laurentides (CRE Laurentides), 2017. - [Reconnaître et caractériser les zones de forge sur surface décapée. Apport de la géophysique à l'étude paléométallurgique](https://journals.openedition.org/archeopages/560) by G. Hulin, B. Jagou, M. De Muylder et al. - [Recette frugale d'hackathon citoyen open source: en 32 jours e sans budget.](https://movilab.org/wiki/Recette_frugale_d'hackathon_citoyen_open_source:_en_32_jours_et_sans_budget) - [Stratégie et technique d'échantillonnage des sols pour l'évaluation des pollutions](https://web.archive.org/web/20160708021917/http:/record-net.org/storage/etudes/04-0510-1A/rapport/Rapport_record04-0510_1A.pdf) by L. Belkessam, B. Lemiere -- CNRSSP. ### Tools and Databases - [OpenStreet Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/). A free open source map platform created through crowdsourcing. - [Overpass-turbo](https://overpass-turbo.eu/). A website which enables you to build maps with a few clicks by retrieving data available in OpenStreet Map databases. Glossary -------- ### term-beaker Beaker -- a container used for many actions in laboratories, especially in the domains of chemistry, physics, biology and pharmacy (<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaker_(laboratory_equipment>.) ### term-bioindication Bioindication - Information provided by a plant, fungus or animal species, or by a group of living organisms about the state of the environment and/or its past, including the impact of certain human practices on it. ### term-barcode Barcode -- a set of symbols (series of small lines / bars) applied to consumer products to identify the manufacturer, as well as additional information on the product / its origin. ### term-bioaccumulation Bioaccumulation -- some organisms' (plants, animals, fungi, microbes) capacity to absorb and concentrate in their organisms or in a part of their organisms (living or inert part such as tree bark or wood, mussel's shell, horn, etc.) certain chemical substances that are possibly rare in the environment. This is the principle of bioaccumulation. ### term-biocommunity Biotic community -- also called 'biota' or 'biocoenosis', includes all living and non-living (rocks, ashes, tools) creatures that live interdependently in the same delimitable area (see more [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_(ecology)).) ### term-biodiversity Biodiversity -- a variety of life forms on Earth. It can also be considered as the variety of living organisms present in a more specific area. ### term-commons Commons (or common goods) \[Elinor Ostrom\] -- a notion that applies in domains of, for example, the nature management and in a number of other fields (Knowledge Commons, Digital Commons, Social Commons, Urban Commons, etc.). A common good is an actually existing good around which people come together in conviviality to maintain this object under shared responsibility and with deliberate rules of governance. ### term-distilledwater Distilled Water -- a generic term covering several methods of purifying water to remove, for example, mineral salts or biological substances. ### term-dna DNA -- deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a biological macromolecule present in all cells of living organisms, also in some viruses. DNA contains all the genetic information, known as the genome, that enables the development, functioning and reproduction of living beings. DNA is composed of [nucleotides](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucleotide) (CGAT.) ### term-dnaseq DNA sequencing -- the process of determining the sequence of nucleotides in a DNA fragment. The reading of this obtained sequence allows to study the biological information contained in it. ### term-genome Genome -- the genetic material of an organism. ### term-grid Grid -- a geographic/topographic drawing that accurately divides the physical area of sampling to reference each square by size, abscissa and ordinate (see <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abscissa_and_ordinate>.) ### term-gridmap Mapping the grid -- integration of a grid into a geographical map, with topography if necessary. ### term-totem Iconic Totem -- a symbolic representation that serves as a demonstrative emblem aimed at making low-visibility phenomena recognizable. ### term-iot IOT -- Internet Of Things, refers to a connected object which by a given protocol allows to operate in a larger network. ### term-metrology Metrology -- a measurement technique applied to a particular field. ### term-mnemotech Mnemonic devices -- methods and tools helping to facilitate the memorization of information. ### term-morphoimprint Morphological imprint -- a characteristic specific to the shape and structure of a body (human face or paw prints, fossils). ### term-oligoelements Oligo-elements (trace elements) -- mineral substance, which our body needs to function. They are present in water, soil, plants and animals. ### term-pHmeasurement pH Measurement -- measurement of the acidity (pH) of a medium. The hydrogen potential, noted pH, is a measure of the chemical activity of hydrogen ions ### term-photosynthesis Photosynthesis -- a biochemical reaction of energy creation directly from mineral compounds using the light energy provided by the sun. The reaction takes place in living organisms (plants, algae, bacteria, etc.)and is necessary for the organism's life. ### term-routine Routine -- a set of precise and repetitive rules implemented over a period of time within an activity. ### term-sample Sample -- in bio-investigation, fragments or elements of objects in a defined area (sounds in a recording, leaves on a tree, the waters of a river). A sample is representative for the population or the area from which it was taken. ### term-sampling Sampling -- actions of taking and classifying samples of objects from a defined area (sounds in a recording, leaves on a tree, water in a river). ### term-supplychain Supply chain -- a set of stages that commodities (goods or raw materials) must go through before they become products used by consumers or industry.
bio-investigation.preview	Bio-investigations in the field =============================== By …
climate-change-adaptation.basename	climate-change-adaptation
climate-change-adaptation.content	# Investigating Climate Change Adaptation By Leopold Salzenstein ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/climateadaptation-cik-illustration.png) ```cik-in-short ``` IN SHORT: Floods, cyclones, wildfires... Climate disasters and the damage they cause are increasingly making the news. Too often, however, these events are described as natural phenomena, only remotely fuelled by humanity’s unchecked carbon emissions. But most often disasters are not the result of natural hazards, but of concrete decisions and actions from governments, companies, international organizations, and communities. While reducing emissions is crucial, let's also focus on what investigators can do and explore the possible pathways for investigating climate disasters and how - or whether - communities can adapt to them. --- ## Warning signs Adopting a deeper approach to investigating the impacts of climate change can bring this important topic closer to people’s attention, help better inform activists, NGOs and communities about adaptation measures and how to hold decision-makers accountable. By digging into little explored areas such as hazard exposure, vulnerabilities and coping capacities, investigators can better inform public debates and uncover gaps in adaptation strategies and disaster management systems. As confirmed at the beginning of August 2021 by a _[report](https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar6/)_ from the United Nations’ [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change](https://www.ipcc.ch/) (IPCC), humans’ responsibility in warming up the planet is “unequivocal”. The term — which represents the scientific equivalent of _[total certainty](https://thenarwhal.ca/ipcc-report-un-climate-john-fyfe/)_ — summarizes findings from more than 14,000 peer-reviewed studies. The report was [picked up](https://www.carbonbrief.org/media-reaction-ipccs-new-climate-science-report-and-what-it-means-for-the-world) by a range of international publications. Many — but [not all](https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-climate-of-catastrophe-united-nations-intergovernmental-panel-on-climate-change-report-11628546180) — encouraged bold actions to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Emission cuts have been slow to materialize. While the COVID -19 pandemic _[curbed](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00090-3)_ emissions during the first half of 2020, climate indicators [worsened](https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/climate-change-indicators-and-impacts-worsened-2020) again at the end of the year and _[continue to do so as of 2023](https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/wmo-annual-report-highlights-continuous-advance-of-climate-change)_ according to the World Meteorological Organization - “Droughts, floods and heatwaves affected communities on every continent and cost many billions of dollars. Antarctic sea ice fell to its lowest extent on record and the melting of some European glaciers was, literally, off the charts..” (source World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “WMO annual report highlights continuous advance of climate change”, 21 April 2023). In addition, not everyone is on board with drastic emission cuts: _[climate disinformation](https://www.desmog.com/climate-disinformation-database/)_ remains widespread, making it difficult for citizens to make informed decisions and for institutions to implement green policies. At the same time, polluting industries such as [fossil fuel extractors](https://www.desmog.com/2021/04/06/revealed-climate-conflicted-directors-leading-the-worlds-top-banks/) or _[shipping companies](https://theblacksea.eu/black-trail-project/black-trail-documentary-film/)_ have little incentive to deeply change their business model. As disasters increasingly make headlines, however, ignoring the climate question becomes difficult. In Europe alone, the months of July and August of 2021 saw catastrophic _[flooding](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57880729)_ killing more than 180 people in Germany and Belgium, a potentially [record-breaking heatwave](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/12/world/europe/sicily-record-high-temperature-119-degrees.html) in Sicily and [wildfires](https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/06/world/gallery/europe-extreme-summer-weather-2021/index.html) displacing thousands in Greece and Turkey. Published at the end of this [slew of disasters](https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-reviewing-the-summer-of-extreme-weather-in-2021), the 2021 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report and its following _[contributions in 2022-2023](https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar6/)_ confirmed that global warming is already _[worsening climate extremes](https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2021/06/Fact_sheet_AR6.pdf)_ around the world. As a result, disasters are likely to _[get stronger and more frequent](https://www.carbonbrief.org/mapped-how-climate-change-affects-extreme-weather-around-the-world)_ in the coming years, with or without sharp emission reductions. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/climate-change-adaptation/image-caa-disastersmap-reliefweb.jpg) Image: Ongoing disaster situations and alerts as of 26 May 2023. Source: <https://reliefweb.int/disasters> ## Why climate change adaptation Responding to alarming scientific previsions, many journalists have been _[ramping up their coverage](https://coveringclimatenow.org/)_ of climate change, trying to [reach](https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/climate-change-media-aoc-gnd-propaganda/) a broader audience and _[opening new areas for investigation.](https://gijn.org/climate-crisis-ideas-for-investigative-journalists/)_ One such area — which so far has been little explored — is that of climate change adaptation. Simply put, climate change adaptation refers to decisions and actions taken to prepare for the future impacts of climate change and respond to those already happening. It includes a large pallet of [activities](https://unfccc.int/topics/adaptation-and-resilience/the-big-picture/what-do-adaptation-to-climate-change-and-climate-resilience-mean), ranging from the adoption of new farming techniques to the construction of flood protections or cyclone shelters. Being able to cope with increasingly frequent and destructive disasters is one aspect of it. ```cik-tip ``` >These are just some of the general questions that investigators could ask and seek to address: > >* What are states, cities, international organizations and corporations doing to prepare for the impacts of climate change? >* Are people being informed, given options and protected? >* Who makes these decisions? >* Who is left behind, and why? > So far, many climate investigations have focused on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions — uncovering _[efforts to slow climate action](https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2021/06/30/exxon-climate-change-undercover/)_, _[failures in climate policies](https://features.propublica.org/brazil-carbon-offsets/inconvenient-truth-carbon-credits-dont-work-deforestation-redd-acre-cambodia/)_ or big polluters’ _[greenwashing strategies](https://www.desmog.com/2021/07/18/investigation-meat-industry-greenwash-climatewash/)_, for instance. Reducing emissions is necessary and urgent if we are to continue living on an _[inhabitable planet](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/feb/17/david-wallace-wells-uninhabitable-earth-review)_, but only focusing on cutting emissions ignores the fact that the climate crisis is already here. In fact, emissions reduction — actions aimed at avoiding the unmanageable — must [go hand-in-hand](https://medium.com/climurgency/what-is-the-difference-between-climate-adaptation-and-climate-mitigation-2e5757ae2dc1) with climate change adaptation — actions aimed at managing the unavoidable. Some [scholars](https://www.routledge.com/Adaptation-to-Climate-Change-From-Resilience-to-Transformation/Pelling/p/book/9780415477512) even consider emission reductions a subset of adaptation, as cutting greenhouse emissions aims to reduce our future exposure to climate hazards. Investigating the measures put in place to inform, involve and protect people against climate disasters is increasingly important, as failing to scrutinize these decisions can generate unnecessary deaths, destruction and suffering. In light of this recognition, I propose a potential path forward for investigating climate change adaptation and disaster management. Included are some useful resources and a few ideas for investigations into less explored issues that could make for impactful local and cross-border investigations. ## No disaster is natural Regardless of climate change, it is important to first consider disasters for what they are: political events. When an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 on the Richter scale _[hit Haiti](https://reliefweb.int/disaster/eq-2010-000009-hti)_ on the 12th of January 2010, it killed approximately 220.000 people and became one of the [largest](https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/Rethinking-humanitarianism-25-crises-shaped-history) humanitarian crises of the decade. Six weeks later, an even more powerful quake (8.8 on the Richter scale) — followed by a tsunami — _[shook Chile](https://reliefweb.int/disaster/eq-2010-000034-chl)_, this time causing ‘only’ around 500 deaths. The difference between the two situations was not the earthquake’s strength, but the vulnerability and coping capacity of the country impacted. This resistance to disasters is, in turn, shaped by political decisions and relations of power. Similarly, a storm in the middle of a desert, which makes no damage or casualties, is rarely considered a disaster. This is because disasters imply the destruction of something we value, such as human life, livelihoods, property, etc. Since the 1990s, _[researchers](https://www.preventionweb.net/publication/risk-natural-hazards-peoples-vulnerability-and-disasters)_ conceptualize disasters as happening at the meeting point between three _[factors](https://www.ipcc.ch/report/managing-the-risks-of-extreme-events-and-disasters-to-advance-climate-change-adaptation/)_: 1. Exposure to a hazard — the extent to which a community and its assets are [exposed](https://www.preventionweb.net/understanding-disaster-risk/component-risk/exposure) to hazards such as storms, floods, fires, heatwaves or earthquakes. 2. Local vulnerabilities — the physical, social, economic and environmental factors that make a specific context vulnerable to external shocks. Destruction generated by the Haiti earthquake, for example, resulted largely from the country’s lack of earthquake-resistant constructions, according to a _*[Nature* study](https://www.nature.com/articles/463878a)_. A similar situation happened in [Turkey and Syria](https://www.bbc.com/news/64568826) with the February 2023 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that damaged over 100,000 buildings, caused more than 10,000 collapses and [killed more than 50,000 people.](https://theconversation.com/buildings-left-standing-in-turkey-offer-design-guidance-for-future-earthquake-resilient-construction-202089) 3. Coping capacity — the ability to respond to and recover from the effects of stresses and external shocks. In [Chile’s 2010 8.8 magnitude earthquake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Chile_earthquake), for instance, shutting down the electricity grid after the earthquake prevented the ignition of fires. This probably reduced the amount of casualties, according to an _[American Red Cross report](https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2011/1053/)_. ```cik-tip ``` > >Each of these three elements — and their relationships — can become the subject of an investigation. So are these related questions:** > >* How well are building codes designed and implemented? > >* Have rescuers’ salaries been paid on time? > >* Are machines and vehicles well maintained? > >* Is there a system in place to inform people of approaching threats or evacuation procedures? > >When a crisis hits, responding to these questions is a matter of life or death. > According to a _[2007study](https://www.jstor.org/stable/27698136)_, corruption in a country’s public sector is positively correlated with the risk of dying from an earthquake. As summarized by the study’s authors: “earthquakes don’t kill people; collapsing buildings do.” While the hazard causing a disaster may be natural, disasters themselves rarely are. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/climate-change-adaptation/image-caa-consequences.jpg) Image: The components of a disaster. Source: https://www.emergencymanagementontario.ca/english/emcommunity/ProvincialPrograms/HIRA/Guidelines/main.html (archived with WaybackMachine [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20211003084004/https://www.emergencymanagementontario.ca/english/emcommunity/ProvincialPrograms/HIRA/Guidelines/main.html)) ## Investigating exposure to climate hazards ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/climateadaptation01-cik-illustration.png) There are many different hazards related to the climate. Hydro-meteorological events — such as heavy rainfall, floods, droughts, storms, heat waves, cold spells or wildfire — result from changes in temperature, wind speed and precipitation, which are all shaped by the climate. Geological hazards, for example earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis or volcano eruptions, are also _[influenced](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/16/climate-change-triggers-earthquakes-tsunamis-volcanoes)_ by climate change. Similarly, biological hazards like [epidemics](https://www.businessinsider.com.au/how-climate-change-could-impact-the-future-of-infectious-diseases-2020-5?r=US&IR=T) or [pests](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/locust-plague-climate-science-east-africa) are shaped by environmental changes, such as global warming. The relation between these hazards and climate change is not _[straightforward](https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_Chapter11.pdf)_, however. In most cases, climate change does not cause a hazard, but only modifies its intensity or frequency. Climate change, for example, has already increased the number of heat waves, according to the latest IPCC [report](https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/). Similarly, global warming worsened intense rains and extreme storms, but reduced the frequency of cold spells, according to the same report. Investigating exposure involves mapping out the ways in which climate change has modified current hazards, and how it will impact future ones. As described in a 2021 [video investigation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gLDtWwaCFs) from [Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2020/06/22/il-a-fait-38-c-en-siberie-record-de-temperature-au-dela-du-cercle-arctique_6043746_3244.html), for example, while climate change did not necessarily increase the overall number of fires in the world, it did make them more intense and violent. To analyse and report on this, investigators can use two important tools, among others: * climate scenarios, * attribution studies. ```cik-note ``` >Note: > >Climate scenarios predict changes in the physics, chemistry and biology of the atmosphere, land and oceans, given a certain amount of greenhouse gas emissions. They can be used to investigate future exposure, such as _[sea level rise](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/10/29/climate/coastal-cities-underwater.html)_ or _[climate migrations driven by rising temperatures](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/23/magazine/climate-migration.html)_. >- Importantly, the technical knowledge and computational power required to predict future climate change may prevent investigators from conducting their own studies. That said, investigators can collaborate with scientists and weather agencies and use existing climate scenarios. > >Attribution studies, also called _["extreme event attribution"](https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/extreme-event-attribution-climate-versus-weather-blame-game)_, are scientific studies analysing how a past disaster has been influenced by climate change. According to a _[Carbon Brief article](https://www.carbonbrief.org/mapped-how-climate-change-affects-extreme-weather-around-the-world)_ published in August 2022, scientists have conducted more than 400 peer-reviewed attribution studies up to date. One such study, for example, analysed how climate change made the _[2018 heatwave in Sweden](https://esd.copernicus.org/articles/11/1107/2020/)_ more likely to happen. Another one found no significant influence of climate change on _[one of the worst river flooding events in Bangladesh's history](https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/23/1409/2019/)_. Yet another study concluded that Puerto Rico had become _[more exposed to extreme hurricanes](https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2019GL082077)_ — such as hurricane Maria in 2017 — as a result of climate change. Overall, according to Carbon Brief, [70% of the extreme weather events analysed were made more likely or more severe](https://www.carbonbrief.org/mapped-how-climate-change-affects-extreme-weather-around-the-world) by climate change. ```cik-example ``` >Example: > >Following heavy floods in Germany in 2021, The Süddeutsche Zeitung [published an extensive article](https://projekte.sueddeutsche.de/artikel/wissen/klimawandel-wie-das-wetter-zur-klimakrise-wird-e460552/?reduced=true) portraying how climate change — by modifying precipitation, heat, and soil moisture in the country — influenced the event. > >In the aftermath of Germany’s floods, a _[PreventionWeb article](https://www.preventionweb.net/news/germany-2021-floods-10-recommendations-resilience)_ listed a series of recommendations for resilience to be taken into account when rebuilding areas damaged by the floods. > While investigators may not always be able to conduct their own attribution studies, collaborating with scientists can help uncover ongoing changes in exposure to extreme weather. But, focusing only on exposure often proves counter-productive. Reading about future climate impacts and current environmental destruction can feel overwhelming, apolitical and disempowering for people. An academic [article](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2020.615419/full) titled “Underestimating the Challenges of Avoiding a Ghastly Future”, published in January 2021, stated “the scale of the threats to the biosphere and all its life forms — including humanity — is in fact so great that it is difficult to grasp for even well-informed experts.” Being impacted by floods, cyclones, heatwaves or wildfire _[negatively impact people’s mental health](https://www.imperial.ac.uk/grantham/publications/all-publications/the-impact-of-climate-change-on-mental-health-and-emotional-wellbeing-current-evidence-and-implications-for-policy-and-practice.php)_, according to a 2021 Imperial London College report. Even just learning about climate change and watching disasters unfolding on TV _[can collide with people’s sanity](https://www.propublica.org/article/the-climate-crisis-is-worse-than-you-can-imagine-heres-what-happens-if-you-try)._ When only looking at exposure, climate disasters seem inevitable. They become like ‘acts of nature’, which can only be adverted by globally reducing our greenhouse emissions — a task difficult to grapple with as an individual. Meaningful _[action is a key antidote to climate anxiety](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/23/well/mind/mental-health-climate-anxiety.html)_, but only investigating hazard exposure prevents us from learning how to concretely reduce deaths and damage from disasters. It also shifts the focus away from holding to account those responsible for informing, involving and protecting people. In addition, climate exposure represents only one part of the story. According to a _[report](https://web.archive.org/web/20230604154857/https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/weather-related-disasters-increase-over-past-50-years-causing-more-damage-fewer)_ published by the [World Meteorological Organization](https://public.wmo.int/en) in August 2021, while extreme climate events have increased since the 1970s, less and less people are dying as a result of a climate disaster. This is due to changes in countries’ vulnerability and coping capacity, two other essential aspects for investigations. ## Investigating local vulnerabilities Investigations of climate vulnerabilities explore the factors making a specific context more or less resistant to climate hazards. They also aim to explain the reasons behind this vulnerability. The vulnerability of Haiti to earthquake and cyclones, for example, stems from a long history of “slavery, revolution, debt, deforestation, corruption, exploitation and violence”, according to historian Alex von Tunzelmann quoted in this 2010 Guardian _[article: “Haiti: a long descent to hell“](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jan/14/haiti-history-earthquake-disaster)_. The action or inaction of various parts of society — including city planners, risk managers, municipalities, governments and corporations, search-and-rescue programs — also shape local vulnerabilities. ```cik-tip ``` > >This is a fertile ground for investigations, both before and after a disaster strikes. Ask yourself: > >- Is your local authority ready to respond and recover from climate disasters? > >- Has the government planned and prepared for various types of hazard? > >- Do rescue teams or firefighters protect all parts of the population equally? > >- Are recovery plans accounting for socio-economic disparities? > In 2021, for example, an investigation from the National Public Radio (NPR) in the US – [“Heat is killing workers in the U.S. and there are no federal rules to protect them”](https://www.npr.org/2021/08/17/1026154042/hundreds-of-workers-have-died-from-heat-in-the-last-decade-and-its-getting-worse) – unveiled how both climate change and policy failures contributed to the doubling of North American workers dying from heat at the work place since the 1990s. While different vulnerabilities are rarely independent from each other, it can be helpful to separate them in four categories: - physical - social - economic - environmental. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/climate-change-adaptation/image-caa-vulnerabilities.jpg) Four types of intersecting vulnerability. Source: Powerpoint presentation from Magnus Hagelsteen, shared with the guide’s author and reproduced with Hagelsteen’s permission. ### Physical vulnerability Physical vulnerabilities include such things as _[building codes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_code)_, vegetation cover, population density, construction materials, land use, the location of critical infrastructures, industrial sites and transportation systems, among other things. In Brazil, for example, favelas, or historically neglected informal neighbourhoods, are often _[most impacted](https://rioonwatch.org/?p=51579)_ by landslides and flash floods, because they are built with low-quality material, on steep slopes and away from hospitals. As climate change modifies patterns of hazard exposure, investigators can identify decisions likely to generate or reinforce these types of physical vulnerabilities. ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* Are housing regulations in your neighbourhood accounting for future climate projections? Are they implemented? If so, how? If no, why not? > >* Are building permits allocated in current or future high-risk areas of your city? If so, how is this happening, who manages the process and what is at stake? > >* Do different parts of your country’s population have unequal access to public resources, such as hospitals or evacuation shelters? > >* Are climate protection measures, such as flood embankments, creating new vulnerabilities or benefiting only parts of the population in your local area? > ### Social vulnerability Social vulnerabilities illustrate how belonging to different social groups influences people’s risk. Depending on their gender or religion, for example, Bangladeshi farmers are [more or less protected from climate extremes.](https://theconversation.com/climate-change-impacts-in-bangladesh-show-how-geography-wealth-and-culture-affect-vulnerability-128207?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=bylinetwitterbutton) (article archived [here.](https://web.archive.org/web/20230601125141/https://theconversation.com/climate-change-impacts-in-bangladesh-show-how-geography-wealth-and-culture-affect-vulnerability-128207)) Similarly, immigrants in Sweden were more heavily _[impacted by COVID-19](https://web.archive.org/web/20200511023818/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/coronavirus-takes-toll-swedens-immigrant-community-70593594)_, partly because governmental crisis communication had not been translated into their mother language. Segregation, violation of human rights, gender inequalities or illiteracy all influence people’s vulnerability to disasters. Are decision-makers accounting for these factors when planning and responding to climate extremes? ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* Are minorities left exposed to climate extremes, either on purpose or by sheer ignorance and lack of inclusive practices? > >* Do decision-makers account for different needs related to gender, ethnicity or disability when designing climate adaptation policies? > >* Are disasters used to justify segregation or unnecessary population displacements? > ### Economic vulnerability Economic vulnerabilities refer to inequalities in people’s financial ability to cope with disasters. They include individuals’ differences of income or debt levels, insurance coverage and access to credit, but also countries’ respective national funds for disasters and _[gross domestic product (GDP).](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gdp.asp)_ _[Hurricane Katrina](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina)_ in 2005 _[primarily affected low income and largely Black](https://s4.ad.brown.edu/Projects/Hurricane/report.pdf)_ segments of New Orleans’ population in the United States, according to a 2007 study by Brown University (study archived with Wayback Machine [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20230601131156/https://s4.ad.brown.edu/Projects/Hurricane/report.pdf)). One example among many: while the city’s mayor issued an evacuation order 19 hours prior to hurricane Katrina, the local government [did not organise public transportation](https://www.jstor.org/stable/40034317) for the approximately 100.000 people who did not own a car. As a result, they were unable to leave and had to face the storm. ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* Are insurance systems adequately prepared for future climate disasters? > >* Are climate shocks used to justify unequal economic reforms? > >* Are different social-economic groups differently protected from the impacts of climate change? > >* Do some economic groups (companies providing climate protection services, insurances, government institutions, etc.) benefit from climate disasters? > ### Environmental vulnerability Environmental vulnerabilities refer to environmental factors or processes which increase the susceptibility of an individual, a community, asset or system to the impacts of hazards, according to the _[United Nations Office for Disaster Reduction](https://www.undrr.org/terminology/vulnerability)_. They encompass people’s natural environment, such as the use of natural resources and the management of lakes, forests or waterways. This environment, and the processes shaping it, influence the strength of various natural hazards. Forests and wetlands can _[protect](https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/WRR_2012_en_online150.pdf)_ people from natural hazards. Deforestation, as well as industrial pollution and intensive agriculture, _[increases](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/15/world/asia/china-sandstorm.html)_ the intensity and impact of sandstorms in China, for example. Similarly, The Kontinentalist _[analysed](https://kontinentalist.com/stories/who-trees-dont-shield-from-the-urban-heat-island-effect)_ how unequal tree covers in Asian cities means that different parts of the population are more or less exposed to high temperatures. ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* Are municipalities or corporations destroying forests that provide protection from climate hazards? If so, what enables this to happen? > >* Is water or food wasted? Will this prevent us from coping with future climate extremes? > >* Is climate change creating new, unsuspected environmental risks? > Together, hazard exposure and vulnerability form the preconditions for climate disasters. Different kinds of vulnerabilities are also often intertwined. During Hurricane Katrina, for example, economic vulnerabilities meant that low-income population _[could not afford](http://sites.tufts.edu/gis/files/2013/02/Goldberg_Jeffrey.pdf)_ to be housed in higher, less physically vulnerable grounds, and were therefore more impacted when the levies breached. This picture remains incomplete, however, if we do not account for coping capacities. By shining light on the unequal impacts of climate disasters, investigators can at least: - 1. provide evidence and tools for the public to have an informed debate about these issues, and - 2. make evidence available to others in the civil society (e.g., activists, NGOs, think tanks) who can advocate and/or work with policymakers to ensure that adaptation measures are implemented and do not discriminate between people. ## Investigating coping capacity ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/climateadaptation02-cik-illustration.png) Coping capacity is our ability to withstand and recover from shocks. When a flood, a fire or a storm hits, people react. Citizens help each other, rescuers search for survivors, hospitals treat the wounded, NGOs campaign for more support, action and transparency. When a hazard is perfectly handled by responders, resulting in no casualties and no damage, the process and policies behind this outcome rarely make headlines. Often however, disasters happen because of a lack of planning or inadequate response from authorities. When Hurricane Maria _[hit Puerto Rico](https://www.npr.org/2018/07/13/628861808/fema-report-acknowledges-failures-in-puerto-rico-disaster-response?t=1629707298341)_ in October 2017, the island’s emergency-supply warehouses were almost empty and the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was understaffed. Hurricane Maria led to the displacement of approximately 130,000 Puerto Ricans — who are also U.S. citizens — and destroyed an estimated $94.4 billion worth of properties. While the government initially reported 64 casualties, several investigations _[uncovered](https://periodismoinvestigativo.com/2018/09/the-deaths-of-hurricane-maria/)_ a much higher death toll (article archived with Wayback Machine [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20230602110301/https://periodismoinvestigativo.com/2018/09/the-deaths-of-hurricane-maria/)). Sometimes, response to one disaster can even create another one. Following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, a contingent of Nepalese UN peacekeepers allegedly _[brought Cholera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/8/19/un-admits-role-in-deadly-haiti-cholera-outbreak)_ into the country. The resulting epidemics _[killed approximately 10.000 people](https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/haiti/index.html)_. To limit the impact of climate disasters, investigators can scrutinize the measures put in place to mitigate risk in the long-term, prepare for disasters, respond to them and recover after they happened. These steps coincide with the four disaster management phases: - mitigation - preparedness - response - rehabilitation Each of these steps — which often overlap and inter-connect in reality — can inform an investigation. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/climate-change-adaptation/image-caa-disaster-management-phases.jpg) Image: The four disaster phases. Source: <https://www.mbaskool.com/business-articles/operations/9351-operations-in-disaster-management-case-study-based-approach.html> ### Risk mitigation Several measures can be put in place in the long-term to reduce the likelihood or consequence of climate disasters. Risk mitigation aims to reduce the impacts of hazards on societies and lives, for example by modifying people’s behaviour or putting new safety systems in place. Reducing greenhouse gas is one way to limit climate disasters in the long run. Other measures include adopting climate-resistant crops or diversifying livelihoods. As illustrated in _[a game developed by the Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-climate-change-ocean-game/)_, for example, city planners and local governments can mitigate the risk of sea level rise before a disaster happens. Similarly, a 2021 article from the Washington Post _[explored](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/interactive/2021/prescribed-fire/)_ how prescribed fires could mitigate the risk of out-of-control forest fires. Investigating risk mitigation means ensuring that different segments of society are already pro-actively planning and preparing for future climate risks. ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* Are critical infrastructures (dams, bridges, electric grid, nuclear power plants, etc.) well maintained and prepared for future climate scenarios? > >* Are farmers adapting their techniques to climate change? > >* Are adequate systems and policies put in place to coordinate disaster management and climate change adaptation? > ### Preparedness Preparedness measures are put in place before a disaster hits to help us better cope with it. Unlike risk mitigation — which aims to reduce long-term vulnerabilities — the objective of preparedness is to increase coping capacities. Preparing for disasters is key to societal safety. Every $1 invested in preparing for disasters _[saves $13 in responding to them](https://web.archive.org/web/20221102062348/http://2021.nibs.org/files/pdfs/ms_v4_overview.pdf)_, according to a study from the US National Institute of Building Science. Individuals can stock basic supplies in their homes, companies and cities can plan and exercise for disasters, states and donors can fund preparedness efforts. The list goes on. In fact, investigations themselves can be considered part of preparedness, as uncovering gaps in adaptation and disaster management systems helps us prepare for the next climate disaster. ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* How many masks, radios, bandages, etc. are in stock? > >* Are shelters well located and ready to be used? > >* Have organizations prepared for climate impacts and have these plans been implemented? > >* Are early warning systems in place and functioning? > ### Response When crises hit, systems created during the preparedness phase are activated. During the response phase, various actors must act fast to save lives and limit the damage. The first responders to a disaster are usually nearby people. Then, firefighters, police forces, ambulances or humanitarians deploy to provide support and relief to the affected population. Responders are often perceived as heroes, doing their best in the middle of difficult situations. Yet, there is a need for investigators to hold them, too, accountable. ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* Is the response provided inefficient? Are some people or groups left out or given preferential treatment? > >* Is the response generating conditions for a new disaster? > >* How is the response impacting long-term physical, environmental, economic or social vulnerabilities? > ### Rehabilitation Rehabilitation starts after the end of the response phase, when the most urgent needs have been met. During this phase, people recover, houses are rebuilt, displaced populations return home and the humanitarian intervention phases out. Rehabilitation presents an opportunity to “build back better” and to address ongoing vulnerabilities. At the same time, _[recovery can often be unequal](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/01/why-natural-disasters-are-worse-poor/580846/)_, benefiting some more than others. During this phase, power relationships are sometimes reshuffled, and some lessons learned. Often, rehabilitation also involves allocating finance and resources for reconstruction and new development sites. Investigators can help to collect evidence and reveal whether this process is transparent, fair and constructive. ```cik-tip ``` > >Ideas for investigations: > >* Are climate change scenarios and emerging risks taken into account when rebuilding? > >* Are procurement and reconstruction contracts awarded in a fair and transparent way? > >* Are we learning from previous disaster and building back better? > ## A matter of scale and collaboration While investigating climate change adaptation can be done in a number of ways, an investigation that does not account for hazard exposure, vulnerabilities and coping capacities is likely to miss significant elements of the story. These three elements — which together determine the intensity or severity of climate disasters — can be investigated at different levels both locally and across borders, ranging from individuals and companies to states, groups of countries and international organizations. Investigators can uncover the impacts of their city’s climate adaptation plans on different neighbourhoods’ flood risk. They can dig into disaster insurances at the national level, or the ways in which European Union policies impact the resources and budget of firefighters and related _[planning](https://www.euractiv.com/section/crisis-management/news/european-commission-wants-independent-firefighter-plane-fleet/)_. Climate change is likely to modify risk patterns for almost every part of society, so the possibilities are almost endless. Unlike stories about curbing greenhouse gases — which necessarily have a ‘global’ angle and can sometimes feel dis-empowering — climate adaptation is always a local story. A city or country adapts to local environmental risks, which may evolve over time due to climate change. Similarly, disasters tend to cover only a specific geographical area — even if this area may be large and span across borders. The local nature of disasters and climate adaptation can be used by national or federal powers to evade their responsibility. In Spain, for example, the central and a local government _[blamed each other](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/26/spain-bans-fertilisers-near-saltwater-lagoon-after-dead-fish-wash-up)_ for the mismanagement of a lagoon where thousands of fish have been appearing dead. Investigators have a role to play in clarifying responsibilities in these types of cases. At the same time, climate change adaptation and disaster investigations – because they are by nature local – have the potential to deeply connect with local contexts and audiences. People tend to care about changes to their close environment, such as local lakes, rivers or forests, as well as the potential risks they and their families face. This means that climate adaptation stories can be highly relatable and manage to make people care. When journalists at the Norwegian public broadcaster set out to create an article depicting climate change’s current impact in the country, for example, they did not expect that the resulting piece — _[Chasing Climate Change](https://www.nrk.no/chasing-climate-change-1.14859595)_ — would be so successful. The project [attracted one million page-views](https://gijn.org/2021/07/26/climate-storytelling-impact-lessons-from-norways-public-broadcaster/) (in a country of five million people) and won several awards. ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/climate-change-adaptation/image-caa-nrk-investigation.jpg) Image: “Chasing Climate Change” project. Source: NRK / <https://www.nrk.no/chasing-climate-change-1.14859595> In addition, climate adaptation stories have the potential to connect people across different contexts. Climate impacts threaten different states or regions of the world indiscriminately. Although each country may have different vulnerabilities and coping capacities, for example, forest fires similarly threaten [Russia](https://abcnews.go.com/International/siberian-wildfires-now-bigger-fires-world-combined/story?id=79422602), [Australia](https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/c2wlvy54gd1t/australia-fires), [Turkey](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/greece-turkey-wildfires-sparked-by-reality-of-climate-change/) or the [USA](https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/01/us/us-western-wildfires-sunday/index.html). This means that parts of the world’s climate adaptation strategies can inform others. What can German city planners learn from [Bangladesh](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/01/opinion/bangladesh-floods.html)’s experience with floods? How can UK firefighters [apply the methods](https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/08/07/death-divorce-and-depression-firefighters-on-the-frontline-of-europes-climate-crisis) developed by their Italian or French colleagues? How can [Chilean](https://www.dw.com/en/earthquake-preparedness-what-can-we-learn-from-chile/a-55613842) or [Japanese](https://thediplomat.com/2015/03/4-years-later-what-japan-can-teach-the-world-about-disaster-preparedness/) earthquake preparedness help Haiti or [Turkey](https://apnews.com/article/turkey-japan-earthquakes-4547c9e6d98bc8cfecd2fc0c99fa1a83) cope with seismic risks? Similarly, an investigation uncovering abuse or mismanagement in climate change adaptation policies in one country can help another one to hold its decision-makers accountable. Climate change adaptation investigations can be localized, scaled down or scaled up to fit a specific context. In addition, action or inaction from one country or region directly affects the safety of its neighbours. Since hazards rarely stop at the border and climate adaptation strategies can generate new geopolitical tensions, it is necessary to also investigate these issues across-borders. Cross-border investigations can ensure that better climate change adaptation measures are rolled-out across regions, that one country’s coping capacity does not increase its neighbour’s vulnerability, and that unnecessary deaths from climate disasters are prevented. Climate adaptation investigations require investigators to collaborate with each other, as well as with other fields of knowledge. Journalists, for example, can collaborate with scientists, activists, citizen investigators or technologists to better understand unfolding processes of climate adaptation. Artists, photographs or filmmakers can bring this information closer to people and turn investigations and evidence into more accessible stories or events that can ‘touch’ and engage people. This way, investigations can depict a clearer and more relevant image of current and future climate risks and adaptation measures and, ultimately, make a difference. <hr class="thick"> Published in June 2023 (based on an updated 2021 article by the author: _["No Disaster Is Natural: How investigating climate change adaptation could make a difference"](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/en/articles/investigating-climate-change-adaptation/)_) ## Resources ### Research, articles and guides: - _[Carbon Brief](https://www.carbonbrief.org/)_ — UK-based website covering the latest developments in climate science, climate policy and energy policy. _*[“Climate Crisis](https://gijn.org/climate-crisis-ideas-for-investigative-journalists/)_: Ideas for Investigative Journalists” - a guide by the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN): * _*[Covering Climate Change: A Workshop for Journalists](https://nieman.harvard.edu/sites/covering-climate-change/videos/)_, hosted by the Nieman Foundation in March 2020 - includes a series of recorded workshop sessions with researchers, activists, journalists and scientists. _*[Inside Climate News](https://insideclimatenews.org/)_ - website reporting on climate crises. _*[Prevention Web](https://www.preventionweb.net/)_ - global knowledge sharing platform for disaster risk reduction and resilience, maintained by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. _*[“Reporting on Climate Adaptation”](http://reportingonclimateadaptation.org/resources/)_ - reporting guides, news, resources. ### Tools and databases _*[European Space Agency (ESA) Climate Data Dashboard](https://climate.esa.int/en/odp/#/dashboard)_ - including maps and datasets. _*[Global Wildfire Information System](https://gwis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/)_ - a joint initiative of the [GEO](https://www.earthobservations.org/geoss_wp.php) and the [Copernicus](http://copernicus.eu/main/emergency-management), bringing together information regional and national sources on fire regimes and fire effects at global level. _*[NASA’s Worldview](https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/)_ - historical resource to explore satellite imagery provided by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and events occurring around the world. _*[NASA’s Global Climate Change platform](https://climate.nasa.gov/)_ including articles and datasets. _*[NASA's World of Change “Earth Observatory”](https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world-of-change)_. _*[United Nations (UN) Environment Program](https://wesr.unep.org)_ / World Environment Situation Room - including research, statistics, reports. ### Collaborative networks and organisations _*[The ARENA Climate Network](https://journalismarena.eu/the-networks/the-climate-and-energy-network/)_ _*[Climate Tracker](https://act.climatetracker.org/)_ _*[The Environmental Investigative Forum](https://eiforum.org/)_ _*[The Earth Journalism Network](https://earthjournalism.net/)_ _*[The Environmental Justice Foundation](https://ejfoundation.org/)_ ## Glossary ### term-cc Climate change* — Change in the usual weather found in a place. (source: <https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/what-is-climate-change-k4.html>) ### term-cca Climate change adaptation — The process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects, in order to moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities. (source: <https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/glossary/>) ### term-cc-mitigation Climate change mitigation — Human intervention to reduce emissions or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases. (source: <https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/glossary/>) ### term-coping-capacity Coping capacity — The combination of all the strengths, attributes and resources available within an organization, community or society to manage and reduce disaster risks. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/capacity>) ### term-disaster Disaster — A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society due to hazardous events interacting with conditions of exposure, vulnerability and capacity, leading human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/disaster>) ### term-exposure Exposure — The situation of people, infrastructure, housing, production capacities and other tangible human assets located in hazard-prone areas. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/exposure>) ### term-gg-emissions Greenhouse gas emissions — Emission of gases responsible for warming the atmosphere up, such as water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and ozone (O3). (source: <https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/glossary/>) ### term-hazard Hazard — A process, phenomenon or human activity that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/hazard>) ### term-mitigation Mitigation — The lessening or minimizing of the adverse impacts of a hazardous event. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/mitigation>) ### term-preparedness Preparedness — The knowledge and capacities developed by governments, response and recovery organizations, communities and individuals to effectively anticipate, respond to and recover from the impacts of likely, imminent or current disasters. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/preparedness>) ### term-recovery Recovery — The restoring or improving of livelihoods and health, as well as economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets, systems and activities, of a disaster-affected community or society \[…] to avoid or reduce future disaster risk. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/recovery>) ### term-response Response — Actions taken directly before, during or immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people affected. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/response>) ### term-vulnerability Vulnerability — The conditions determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors or processes which increase the susceptibility of an individual, a community, assets or systems to the impacts of hazards. (source: <https://www.undrr.org/terminology/vulnerability>)
climate-change-adaptation.preview	# Investigating Climate Change Adaptation By Leopold Salzenstein …
collaboration.basename	collaboration
collaboration.content	Investigation is Collaboration: How to Make It Work ============================== By Ankita Anand ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/investigation-collaboration-cik-illustration.png) ```cik-in-short ``` In Short: Never investigate alone. Collaboration is essential to your safety, well-being and effectiveness as an investigator, no matter the context. But what does it mean to collaborate and what kind of collaborations are possible? This guide will help you plan, organise and run your collaboration with investigators, sources and others in order to make the most out of your own skills and the expertise of others on your team. Never investigate alone! ----------------------- If anything, this is what this guide would like you to remember forever. Collaborations take place in our personal and professional lives every day. If we talk of the latter, we see that in any workplace there are people with different skill sets and experiences who come together to meet a common goal and agenda. In the context of investigations, collaboration usually happens when a group of people with varying backgrounds are concerned about an issue of public interest. But since each person's skill set and capacity are limited, everyone needs the help of others who bring their own expertise and resources to the table. Even if a person has a diverse set of skills, bringing in different people also helps each person give undivided time and attention to their specific tasks, which is especially important for projects of a larger scale. Not everyone on the team has to be directly engaged in investigating the subject itself. Essential collaborators could include people who effectively present the findings of the investigation to an organisation, government, court of law, or the general public. Another example is someone who regularly works with data, like an analyst or an economist, who could help the team make sense of the numbers involved in a corruption case. And a graphics designer could know how to present it to an audience in a simple and comprehensible manner. A visual artist and/or a photographer could also lend a hand by capturing the outcome of the investigation in a riveting format, along with a website developer, if needed. Journalists and news organisations could help make the newfound information accessible to a wider audience. Activists, academics and researchers can aid an investigation with anything from the background research, verification and fact-checking phase to the publication and awareness-raising phases. Collaborations can take place across various levels. There could be one between a local citizen and a researcher at an NGO working in the national capital. Then there are cross-border investigative teams working at regional and global levels. Local facilitators are especially helpful to an investigation, because they grant investigators access. What are the benefits of collaboration? ---------------------------------------- The advantages of collaboration are infinite: finding better evidence, creating a stronger impact, exchanging information or knowledge, filling expertise or access gaps and, last but certainly not least, ensuring safety and security support for the members of the collaborating group. Gone are the days when investigating alone was the key to securing one's exclusivity on uncovering wrongdoing or breaking the news. Even the most hardened investigative journalists admit now that "lone wolf" investigations are no longer a good idea (if they ever were). [Networks of collaboration](https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2018-03/sambrook_e-ISBN_1802.pdf) can make the uncovered information and its outreach much stronger. People coming together to expose wrongdoing or speak truth to power aids investigations both in findings and presentation, better protects investigators, and creates more pressure on authorities and governments for accountability. For many people, it might be hard to know where to look for support, funding, and collaboration platforms. But identifying even one collaborator whose job involves investigations can connect you to other collaborators and the resources needed to carry out the project. To help with the process of investigations, the other portions of this Exposing the Invisible Kit detail best practices, tools and techniques. ### Different people, different skills It would take one person a lifetime or more to learn all the skills used in different kinds of investigations. In a collaboration, you can have several uniquely skilled people working toward the same goal simultaneously. Even if one person has more than one skill, which is exciting and useful for low-budget projects, it is always better if your project generates work and income for multiple people who have years of training and experience in the field. ### Reaching a wider audience Each person is a member of a community, whether it's a social circle or professional network, and the people in those circles and networks have their own communities in turn. Having multiple people in a team means the findings can be distributed in a non-linear way to a greater number of people. The more people, the more potential avenues to get the word out. Some of these have large audiences, like a news organisation, an organisation with a huge number of newsletter subscribers, an individual using savvy audience engagement tools, or a person with a strong social media presence. A wider reach equals a stronger impact. ### Circumventing travel restrictions Collaboration has taken on a renewed significance in light of the many pandemic-induced travel restrictions. There are also perennial impediments like visa rules and budget limitations. Whether it's your own country or elsewhere in the world, in lieu of travel, the most viable option is to connect with people already located there to get the job done. ### Sharing the work A large-scale investigation might seem attractive because of its potential to make a big splash with far-reaching revelations. But once you start peeling the layers and drowning in documents, it is common to be overwhelmed by confusion and anxiety as the initial excitement fades. A partner or team helps you stay sane and reminds you that you are not alone. ### Ensuring accountability If you have taken up a project voluntarily and it is not supported by any organisation or a committed group, it might be put on hold or you might give it up altogether. Having a collaborator means a sense of mutual accountability, which could lower the chances of the project getting shelved. ### Securing workplace equality Local investigators often work the hardest to investigate issues afflicting their community, yet they are not recognised enough. If an investigator is relying on a local person to facilitate the investigation, it is only fair that the resident should be treated as an equal collaborator in the story. If the collaborator is a journalist, recognition could come in the form of a joint by-line and shared payment. When it's an associate who does not wish to be named or is helping with the logistics but is not directly engaged in the investigating, compensation for the time or expenses incurred might be sufficient. In the case of an activist, a citizen investigator or a group of active members of the community, you could connect them to resources that would help them carry forward their work. ### Bringing authenticity Some investigators are rightfully criticised for parachuting, a negative term used for an outsider who comes to a local area (sometimes working with a lot of untested assumptions), quickly conducts an investigation, and leaves immediately. In these instances, a possible misrepresentation of local realities, history and context could occur. If a such a story misinforms influential people like policymakers, the lives of entire communities would suffer the consequences of policies made on inaccurate bases. Partnering with someone who brings deep local knowledge helps avoid the exploitation of a local community or their misrepresentation. ### Offering perspective No matter how well informed, one person cannot bring a panoramic perspective to a story, especially in a limited time. When individuals from different backgrounds collaborate, they bring to the table questions and connections the person living there would not even think of, because you tend to take for granted a lot of facts about the situation you are embedded in. An outsider's perspective makes you realise that some of those things need to be questioned or explained in the investigation so a greater number of people can comprehend the findings. ### Enhancing safety Attacks on whistleblowers have gone up tremendously even in what were previously considered "safe" places. But there's safety in numbers - working in a group helps protect you and your work. If a report is suppressed in one country, it can be amplified in other places. ```cik-example ``` >Example: > >- _[Forbidden Stories](https://forbiddenstories.org/)_ is > an example of a programme that aims to continue and publish the work > of journalists facing attacks. > >- _[The Signals Network](https://thesignalsnetwork.org/)_ > is an organisation that enables safe and ethical collaborations > among media and whistleblowers to advance the public interest and to > encourage transparency and accountability. Just as a local person enjoys more trust in their community, an outsider may also be able to access people and places by virtue of the privileges they have as a foreigner. An investigator from the local community could at times be too "under the radar." Also, foreigners who intend to leave after the investigation will be much safer from risks than someone who has to go on living there. ### Bringing gender and cultural diversity Team-mates of different genders help gain access to different places and people. A woman who has faced sexual violence might prefer to talk to a woman, while certain religious places might allow entry only to men. LGBTQI+ investigators and/or those sensitive to marginalised communities may gain access to their respective communities easier than others at times. But not everything is just about getting access. A more diverse team helps respect the right of the interviewee to talk to someone who is closest to their lived experience, studied it enough, or received relevant training. This way your investigation can better understand the interviewees. They do not have to do the labour of sharing the entire background of their lived realities, which allows for deeper and more meaningful interviews. A mix of cultural identities in collaborators also brings unique points of view and learnings to the investigation. Putting together the (dream)team -------------------------------- ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/investigation-collaboration-01-cik-illustration.png) When building a strong, well-balanced team, think of what your project needs and what to look for in colleagues to support it. List the skills, sources and resources you already have, as well as the ones needed for the investigation. Also think beyond the immediate team. You can engage subject matter experts for either part of the investigation or throughout. You can also reach out to a support network of friendly advisors who are not a part of the team but are willing to have an informal chat about their experiences. We suggested a list of questions to ask yourself below, but make sure you tailor your own list to your specific environment and needs. ### What to look for in a team #### Complementary skill sets, fluency in local languages, and access: - What are the documents/places/people you don't have access to and who is in a position to gain that access? - If you are going to a place where you do not speak the local language, or even if you would be conducting remote interviews of people whose language you do not speak, who can assist you as a reliable local investigator or a translator? - If a community is known for being closed-in and not interacting with outsiders, is there a local activist or other civil society members working with the community for years who could be an ally that helps you gain entry and trust? #### Subject expertise: - Is the investigation likely to get you into hostile situations? If yes, do you know someone who has hostile environment or de-escalation training and can share it with the team? - Are you expecting to receive a lot of sensitive information from your sources digitally? If yes, can you find someone who can ensure digital security for the investigation? - If your findings are going to be presented online, and especially if you have a lot of young people as your audience, can someone help design an interactive platform? - If the investigation is going to produce a lot of on-site, visually strong findings, could you connect with a filmmaker or a photographer? - If the case has a lot of legalese, or if those exposed are likely to file defamation cases, could you touch base with a lawyer working on similar issues? ### Planning and organising the team #### Make a plan: Plan out your investigation and identify what roles you might want to fill for the execution of your investigation plan. Having a rough plan gives you a sense of activities you may undertake and the roles and skills of your those you want to work with. For a look at the most important elements of an investigation, check out the guide _["What Makes an Investigation"](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/investigation-concepts.html)_ elsewhere in the Exposing the Invisible Kit. #### Reaching out to potential collaborators: You might know investigators directly or know others who do. If any organisation has done work on the issue, you could contact them for collaboration, and they could also tell you about others they have worked with and might still be interested in pursuing the subject. When reading about the topic of your interest, you could get in touch with the authors to ask if they, or the sources they interviewed, would like to join your investigation. Social media is also a good place to establish contact if you cannot find their contact details otherwise through online searches. People regularly use LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to connect with new people. You don't have to be on all these platforms to make connections. For example, many people have their emails in their Twitter bios, which you can access without creating a Twitter account for yourself. If you don't find the people you are looking for, you can contact any affiliate organisations or colleagues and request an introduction. When possible, online or offline workshops, conferences and other investigation-related events are some of the best settings to meet potential collaborators, launch ideas or proposals for collaboration, and have introductory meetings that can kickstart new projects. #### Collaboration platforms: There are several specialised platforms to help connect journalists and other civil society investigators and sources looking to collaborate. These platforms often work for any investigation topics. _[Help A Reporter Out / HARO](https://www.helpareporter.com/)_ helps investigators find the right people to work with. _[Hostwriter](https://hostwriter.org/)_ and _[Global Investigative Journalism Network - GIJN](https://gijn.org/)_ are a couple of platforms where collaborations regularly take place. Hostwriter's _[Unbias the News](https://unbiasthenews.org/)_ project invites collaborative and cross-border stories for publication. _[Project Facet](https://www.projectfacet.org/)_ also facilitates collaborations. But even online social media groups and individual profiles related to investigations can be used to reach out to potential partners. Just go on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and type out words like "investigation" or "investigative," "OSINT - Open Source Intelligence." On Facebook, for instance, by adding the "Groups" filter when searching for such key words you will find groups of investigators you can ask to join. These groups could be region- or subject-specific. Keep in mind that some are private groups and will often need to run a background check on your social media profile or ask around about you to verify that you are trustworthy. ```cik-note ``` > Note: > > Some investigative meet ups and conferences also end up making a > social media page or a discussion forum on their website, like: > > - _[Dataharvest](https://dataharvest.eu/)_ - the European > Investigative Journalism Conference. > - _[ARENA](https://dataharvest.eu/in-the-arena/)_ - the > organisation running Dataharvest - also hosts a discussion group and several _[topic-based networks](https://journalismarena.eu/the-networks/)_ that you can check and apply to join if relevant to your work. > - The Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) has an online > helpdesk, which also includes advice on how to _[identify networks and > possible sources and collaborators](https://helpdesk.gijn.org/support/solutions/articles/14000036507-contacts-and-networking)_. You could also start a group of your own, add some relevant people you know, and in due course other investigators looking for team-mates might join. #### Funding for collaboration: Collaborations need funding, because, apart from expenses of the investigation's logistics, all team members should be compensated fairly. _[Clean Energy Wire](https://www.cleanenergywire.org/)_, _[Hostwriter](https://hostwriter.org/)_, _[Journalismfund.eu](https://www.journalismfund.eu/)_, _[European Journalism Centre](https://ejc.net/)_, _[n-ost](https://www.n-ost.org/)_, _[Pulitzer Center](https://pulitzercenter.org/)_ are all groups that encourage investigative collaborations with financial support. But if you read carefully many other grants also allow the possibility of having a two- or three-member team. Unless it is explicitly mentioned that only individuals can apply, feel free to write to the grant giving organisation and ask if you can apply as a team. In addition, check out the lists of _[Fundraising](https://helpdesk.gijn.org/support/solutions/articles/14000036512-fundraising-and-grants)_ and _[Grants & Fellowships](https://helpdesk.gijn.org/support/solutions/articles/14000036514-fellowships)_ resources that GIJN provides on their website. #### Inviting collaborators to join: Many individuals secure a grant first and then ask around for collaborators. This way they let people know that they have a funded project in hand, not merely an idea in their head. With the confidence of funding, new team members feel more reassured about investing their time, granting the initiator a more diverse pool to choose from. But this method has its flip side. Sending grant applications can be time consuming. It could be a lot for one person to take on, especially if it's a large-scale project. If someone manages to win a grant, it could lead to an unsaid hierarchy in the team. The initiator or "leader" might feel that they have already put in more work than the next person and should have more say in the project. A new joiner might have some genuine concerns about the project but may not raise them because of the guilt that the "project lead" has done most of the work. If there is a collaborator who can invest the time to join the initiator right from the beginning, it benefits everyone. For one, the proposal would be a realistic one. Let's take the example of an international collaboration. A collaborator would not promise to bring information from their region which, as a resident of that country, they know would be impossible to get. The budgets drawn would be more specific to the economic situation in both the countries. The timeline would be drawn based on both persons' schedules, rather than one person killing themselves to meet the deadline the other has already promised to the funders. #### Choosing the right collaborator(s): People signing up to join a project usually share their work experience, why they are interested in the idea, what they could bring to it, and how. But remember that CVs and bios tell you what a person has done, not who they are, which you need to know in order to work with them. ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: > > Invest effort in knowing someone and trust your intuition > > Apart from the email exchanges that establish preliminary contact, > interest and information, try to have video calls, or at least voice > calls. Get to know each other; see if you share compatibility by > discussing your work interests, ways and ethics of working, your > motivations and expected outcome with respect to the investigation. > Ask about the kind of collaborative work they have done in the past > (it doesn't have to be an investigation). Find out if they are a team > player by discussing potential areas of conflict or describing a > scenario and asking how they would deal with it. Don't ignore your > intuition because of certain facts, like the accomplishments listed on > their CV. Having these chats prior to choosing a collaborator is > crucial. #### Agreeing on collaboration conditions and any compensation: When employers see resumes, they hire people to do an assignment and pay them on delivery. Even if not always explicitly acknowledged, something of a power hierarchy still exists. The hired person gets paid only when they deliver. If they don't, they stand to lose that pay, along with their own reputation in the eyes of the organisation. In the case of collaborations supported by organisations, people sometimes get paid, at least in part, in the beginning. You could be in a kind of partnership where the person you are choosing is not an employee, but an equal partner. You don't want to face a situation where money has already been disbursed, and you are having to chase members who have not delivered what they promised. If it is a case where you alone were the project initiator at the time of the grant's approval and involved partners later, then as the "lead" you run the risk of losing the organisation's trust for failing to deliver. For these reasons, a jointly prepared agreement is a must. Some questions to consider when preparing an agreement include: - How and when should the team communicate to share updates and raise queries? - What deliverables are expected from each person and by when? - How frequently will each member share their findings? (This is especially important if a team member pulls out later for an unforeseeable reason to ensure the team has access to their work.) - What's the backup plan in case the team cannot deliver something promised? - What is a reasonable amount of time within which people can be expected to respond to messages? If a person doesn't respond after that time period, can the team move forward without them, and in some cases restrict access to shared data for non-communicative team members? (This isn't necessarily anything against the non-communicative person. Rather, if they have been locked out of their systems, or, worse, are facing some kind of detainment, restricting their access would not only protect the data but also the investigator.) If they turn up later with an explanation for their silence, how would the team then proceed? - What is the final aim of the investigation? To share the findings with an affected community/to submit it to a tribunal/to get it published by the media? - What will happen to the data/evidence/documentation after the investigation is over? ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: > > Develop a Shared Code of Conduct > > In addition to crafting an agreement outlining collaboration details, > work management and timeline, spend time as a team to develop your own > code of conduct focused on mutual expectations on ethics, diversity > and inclusion. As a start to any good collaboration, this code of > conduct should be drafted collaboratively, and you could organise an > online or physical (if possible) meeting dedicated to it alone. > Consider brainstorming on and listing aspects such as: what is > acceptable as behaviour and what is not; what happens if someone > breaks the code; how to give constructive feedback; how to avoid or > address tension, frustration and aggressive behaviour; how to respect > each other's privacy and safety -- what is allowed and what isn't in > this respect, etc. If you collaborate in a larger team, you could even > assign one or two team members to assist any conflicts or tensions > that arise. > > - See more advice about how to set up a code of conduct or > shared conduct agreement in Tactical Tech's _*[Gender and Security resource](https://gendersec.tacticaltech.org/wiki/index.php/Complete_manual#Shared_agreements)_ pack for trainings and collaborations ["Zen and the art of making tech work for you.”](https://gendersec.tacticaltech.org/wiki/index.php/Complete_manual) #### Getting the paperwork in order: If an organisation is sponsoring the investigation, it might require each team member to sign a contract with them. If lieu of a third-party contract, the initiator should draw up something in writing to ensure the delivery of certain tasks within a timeframe for a specified fee. Before you and the team hit the road ----------------------------------------- ```cik-warning ``` > Safety First!* > > Ensuring the safety of collaborators and trying to foresee challenges > is a vital part of your investigation. Use the _['Do No Harm' principle](https://holistic-security.tacticaltech.org/chapters/strategise/3-6-security-and-the-do-no-harm-approach.html)_ so that no participants in the investigation whether sources or > collaborators are negatively impacted by it. > > ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/800/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/collaboration/holistic-security.png) > Screenshot from Tactical Tech's Holistic Security manual: <https://holistic-security.tacticaltech.org/> > > This involves understanding the work environment, choosing the right > tools and platforms for communication and conducting risk assessment. > For more on issues to consider when safeguarding your team, sources > and investigation see the section: Contingency Planning. > > Risk is inherited: > > If you and your collaborators carry little to no risk (e.g., living > and working in a safe area), but you are interviewing a person > experiencing high risk (e.g., living in a dangerous area or working on > controversial issues), you inherit that risk. Your risk level will be > higher for a period of time before and after the interview. If you > interview someone for a report or an article that will be published, > be prepared for your risk to increase at the time of publication. When > investigating individuals in positions of power and influence, be > prepared for a prolonged, higher risk if they become aware of your > investigation. > > On the other hand, much like how you inherit other people's risks, > they inherit yours. Operating in a low-risk area or having a low-risk > profile does not mean you pose no risk to others. On the contrary - > you may increase the risk of others you interact with. This can happen > when your usual behaviour in a low-risk area may very well put you at > risk in other areas. Simple acts such as communicating on a mobile > phone may be safe to someone in a low-risk area, but that same act can > easily subject someone to danger in a high-risk area. > > These considerations need extra care when working across regions or > issues, where team members may be based in varied contexts and operate > under particular risks or threats. The entire team should become aware > of everyone's possible vulnerabilities and work to set out a safety > assessment and mitigation plan that can address those risks. Remember > that a team is always as safe as its highest risk member. > > - Read our _[_Safety First!_](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/safety.html)_ article in this Kit for basic safety considerations when investigating. > - Consult Tactical Tech's _[_Holistic Security Manual_](https://holistic-security.tacticaltech.org/index.html)_ for a detailed approach that integrates self-care, well-being, digital security, and information security into traditional security management practices of collaborative projects and organisations. The manual was initially designed with human rights defenders in mind as a target audience but it is equally relevant for investigators and anyone working collaboratively to expose issues affecting their communities. ### Briefing the team An often-overlooked step is explaining the project to new team members. Project initiators have an intimate knowledge of the investigation, but not everyone starts with that level of understanding. First, you have to get everyone on the same page. Otherwise, you would end up launching into the execution plans for the project when some collaborators still have questions related to the project's initiation. After sharing the proposal approved by the funders and the supporting documentation with new members, tell them about the back stories not necessarily included in the application. Tell them how you came upon the idea, why the story is important to you personally, and any other aspect of the project that can help others create their own connection to the work you're about to do. This goes for the budget too - explain why you chose what sum for each category of expenses, and what your calculations were based on. If there is a stipend included, was it a fixed amount allotted by the granters, or did you also budget for it? If the latter, what was the time investment you had in mind? If the time needed seems more than the investigators' fee, is it because there was an external cap on it by the funders? Or is it because you felt it was important to divert part of that fund to some expenses? If the latter, is there a plan where they can be paid better later after the findings have been shared publicly? If the working grant is not split equally, what was the rationale behind that? Does it indicate a disproportionate division of labour too? The reason people often collaborate is because the project is too big for one person to take on. In the case of larger projects, team members might have to say no to other assignments. For such a long-term involvement, it would be naive not to consider the financial well-being of all the collaborators during that period, especially freelancers. ### Defining roles A well-defined division of labour is paramount to collaboration. Figuring out who oversees what right at the outset avoids confusion and misunderstandings later. Once the tasks are assigned, it is also easier for individuals to plan their schedule according to how much time each of their tasks will take them. Decide if there should be a project coordinator everyone is comfortable with, someone who solicits updates and sends reminders when needed. Some projects have a person solely dedicated to managing the team and making sure they stay on schedule. ### Logistics When there is no organisational structure to fall back on, one or more team members will have to take on the role of logistician. This may sound like a basic task, but there are investigators who dont want any part of making these arrangements, which could be anything from making schedules to doing currency exchanges for the team. In such situations, teams have to figure out how the work can be divided equally. ### Credits and acknowledgement How should each person be credited? For example, should the report list names in alphabetical order or should it be on the basis of whoever wrote the most? People often skip these things because they are embarrassed to come across as petty or self-important. But wanting to be appropriately acknowledged for your work is a genuine concern. If questions remain unanswered in people's minds or if unarticulated grudges linger, they strain relationships and, by extension, the project. If an initiator talks about these things themselves, they are avoiding putting people in a position where the joiners debate whether it is right to raise these points. The initiator then also establishes their good intent and transparency. ### Ethics and methodology Sit together and agree on common ethics and methods of working. It's important to approach this conversation with an open mind, because different people could have different opinions. It is best to have some common understanding at the start, rather than having to deal with it in the middle of the investigation. For example, there are investigators who are completely against sting operations or pushing their sources to reveal information, while others consider these methods fair play when the result could lead to exposing a wrongdoing. ```cik-note ``` > Note: > > The ethics question extends to decisions about software tools and > platforms you may choose to use. While open source tools may sometimes > present limitations to the investigation task at hand, oftentimes they > can also present an alternative to commercial tools that may not fully > respect the privacy of your data. For examples on navigating the > choices of platforms and the trade-offs, please refer to Tactical > Tech's article _[_Technology is Stupid: How to choose Tech for Remote > Working._](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/en/articles/technology-is-stupid)_ ### Schedule Some people like to sleep early and some late. Sometimes our schedules are decided by sources or the limited time during which an on-the-ground investigation site might be open. But when that is not so, like in any organisation, stick to the working hours you have drawn so that people can switch off, rest, talk to their families or go for a walk. Theres no such thing as round-the-clock working with perfect productivity. Check with your partners about their non-negotiables. Beyond what time do they not work? What do they feel about dealing with an unexpected development in the investigation if it happens on a weekend or a holiday? ### Health requirements If the team has to visit a site that involves a long trek, do all members feel up to it physically? If not, can those who stay behind help the team with working on some other aspect of the story? Do some colleagues need to stick to strict mealtimes as a health requirement? If yes, and if the team is working on an erratic schedule due to factors beyond their control, maybe such colleagues could carry some dry food items with them. The teammates who are vegan or vegetarian might also find it useful to do the same, in case they do not always find their preferred options in all places or times. ### Budgeting Many grants are flexible about how much money is spent for a specific purpose as long as it is spent on the investigation. This leaves many financial decisions to the team. Someone could want to spend more on accommodation, while another team member may want to spend more on hiring services like filming. It is important to agree beforehand on a more detailed breakdown of expenses, even though the funders might have approved a less detailed budget. Funders pass budgets with caveats around what their support would or would not cover. Still, during the investigation unexpected categories of expenditure might emerge. If possible, and if you do not need to urgently make the expense, it is good to quickly check with the sponsors if these kinds of costs would be reimbursed. It might not be a bad idea to request to be connected to the accounts team of the funding organisation as well. Many accounts department have extremely specific rules about the items that would be covered, how the billing should be done, etc. Sometimes both the recipients of the support and the points of contact at the supporting organisation are not fully aware of these minutiae. It is better to have this clarity before spending the money. ```cik-note ``` > Note: > > What reality teaches us > > Each investigation brings to light some new realities funders and > their financial departments might not have encountered before. > Regularly sharing these realities with them could lead to newer rules > that support the unpredictability of investigations. For example, the > accounts section of an organisation once insisted on a printed taxi > bill, while the driver in the rural area who had taken the > investigator around was not literate and so was unable to provide it. Before investigators and funders sign memoranda of understanding, the former could bring to the table such concerns or lessons learned from past experiences. Money often tends to create an invisible hierarchy between the giver and the recipient. So the team might feel hesitant about raising a bunch of queries. But to ask, discuss and then agree in advance is much more feasible than to ask for terms of contracts to be changed in hindsight. Funders who regularly support investigations understand some unpredictable situations that might arise in investigations and do try to be flexible. But for that to happen it is important that the team keeps an active and honest line of communication open with them. ### Letters of intent One thing that reassures monetary supporters about the investigation's findings becoming publicly known are letters of intent. These are letters issued by media houses to team members saying they would like to publish the outcome of the investigation. Many investigators drop the idea of applying for funds because they feel hesitant to ask for these letters, do not hear back from publications or find it awkward to ask someone for it a second time after their first grant proposal failed. To get around this, you should remember that: - You are not really asking anyone for a guarantee. In fact, many publishers, when they mention their interest in publishing, also add a clause saying "subject to editorial standards", or something to that effect. Letters of intent usually do not function as a binding legal agreement. - You are also not in a legal agreement with the publication to publish with them. If at some point you realise your story is better suited for another house, you could inform the initial publication of this, thanking them for their support. - Publications often have limited travel budgets. If you pitch an investigative story to a newspaper/website that can only pay the writing or the photography fee, they would actually be happy to break the story at a cost much lower than what they would otherwise need to pay to facilitate such an investigation. - You do not need to secure letters from the biggest news organisations. If you think some smaller groups have been more responsive in the past, you could request them as well. The funders would also be looking at your past work or the preliminary research your application shows to know about your credibility. Therefore, your chances of getting the grant do not depend entirely on statements from other organisations. - If there is an editor who would be happy to provide the letter but might be too busy to send it in time, ask if they would prefer a basic template to look over and sign. The template could just have a couple of sentences saying the publication is interested in the investigation and would like to publish the findings if all editorial requirements are met. ### Post-production What happens after you've collected the information and put together the story/report? Will one or all team members decide on the platforms (as in organisations, websites, events, etc.) for putting the investigation findings out in the public domain, should that be your goal? For instance, if you plan on reaching out to NGOs and/or media organisations to publish your findings, there should be a shared understanding on this based on the reputation, distribution capacity, response and publication time, fees and other factors that such a publishing platform may bring to the table. If you plan on creating and managing your own publishing space(s) online or offline, this will need to be agreed and planned all throughout the investigation process, not left for the last minute as getting stories out for dissemination and awareness it's a whole project in itself and requires some particular skill-sets to do it effectively. ### Contingency plans What to do when a team member goes AWOL, has to pull out mid-project, or does not turn in the work expected from their part of the collaboration? What contingency plans can you fall back on? One way to minimise these kinds of losses is for the project coordinator and maybe another team member to periodically keep collecting updated work, notes, data sets, even expense receipts, etc., from the investigators at regular intervals. ```cik-warning ``` > Safety First! - contingency planning > > Contingency planning is meant to provide you with a back-up plan in case your initial plan fails or is affected in any way. > Contingency planning should be part of your overall safety planning and of the safety procedures that you should embark on early on in your planning activities. > >It is easy to get lost in logistics like booking tickets and hotels. But before diving into that, pause and do a safety assessment of the place you are visiting. No assessment is one-size-fits-all. A place can be completely safe for one team member yet fraught with risks for others, depending on their identity (gender, religion, language, etc.) and relationship with the place. > >It is also important for each member of the team to do an honest self-assessment of risks they could face, and not feel the pressure to be "brave" and dismiss all considerations. If there is hesitation around this, it is good to remember that threats faced by one person could impact the entire team and investigation, so it is best not to downplay any risks. > > >Some questions to consider are: > >- What are the possible risks at each location the team plans to > visit for their investigation? > >- Are low-risk members willing to take the lead during travel, for > example by asking questions, while the high-risk ones keep a low > profile? > >- Should the team split up if some aspects of the work can be done > without involving the high-risk members at all? > >- Is there someone in the advisory group that has worked in the area > before and can help the team with tips? > >- What is the team's safety protocol? Have the members discussed an > exit plan (in case of a stampede/physical aggression/a team member > having an accident, etc.)? Is it safer to move with a fixed vehicle > and a driver, or to keep changing? If the visit is to a crowded > place with no parking spot nearby, will it be quicker to leave by > readily available transport, if any? Is there a local > person/organisation that can be named/called in case of emergencies? > Has everyone saved numbers for the emergency services, embassies and > their hotels? Are there people (personal/professional) "back home" > who have all these numbers (and flight/train/bus details of the > team) and have been asked to use them to ferret out information > about the team's whereabouts if they have not heard from the members > for a certain amount of time (decided in advance)? Are people aware > of the local traffic rules if they are driving or for when they > would be walking around as pedestrians? What is the security > question and answer (an innocuous question asked over phone or text > like "how's the weather there" with an "ok" meaning all's going fine > and "it's warm" meaning the situation is not safe, and so on)? > >- What should be the guiding factor while choosing a place to stay? > Will a place situated in the city be safer because of the crowd > around and access to help if needed? Or will a place on the > outskirts suit the team's needs better if the idea is to be more > inconspicuous? If there's a team of four with two high risk and two > low risk members, do they need to stay separately per their safety > assessment and stay in touch virtually, and also to limit > surveillance if one place is more "on the radar" than another? What > are the cultural considerations to be taken into account? Will it be > better for people of the same gender to stay in a place of lodging? > Or will mixed groups looking similar to families/friends/office > teams draw less scrutiny? > >- What is the safety assessment of the local people helping the team > and the interviewees, and how can you prioritise their safety? > >- If the team is going to take photographs, is it safe to use a camera > or to leave it in the hotel, opting instead for phone cameras? > >- How will the material be stored and backed up safely every day? > >- When the team faces questions about who they are and what they are > doing, what is the common answer the team has decided on? Are there > risks arising out of the team members' individual or collective work > publicly available online? How has the team prepared to deal with > related questions and suspicions? > >- Does everyone have health insurance and their policy details? Is > health information (allergies, blood groups, pre-existing medical > condition, etc.) in a shared document that can be referred to by > medical professionals if any health-related emergencies arise? > >- Does any place require any personal protection equipment? > >- Are there any legal issues involved with visiting a place or > carrying data out of a place? Does the team have a legal advisor on > board who could help with such assessments specific to that region? > >- Which identity cards would the team members be carrying? > >- If the travel is to another country, has the team gone through the > Foreign Office Travel Advice for the place? > >- Has the team considered risks other than ones directly related to > the investigation, like petty theft leading to loss of cash, > documents, etc., and prepared accordingly (carrying limited amounts > of cash, deciding whether it would be safer to carry a document on > leaving it at the hotel, etc.)? > >- In the event of extreme stress/traumatic events, can the team > support each other? Are they connected to mental health > professionals they can call during such times? (When covering trauma > related stories, you should discuss with your funders if there is > budget for mental health services if needed.) > > If this list is any indication, there are a lot of questions to > consider when travelling in a team. But these questions are all > necessary to keep you and your collaborators safe and effective when > conducting your investigation. Once you have templates ready for one > investigation, you can keep using the same for others, modifying them > as you gain experience in collaborative investigations (and hopefully > sharing those suggestions with us so we can add to this guide!). ### Travelling Not all projects come with a budget that allows for team members to travel and investigate together. But if there is money to cover the cost of travel and accommodation, there is an immense amount of merit in doing it. Meeting your team face-to-face is irreplaceable. There is nothing like it for team building. It offers support to the other investigators and, at times, reduces the safety risk a member might take on in investigating alone. When interviewees see there is a team, or that people from more than one place are involved in investigating, and that it would be published in multiple places, they sometimes respond better and take out more time because they feel what they have to say will reach more people. At the same time, the presence of a "foreigner" could raise suspicions for some. So, consult the resident investigator on whether there is any interview or site visit to which the other team members should avoid going, and where these other members should wait in the meantime keeping a low profile, letting the local investigator take the lead in questioning. ```cik-tip ``` > Tip: > > For further reading on how to prepare and act when going to a foreign > or possibly hostile location, check the _[_Interviews guide_](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/interviews.html#interviews-requiring-special-approach)_ and the _[_Field guide_](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/field-research.html)_ in this Kit. ### Crossing borders Borders can be tricky in-transit places where you do not have the comfort zone of your usual location and are yet to receive the support of your team in the foreign location. You are on your own. Be patient, calm and cooperative at all times. There could be various checkpoints to go through, and you could be questioned either for a routine stop or an informal chat. Sometimes language barriers can lead to miscommunication. But if your body language remains relaxed, and you maintain a sincere intent to understand and cooperate, you run a lower risk of giving the impression of the "suspicious foreigner". If you are going as a media person, be prepared to answer what you will be reporting on. Again, discuss with the local contact and the team beforehand. Without going into the details, you can give a broad answer. Some countries need you to take a media permit/accreditation once you land within a few days of arrival. Don't forget to do it because you have got wrapped up in the investigation, or it can be a problem when you return. Some of this information is not clearly available online and while your local collaborator may find out, if it is the first time for them, even they miss out on some details of the process. If this is pointed out to you at any point while entering or exiting the country, accept the mistake and be willing to pay the fine (from the contingency fund that should be available in your budget). It is not unusual that on seeing a cooperative passenger who has made an honest mistake, the fine also gets waived off if it is up to the discretion of the officials. You might be taken through several doors, left to wait in several rooms and interviewed by a series of officials. It helps to have the confidence of a person who has followed the entire travel and visa procedure correctly, checked all the boxes, has all the papers, and has been patient and truthful. Then that one error would appear like what it is, an aberration, rather than a pattern. That's why when you are going through visa rules and are not sure about whether some document is needed or not, it is better to have that extra piece of paper rather than not. For example, if the visa is given on arrival and the fee can be paid either at the time or online, it could be a safer bet to already pay online. Since we are talking especially in the context of collaboration here, it is important to note that an individual working on their own might have their own way of going about things. For instance, they may not understand why media accreditation is needed in the destination country if they already have a press card from their home country. An individual might want to argue the point. But it is hard to build a strong argument without knowing the local laws perfectly well. And if a heated debate leads to the officials calling up your partner in the country and bringing them unwanted attention, it might not be a great thing for the investigation and for the local team member who has to go on living there after the team leaves. In a team, taking decisions in isolation could imperil everyone. ### Accommodation Figuring out where to stay during the investigation should be done in discussion with the person who knows the place locally. A tourist may only look at the cost of a room and the facilities provided. But investigators need to decide if they should stay within the city to have better access to interviewees and places, or whether they would like to stay on the outskirts to avoid standing out too much and being noticed by too many people. If the plan includes a lot of sitting together in the hotel and researching/writing/thrashing out ideas, check if the hotel has a power back up and a quiet conference room. ### Balancing your personal needs with the team's collective priorities It is best to carry things like toiletries, instead of assuming the hotel or even nearby shops will have it. These items do not take up a lot of space or weight, and it is ideal that when the team arrives, they are all ready to plunge into the work soon in the limited time rather than having to hunt for the shampoo or cereal they cannot do without. If you do leave behind something and cannot quickly and quietly find it during team breaks or resting periods, try to do without it, unless it is something crucial like medicines. Do not keep exclaiming about how you are amazed that a "basic" item is not available and stress out the resident team member who is trying hard to make you feel at home. They are not your holiday planner or your tour guide. They are already dealing with extra work because of ending up as the default "host" due to their local knowledge. Unless an on-site investigation is going to take place in each team member's location, you may not have a chance to return the favour. Adapt, adapt, adapt. ### Exit plan Despite all your safety precautions, sometimes you could find yourself in an unexpected and unsafe scenario. An exit plan is a method you outline beforehand that helps you get out of these situations and return to safety. No investigation is worth your life. Of course, ideally you would like to protect both your investigation and your well-being. But your exit plan should also consider a case where the former might not be possible. Your plan should include a strategy that prioritises the lives and safety of your team above all else. If you can get out of a threatening situation by giving up the evidence you have collected at the site, you should do it. Before you go for a site visit, have an agreed upon exit plan at the ready. Again, the resident investigator can advise on this (it could be an activist, a journalist, a guide or a local authority taking you to a place). They may also have the upper hand when it comes to being familiar with the local language. Once agreed on the exit plan, each member can repeat it to the team, so it's confirmed that everyone has understood the same thing. A tense, urgent situation does not give you the luxury to go into a corner and whisper an exit strategy into existence then and there. If the situation is slightly different from what you had prepared for, wait a few moments for the local member to improvise. If it seems they are stuck, any team member can lead with something closest to the plan devised. That's why it's crucial to spend enough time together before embarking on the investigation so team trust can develop. In theatre, there is an exercise called the "trust fall" where the group holds hands standing in a circle and one person starts leaning back, taking the group with them. People's bodies are stressed, and they fear the fall. But they go with the flow trusting that the group will tune with each other's bodies so well, and the people to their left and right will hold on to them so tight, that they would only lean back to the point where they do not fall. That is the ideal level of trust to be cultivated amongst a team of collaborators. On the "job" ------------ ![](https://cdn.ttc.io/i/fit/1000/0/sm/0/plain/kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/il/investigation-collaboration-02-cik-illustration.png) ### Regular communication This cannot be emphasised enough. Keep each other updated even if there has not been any major development on the work front. It's always better to share updates yourself. Nobody likes to be the bad cop who keeps asking for status reports or sending reminders. Talk regularly. If some decisions are taken in meetings, put them down in writing and share the document with the minutes. Documents shared online can be updated anytime but when you are setting up time to talk, be mindful of time zones. Signal and Wire are examples of safer applications investigators use to communicate, compared to something like WhatsApp or regular phone calls. Also try to use safer email services like riseup.net or ProtonMail. ### Timeline A big project could take months, even years, to complete. The enthusiasm at the beginning of a project begins to wane over time. Other individual projects can start demanding team members' attention. If things get stagnant, try to reignite the sense of community by finding ways to connect with each other. Keep reading up on the subject you are investigating and sharing links and notes with others. ### Interviews If you are asking team members to interview a source either alone or with you, make sure you brief them properly. Let them know what gets the source talking and what trigger points to avoid. This way you will get the maximum amount of information, and you won't lose your trust with your source. In some cases, it could be useful for your partner to ask some questions you don't want to ask because of your old relationship with the source, questions that might not be welcome from you but might be allowed for if asked by a new or a foreign investigator. If one person is going to ask questions that are likely to make the interviewee threatened or aggressive, then try to hold such interviews in public places like cafes with another partner nearby and at a safe distance. For more on interviews and sources, see _[_Interviews: the Human Element of Your Investigation_](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/interviews.html)_ and _[_How to Manage Your Sources._](https://kit.exposingtheinvisible.org/en/how/manage-sources.html)_ ### Sharing resources and information about the project As the project develops, there will be updates to share, source details to add to, and new questions to look into. Decide on digitally safe, easy-to-navigate platforms where you can share these items. (And don't keep information to yourself! Collaborations are not competitions.) Choose the apps on which there is consensus. If someone is new to a platform, do some handholding until they get used to it. And remember, sharing isn't just limited to the project at hand! The most successful and long-lasting collaborations are based on camaraderie and solidarity. When not working, talk to each other about your other projects and interests. If you have ideas, contacts or information about resources that would help advance each other's career, share generously. ### Social media sharing A lot of investigators keep sharing mini-reveals or "teasers" on social media during the course of an investigation. If you are someone who does that, discuss it with the team first. Is everyone comfortable with these snippets of ongoing work getting out? Is it even safe for the people involved? Will it create impediments for the remainder of the investigation? A common and seemingly innocuous trend is travellers sharing pictures of their boarding passes online. In investigations, this could mean alerting the wrong people to your trip, and the details and bar code on the pass could easily facilitate identity theft. If you intend to take and share photographs not directly related to the investigation but that show the team members, consult everyone first. They may not want their pictures on social media for personal reasons. Plus, a seemingly innocuous photograph can also raise questions such as, "why is this group of people hanging out together at all?" There is also the question of the security of sources and interviewees if you share their visuals. Or if you share their statements before the investigation is over, you might be putting them at risk. ### Documenting methodology A group of investigators, each with a unique set of skills, coming together is not an everyday occurrence. The methodology of your investigation will probably make for as exciting a read as the investigation itself. It also wins the audience's credibility. Allot time in your schedule to document this periodically. ### Check-ins Our personal and professional lives are constantly overlapping, what with working from home and social media platforms that have our vacation photographs alongside the link to the latest sample of our professional work. You might be out working, but your mobile phone could still receive a slightly worrying text from home. Instead of pretending that people's lives exist in watertight compartments, allow for a safe space and time regularly for check-ins. It is not about fulfilling a formality or asking people to share something personal they do not want to. A genuine concern for the team's well-being can mean simply asking after them, being open to listening, offering whatever support you can and sharing notes about self-care practices. Knowing each other's lives and struggles helps to engender empathy. It can help foster a sense of loyalty, belonging and commitment within the team. ### Acknowledging people's work and contributions In team work sometimes individual contributions and efforts get lost. Take a moment to appreciate, congratulate and celebrate people when they make contributions that take the team one step closer to a successful investigation. Being specific with your compliments is a good way of letting the recipient know you are sincere. Thank the colleague who always checked in with everyone about how they were doing, name the person who managed to keep all the collected information organised in one place, and so on. ### Being sensitive to cultural diversity Be respectful to the various backgrounds, races, age groups, genders, nationalities, religions, languages, histories, and sexualities your team members have. Try to educate yourself a bit about their cultures before you start working with them. And remember, it is not their job to explain things to you or teach you these basics. This is valid for your relationship with team members and also for anyone else you might be collaborating with or counting on during your project. It is important to always be aware of your and your team's position with respect to other groups you are working with. If you consider travel to and interaction with communities, for instance, you as a guest visitor might enjoy more or less freedoms than the host. More freedoms might create more space for your actions as investigator(s) but might endanger and expose your hosts, and vice versa -- nobody is neutral or invisible. Risk is inherited. Collaboration follow-up ----------------------- Publishing the results of a collaborative investigation is a cause for celebration for the whole team. But it can also feel anti-climactic at times. Not all investigations enter the public domain with a bang. Some excellent deep dives take a while before people go through and process it all. Impact could take months or could happen in indirect ways that the team might not immediately see. Don't let your team spirit and satisfaction of a job well done get overshadowed by these factors. There's nothing wrong with a slow burn. After well-deserved celebrations and much-needed rest, you can take the collaboration a step further by listing for yourselves places and people you would specifically like to share the findings with. The internet is replete with new information and investigations every day so not all of your target audience groups might have seen it. Also, think of innovative approaches to take it to people: a presentation in your community, a performance with a local arts or political theatre, a publication that might want to translate and distribute the results in another language, the possibilities are endless. When sharing publicly, credit and acknowledge all who contributed to the work, whether as active investigators or otherwise (except the ones who have requested anonymity). Share your findings with those as well who could give constructive feedback, starting with all your advisors and supporters. Please make sure that everyone is paid on time. It is not only frustrating for a team member to keep sending reminders for the pay they have earned but also disrespectful towards them. Late payments can adversely affect a person's financial situation too. Many choose not to work again with those who keep delaying payments. Pulling off a successful collaborative investigation is no small feat, but the rewards match the challenges. The relationship between team members who come together to resist crises of all sizes is something that could last for a lifetime. With this tried and tested trust and comfort level, you could think about follow-up investigations or launch new ones. The follow up work also helps in building the impact over time, so save all your notes and transcriptions safely and carefully. An efficient team with a successful investigation behind them is also more likely to get funded in future. It might seem easy and uncomplicated to work alone. But in today's fast polarising society collaborative investigations cultivate connections, make us empathise with the problems of different regions and groups of people, and propel us to look for similarities in each other rather than differences. Out of our shared problems we find common solutions. <hr class="thick"> Acknowledgements: This guide would not have been be possible without meetings, collaborations, support and feedback from many peers in the field of research and investigation. Many people have contributed their experience, knowledge and kindness. Thank you to: Manuel Beltran, Xavier Coadic, Wael Eskandar, Felix Farachala Valle, Coco Gubbels, Alison Killing, Tyler McBrien, Beatriz Quesadas, Laura Ranca, Nuria Teson, Marek Tuszynski. <hr class="thick"> Published on 15 June 2021 ## Resources Note: many of the resources below address journalists but most tips and advice can be equally relevant to investigators who are not journalists. ### Tips on how to collaborate - _[10 best tips for collaborations between journalists and coders](https://hackastory.com/10-best-tips-for-collaboration-between-journalists-and-coders/)_. by Albertine Piels / Hackastory. - _[10 tips for successful collaboration among journalists](https://gijn.org/2018/01/15/10-tips-for-successful-collaboration-among-journalists/)_. By Guilherme Amado, Xin Feng, Titus Plattner & Mago Torres / GIJN, 15 January 2018. - _[Citizen investigations Guide](https://gijn.org/citizen-investigation-guide-overview/)_. By GIJN. - _[Collaborative journalism workbook](https://www.projectfacet.org/collaborative-journalism-workbook/)_. A workbook for planning and managing the details and logistics of editorial collaboration. By Project Facet. - _[Collaborative data journalism guide](https://propublica.gitbook.io/collaborative/)_. By Rachel Glickhouse / Propublica. - _[Collaborative journalism videos)](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=collaborative+journalism)_. Various tips, interviews, tutorials. - _[Collaboration: preparing for potential challenges](https://ijnet.org/en/resource/collaboration-preparing-potential-challenges)_. By Sarah Gustavus / IJNET 9 January 2019. - _[How to create a data journalism team](https://gijn.org/2017/07/11/how-to-create-a-data-journalism-team/)_. By Fabiola Torres López / GIJN, 11 July 2017. - _[Journalists offer tips for collaborating on data journalism projects](https://ijnet.org/en/story/journalists-offer-tips-collaborating-data-journalism-projects)_. by Korey Matthews / International Journalists Network (IJNET), 13 February 2019. - _[Poynter articles and news on 'Collaborative journalism'](https://www.poynter.org/tag/collaborative-journalism/)_. - _[The power of journalism collaboration is also the power of inclusion - here's how to harness it](https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/05/the-power-of-journalism-collaboration-is-also-the-power-of-inclusion-heres-how-to-harness-it/)_. Christine Schmidt / NiemanLab, 20 May 2019. - _[The collaborative journalism checklist](https://ijnet.org/en/resource/collaborative-journalism-checklist)_. by IJNET, 9 January 2019. ### Collaborating across borders - _[Cross-border collaborative journalism: A step-by-step guide.](https://www.routledge.com/Cross-Border-Collaborative-Journalism-A-Step-By-Step-Guide-1st-Edition/Alfter/p/book/9781138613638)_. A book by Briggite Alfter, 2019. For more publications about cross-border collaboration by veteran journalist Briggite Alfter, visit her [website](http://www.alfter.dk/). - _[Cross-border collaborative journalism – reading material(https://journalismarena.eu/cross-border-collaborative-journalism-reading-material/). Recommendations from Arena For Journalism in Europe. - _[Cross-border journalism: An exercise in international team-working](https://en.ejo.ch/specialist-journalism/cross-border-journalism-an-exercise-in-international-team-working)_. - _[Cross-border data journalism - webinar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz5Ddxr8aWU&t=87s)_. by International Center for Journalists (ICFJ). - _[How do I run a journalistic collaboration across borders?](https://blog.hostwriter.org/how-do-i-run-a-journalistic-collaboration-across-borders/)_. by Hostwriter. - _[How editors and journalists can use Hostwriter's new tool to collaborate](https://blog.hostwriter.org/how-editors-and-journalists-can-use-our-new-tool-to-collaborate-during-the-pandemic/)_. By Hostwriter. - _[Tipsheet: How to build a team for a cross-border project](https://blog.hostwriter.org/tipsheet-how-to-build-a-team-for-a-cross-border-project/)_. By Piotr Drabik / Hostwriter. - _[Tips for journalists interested in cross-border collaborations](https://ijnet.org/en/story/tips-journalists-interested-cross-border-collaborations)_. By Patrik Egwu / IJNET, 11 February 2021. - _[Tips for leading cross-border journalism teams](https://ijnet.org/en/resource/tips-leading-cross-border-journalism-teams)_. By Taylor Mulcahey / IJNET, 9 January 2019. - _[Unfamiliar ground: A few tips on international reporting](https://journalists.org/2012/03/22/a-few-tips-on-international-reporting/)_. By Lam Thuy Vo, 22 March 2012. - _[Why Hostwriter is launching a cross-border newsroom in 2021](https://medium.com/hostwriter/why-hostwriter-is-launching-a-cross-border-newsroom-in-2021-e091c7acec05)_. By Tabea Grzeszyk / Hostwriter. ### Local collaborations - _[A model collaboration that's working to rebuild local news in Colorado](https://gijn.org/2019/07/30/a-model-collaboration-thats-working-to-rebuild-local-news-in-colorado/)_. By Christine Schmidt/ GIJN, 30 July 2019. - _[Case studies in collaborative local journalism](http://www.digitalnewsreport.org/publications/2019/case-studies-collaborative-local-journalism/)_. By Joy Jenkins, Lucas Graves, 2019. - _[Collaborating with small, local media](https://ijnet.org/en/resource/collaborating-small-local-media)_. By Heath Haussamen / IJNET, 9 January 2019. - _[Canadian publication, The Discourse, collaborates with their community: Case study](https://ijnet.org/en/resource/canadian-publication-discourse-collaborates-their-community)_. By Jacky Habib / IJNET, 9 January 2019. - _[In Las Cruces, Mexico, local newsrooms collaborate on large-scale investigation](https://ijnet.org/en/resource/las-cruces-new-mexico-local-newsrooms-collaborate-large-scale-investigation)_. IJNET. ### Newsroom collaborations - _[12 tools to make your newsroom more collaborative](https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/12-tools-to-make-your-newsroom-more-collaborative/s2/a557349/)_. By Daniel Palumbo, 11 July 2014. - _[25 ways community members can support your newsroom](https://gijn.org/2019/02/18/25-ways-community-members-can-support-your-newsroom/)_. By Emily Goligoski and Stephanie Ho / GIJN, 18 February 2019. - _[Brazil: Anti-disinformation campaign launched at Abraji conference](https://gijn.org/2018/07/06/collaborative-disinformation-campaign-for-brazil-launched-at-abraji-conference/)_. By Repórter do Futuro / GIJN, 6 July 2018. - _[Collaboration and the creation of a new journalism commons](https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/D87D4B74)_. By Carlos Martínez de la Serna, 2018. - _[How they did it: News collaboration exposes how special interests use 'model' litigation](https://journalistsresource.org/tip-sheets/reporting/news-collaboration-model-legislation/)_. By Denise-Marie Ordway, 10 March 2020. - _[Partnerships and collaborations can help expand your reporting and reach](https://gijn.org/2019/04/15/partnerships-and-collaborations-can-help-expand-your-reporting-and-reach/)_. By Caroline Porter / GIJN. 15 April 2019. ### Other types of collaborations - _[A new collaboration sets a higher bar for working with whistleblowers](https://gijn.org/2018/08/06/a-new-collaboration-sets-a-higher-bar-for-working-with-whistleblowers/)_. By Rowan Philp, 6 August 2018. - _[How Forensic Architecture supports journalists with complex investigative techniques](https://gijn.org/2020/06/29/how-forensic-architecture-is-supporting-journalists-and-civil-society-with-complex-investigative-techniques/)_. By Olivier Holmey, 29 June 2020. - _[New models: How academics, nonprofit news and government are collaborating](https://gijn.org/2018/11/13/hidden-costs/)_. By Peter W. Klein, 13 November 2018. - _[The case for a collaborative project coordinator](https://ijnet.org/en/resource/case-collaborative-project-coordinator)_. By Sarah Gustavus, 9 January 2019. - _[Working together 101: How academics and journalists can collaborate](https://source.opennews.org/articles/working-together-101-how-academics-and-journalists/)_. By Laura Laderman and Sinduja Rangarajan. ### Case studies - _[After Mexican journalist's murder, colleagues come together to investigate](https://gijn.org/2019/09/17/after-mexican-journalists-murder-colleagues-come-together-to-investigate/)_. By Carolina de Assis / GIJN, 17 September 2019. - _[Brazil's Agência Pública: Where journalists innovate and collaborate](https://gijn.org/2018/04/09/brazils-agencia-publica-journalists-innovate-collaborate/)_. By Carolina de Assis, 9 April 2018 - _[Cities for Rent - Investigating Corporate Landlords Across Europe](https://cities4rent.journalismarena.media/)_, cross-border collaborative investigation coordinated by [ARENA for Journalism in Europe](https://journalismarena.eu/), launched in May 2021. - _[Collaborating Across Borders During COVID-19](https://blog.hostwriter.org/collaborating-across-borders-during-covid-19/)_. Hostwriter. - _[Indian journalists challenge government over coronavirus transparency](https://gijn.org/2020/05/06/indian-journalists-challenge-government-over-coronavirus-transparency/)_. By Sukhada Tatke / GIJN, 6 May 2020. - _[How an innovative health website in South Africa is covering Covid-19](https://gijn.org/2020/05/13/how-an-innovative-health-website-in-south-africa-is-covering-covid-19/)_. By Eduardo Suárez / GIJN, 134 May 2020. - _[How Latin American Media outlets are collaborating on Covid-19 investigations](https://gijn.org/2020/05/04/how-latin-american-media-outlets-are-collaborating-on-covid-19-investigations/)_. By Marina Estarque / GIJN, 4 May 2020. - _[How Lava Jato brought together Latin America's investigative journalists](https://gijn.org/2019/08/14/how-lava-jato-brought-together-latin-americas-investigative-journalists/)_. By Catalina Lobo-Guerrero / GIJN, 14 August 2019. - _[How they did it: The Azerbaijani laundromat](https://gijn.org/2017/11/08/how-they-did-it-the-azerbaijani-laundromat/)_. By Stella Roque/OCCRP, GIJN 8 November 2017. - _[How they did it: Enslaved land investigation](https://gijn.org/2017/08/22/how-they-did-it-enslaved-land-investigation/)_. By Ana Prieto / GIJN, 22 August 2017. - _[How 90 outlets are working together to fight misinformation ahead of Mexico's elections](https://gijn.org/2018/06/13/how-90-outlets-are-working-together-to-fight-misinformation-ahead-of-mexicos-elections/)_. By Joseph Lichterman / GIJN, 13 June 2018. - _[How they did it: ProPublica's engagement journalism](https://gijn.org/2017/10/25/how-they-did-it-propublicas-engagement-journalism/)_. By Eunice Au / GIJN, 25 October 2017. - _[Investigative journalism in the V4: How Polish, Hungarian, Slovak and Czech Reporters work together](https://visegradinsight.eu/investigative-journalism-in-the-v4/)_. By Lorenzo Berardi, 24 April 2019. - _[It's about people, not only algorithms](https://medium.com/jsk-class-of-2018/its-about-people-not-only-algorithms-7eee6cae54bb)_. By Guilherme Amado, 11 June 2018. - _[Operation car wash: An 11-country project on cross-border corruption](https://gijn.org/2017/06/20/operation-car-wash-an-11-country-project-on-cross-border-corruption/)_. By César López Linares, 20 June 2017. ### Analysis - _[Comparing models of collaborative journalism - .pdf document](https://collaborativejournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2017/09/Models-for-Collaborative-Journalism-research-paper.pdf)_. By Sarah Stonbely, 2017. - _[Global teamwork: The rise of collaboration in investigative journalism](https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2018-03/sambrook_e-ISBN_1802.pdf)_. Edited by Richard Sambrook, published by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford. - _[What investigative journalism will look like in 2020](https://gijn.org/2020/01/15/what-investigative-journalism-will-look-like-in-2020/)_. By By Eunice Au / Global Investigative Journalism Network, 15 January 2020. ### Organisations supporting collaborative investigations - _[Journalismfund.eu](https://www.journalismfund.eu/)_ - _[Hostwriter](https://hostwriter.org/)_ - _[ARENA for Journalism in Europe](https://journalismarena.eu/)_

None String updated in the repository The Kit kit-json Italian	English # The Kit The Kit is a collaborative, self-learning resource that … Italian 0 characters edited Current translation Needs editing # Il Kit Il Kit è una risorsa collaborativa di autoformazione che… 5 months ago
None Source string changed The Kit kit-json Italian	English 9 characters edited Needs editing # The Kit The ~~ETI~~ Kit is a collaborative, self-learning resource that … 5 months ago
None String updated in the repository The Kit kit-json Italian	English # The Kit The ETI Kit is a collaborative, self-learning resource … Italian 0 characters edited Current translation Needs editing # Il Kit Il Kit è una risorsa collaborativa di autoformazione che… 5 months ago
None Source string changed The Kit kit-json Italian	English 10 characters edited Needs editing # The Kit The ETI Kit is a collaborative, self-learning resource ~~that~~ … 5 months ago
jacopo Translation added The Kit kit-json Italian	English # The Kit The Kit is a collaborative, self-learning resource that … Italian 67 characters edited Current translation Translated # Il Kit Il Kit è una risorsa collaborativa di autoformazione che… a year ago
None String added in the repository The Kit kit-json Italian	English # The Kit The Kit is a collaborative, self-learning resource that … Italian 0 characters edited Empty a year ago

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