How can you use geotagging to improve investigative journalism?

1 What is geotagging and how does it work?

Geotagging is the practice of embedding geographical coordinates, such as latitude and longitude, into digital content. This can be done automatically by devices that have GPS or Wi-Fi capabilities, such as smartphones or cameras, or manually by users who add location tags to their online posts. Geotagging allows users to share their location with others, find nearby places or services, or create maps and timelines of their activities. However, it also creates a digital footprint that can be accessed and analyzed by anyone, including journalists.

2 How can geotagging help investigative journalism?

Geotagging can prove to be an invaluable tool for investigative journalists, allowing them to verify the authenticity and accuracy of sources, track the movements and activities of people or groups of interest, expose hidden or restricted locations, and map and visualize complex events. For instance, geotagged data can be used to check if the location of a source matches their claims or if they have been tampered with. It can also be used to find patterns, connections, or anomalies in the data of people or groups of interest. Additionally, satellite imagery, drones, or crowdsourced data can be used to uncover restricted locations such as prisons, military bases, or environmental hazards. Lastly, geotagged content from different sources and platforms can be combined to map and visualize complex events such as protests, conflicts, or disasters.

3 What are some of the tools and techniques for geotagging?

Geotagging comes in many forms, depending on the type and source of the content. For instance, online platforms, such as Google Maps, Google Earth, OpenStreetMap, or Wikimapia, can be used to search for geotagged content or add your own location tags. Software and apps like ExifTool, GeoSetter, or Geotag Photos Pro can be used to edit or extract the metadata of photos or videos with geotags. Web browsers and extensions like Chrome, Firefox, or InVID can be used to inspect the elements of a web page or verify the source and date of an image or video. Additionally, social media and hashtags like Twitter, Instagram, or Flickr can be used to find and filter geotagged content from specific locations or events.

5 How can you practice responsible and effective geotagging?

Practicing responsible and effective geotagging requires following some best practices, such as verifying and cross-checking the geotagged data from multiple sources and platforms, and using other clues, such as landmarks, weather, or language, to corroborate your findings. Additionally, it's important to protect and respect the privacy and security of your sources and subjects, as well as adhere to the ethical and legal standards and guidelines of your profession and your jurisdiction. Moreover, you should always ask for permission or inform them of your intentions before using or sharing their geotagged data, and avoid using or publishing geotagged data that may cause harm or controversy.