Proposal: Investigating Digital Censorship Using OSINT Tools

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Proposal: Investigating Digital Censorship Using OSINT Tools

1. General Objective

The primary goal of my work will be to conduct a comprehensive analysis of website blocking patterns in regions such as Ukraine and Europe, leveraging Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools and additional data collection methods. I plan to focus on identifying and evaluating global trends in digital censorship, as well as determining the correlation between website popularity and the frequency of their blocking.

2. Work Plan

Phase 1: Development of the Research Framework

  • Data Collection: Utilizing OSINT tools such as:
    • SimilarWeb for traffic analysis and website popularity.
    • Google Trends to measure user demand for blocked content.
    • OONI Probe to test website accessibility across different regions.
    • Shodan for network configuration analysis and detecting blockages.
  • Comparative Analysis: Comparing lists of the most visited websites in each country with available blocklist data.

Phase 2: Regional Pattern Analysis

  • Ukraine:
    • Investigating the blocking of social media platforms, news websites, and resources related to political activism.
    • Analyzing the impact of martial law on digital censorship.
  • Europe:
    • Examining the blocking of websites related to copyright infringement, online gambling, and “extremist” content.
    • Comparing policies of different countries regarding the use of geoblocking.

Phase 3: Quantitative Analysis

  • Measuring Demand: Using data on attempts to access blocked websites (e.g., through VPN provider logs).
  • Creating a Ranking: Compiling a list of the most frequently blocked websites in each region.

Phase 4: Final Report Preparation

  • Summarizing key findings, including:
    • Global and regional trends in digital censorship.
    • Correlation between website popularity and blocking frequency.
    • Recommendations for countering digital censorship.

3. Use of OSINT Tools

I plan to utilize the following tools for data collection and analysis:

  • SimilarWeb: To assess website popularity and analyze traffic.
  • OONI Probe: To test website accessibility across different regions.
  • Google Trends: To determine user demand for blocked content.
  • Shodan: For network configuration analysis and detecting blockages at the IP level.
  • Maltego: For visualizing connections between blocked websites and organizations making blocking decisions.

4. Expected Outcomes

  • Ranking of Most Blocked Websites: In table format, showing countries, website categories, and blocking frequency.
  • Global and Regional Trends: Presented as graphs and charts demonstrating the correlation between content popularity and its blocking.
  • Final Report: A detailed analysis of digital censorship in Ukraine and Europe, which can be used for further research and policy recommendations.

5. Budget and Timeline

  • Work Hours: 120 hours.
  • Budget: $20,000 NYM.
  • Budget Allocation:
    • 60% — Researcher compensation.
    • 20% — Costs for accessing paid tools (SimilarWeb, Shodan, etc.).
    • 20% — Administrative costs and preparation of the final report.

6. Why Beyond?

  • Experience in OSINT: I have extensive experience using OSINT tools for data collection and analysis, enabling me to effectively identify patterns of digital censorship.
  • Regional Expertise: My experience working in Ukraine allows me to understand the specifics of digital censorship in the region and its impact on society.
  • Analytical skills: I have the skills to automate data collection and analysis processes.
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