How to Follow Bellingcat’s Latest Investigations and Connect With Its Community

Updated

You can follow Bellingcat’s newest work through the Latest Investigations section on bellingcat.com, and connect with its community through the social platforms listed on the site, including Discord, YouTube, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Mastodon, Facebook, and Telegram. The site also links to its videos and podcasts, and its membership program offers advanced access to training announcements and podcasts. These options are described on the homepage; specific access terms for each channel are not detailed there.

Follow new investigations

The homepage’s Latest Investigations section is the most direct way to see recent published work. It lists investigations with topic tags and short descriptions, and a See all investigations link leads to the full collection.

Recent examples shown on the homepage include:

  • An investigation into viral Google Maps images of Gaza ruins, using more recent satellite imagery.
  • A report on civilian harm in Mali’s drone campaign.
  • A public-records investigation into a Chinatown cold case.
  • Tracking a sanctioned Russian vessel’s West African route.
  • Satellite imagery documenting new Border Patrol road construction in Big Bend National Park.
  • A report on Kinahan cartel visas in Dubai.

These entries show the range of topics and methods Bellingcat covers, from satellite analysis to public records and geolocation.

Use the guides to learn the methods

If you want to go beyond reading investigations, the Latest Guides section offers practical, method-focused material. Homepage examples include:

  • Tools for tracking and reporting wildfire damage.
  • How to use AI to help find civilian harm.
  • Mining China’s “Little Red Book” for open-source information.

A See all guides link leads to the full set. These guides are the place to start if your goal is to learn techniques rather than only follow stories.

Watch and listen

Bellingcat links to video and podcast offerings from the homepage:

  • Watch points to its YouTube channel and a See all YouTube link.
  • Listen points to its podcast offerings.

The site also features Open Source in Short, described as bite-sized investigations and quick insights into techniques used by Bellingcat’s researchers. Recent examples include satellite imagery of Border Patrol road construction, World Cup prediction-market betting, an “Active Club” exposed by an orange wall, and a deepfake video in the India-Pakistan conflict.

Connect with the community

The homepage lists these community platforms: Discord, YouTube, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Mastodon, Facebook, and Telegram. The site presents them as ways to stay updated with its various social media outputs. Which platform suits you depends on how you prefer to follow updates: Discord for community-style participation, YouTube for video, and the others for shorter updates and links.

Consider membership

The site invites readers to Join our Membership Program, which it says provides advanced access to the latest Bellingcat training announcements and podcasts. The homepage does not state pricing or login requirements, so check the membership page for current terms before joining.

A practical starting routine

  1. Open bellingcat.com and scan Latest Investigations for new work.
  2. Use See all investigations when you want the full archive rather than the homepage selection.
  3. Visit Latest Guides when you want to learn a technique.
  4. Pick one or two community platforms from the listed channels to follow updates.
  5. Check the membership page if training announcements and podcast access matter to you.