The admissibility of USA Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) data in Irish courts depends on its ability to meet Irish evidentiary standards regarding relevance, authenticity, and legal compliance, particularly concerning data privacy and chain of custody. Key Considerations for Admissibility Admissibility Standards: In common law jurisdictions like Ireland, digital evidence must be authenticated, typically requiring proof that the OSINT data (e.g., social media posts, video

The central issue before the Court in this application is how the surveillance evidence has been obtained, processed and disclosed and whether there are such significant flaws in the processes adopted by the Defendant’s agents that the Court should refuse permission for the Defendant to rely on such evidence. The law relating to surveillance evidence and the exclusion of such evidence- 9 I am told by counsel that they have not been able to identify any authorities that spec

The situation in Irish law is complex, and is governed by at least three separate provisions – the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications (Regulation) Act 1993, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and an individual’s constitutional right to privacy, plus their rights under European Convention on Human Rights. Is it illegal to record a phone call? Not necessarily. Under Irish law, it is not illegal for a person to record a call if he/she is party

In most jurisdictions, private Instagram posts are admissible as evidence provided they meet standard legal criteria for relevance and authenticity. The fact that a post is "private" (visible only to followers) generally does not create an absolute privilege against its use in court. Key Requirements for Admissibility For a private post to be admitted into evidence, the following must typically be established. Relevance: The content must directly relate to a fact in dispute,

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Irish courts accept such evidence where it is gathered lawfully, proportionately, and in response to genuine concerns - such as suspected exaggeration or dishonesty. However, any intrusion into a claimant's privacy must be justified, and covert surveillance without cause is likely to backfire. “The Role of Private Investigators in Personal Injury Litigation: A Vital Tool for Insurance Defence” A Blog by Damian McGeady (Partner) - Lacey Solicitors Link:

The skyline of the Hague The Hague Conventions, a series of treaties and declarations, have been instrumental in creating a systematic framework to govern legal interactions between nations. The term “Hague Convention” refers to international treaties that were negotiated and agreed upon at international conferences held in The Hague, Netherlands. The conventions cover a broad range of international legal issues, including civil procedure, family law, private international

The “law” in Ireland is a somewhat confusing mix of Constitutional, general Privacy, GDPR/data protection and Human Rights provisions. Different provisions are relevant dependent on whether it relates to an individual, State Agency/Gardai or Media/Press personnel. The law covering the use of photographs is particularly complex, with intellectual property rights coming into conflict with the rights to freedom of expression, privacy and data protection. It is important to under

Yes, car registration plates, also known as vehicle registration marks (VRMs), are considered personal data under the GDPR if they can be used to identify an individual. The GDPR defines personal data as any information that can be used to identify a living person, either directly or indirectly. Here are some examples of when a car registration plate can be considered personal data: Combined with other information If a VRM is combined with other information, such as the

Murchison Falls NP, Uganda The disclosure of personal data from Ireland to Uganda is subject to the Data Protection and Privacy Act of 2019 and the Data Protection and Privacy Regulations of 2021 in Uganda, as well as the European Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): On March 1st, 2019, the Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019 ('the Act') came into force in Uganda. The Act applies to various categories of persons who may be involved in the flow of data information, includin

Insurers in Ireland can disclose a person’s date of birth to an investigator for legitimate purposes, such as investigating suspected fraud, provided they comply with Data Protection Acts 1988-2018 and GDPR. This is generally allowed when necessary to process a claim, prevent fraud, or comply with legal obligations. However, this disclosure must be proportionate and, where a private investigator is acting on behalf of an insurer, a contract must be in place restricting the in

The proliferation of open-source data (OSD) – found across social media posts, self-published blogs, and other open-source repositories – is materially transforming the world of investigations. However, obtaining meaningful insights from the increasingly large volumes of publicly available data is the biggest challenge facing effective investigations today. What is OSINT? OSINT is a military intelligence term, continues to be a normal technique in counter-terrorism, counter

As stated previously “open source” refers to data that is readily available for public consumption. Rather than coming from a single location, OSD can be taken from a range of sources for use in OSINT investigations. It is not enough, however, to simply think of using OSINT. It must be done with intelligence and care. The internet is a highly valuable data source, but reliance on manual investigation methods risks overwhelming analysts and investigators with irrelevant or low

OSINT has been widely utilised across government and military applications since as early as the Second World War, supporting investigations into global issues, including counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation. As many former government investigators enter the private sector, OSINT’s popularity in industries such as financial services has steadily increased. Many organisations now consider OSINT a key part of investigative best practice, thanks to the range of benefits

Data ethics are an obvious concern. Beyond the clear moral imperative to investigate ethically, GDPR requires organisations to focus on data storage compliance. However, there are wider ethical considerations when it comes to data collection. It is essential that organisations instil ethics and data privacy within intelligence processes from the start. As OSINT is generated from publicly available information, it could be said to be more ethical than intelligence gathered f