True Observer Media Ltd.
Registered in England & Wales
71–75, Shelton Street
Covent Garden
London
WC2H 9JQ
Tel: +44 (0)2034687991
Questions we get about True Observer
We’re an OSINT-first media intelligence agency. Because there’s little like us in the market, here’s a clear, no-jargon FAQ explaining what we do, how we work, and what clients can expect.
What exactly is OSINT and how do you use it?
OSINT means Open-Source Intelligence—facts gathered legally from public sources (platforms, websites, registries, forums, archives, WHOIS, court records, etc.). We combine automated collection with analyst review to document claims, timelines, and actors, preserving evidence for takedowns, corrections, or legal escalation.
Are you a law firm?
No. We’re a media/brand intelligence and enforcement partner. We prepare evidence, right-of-reply, and takedown letters and coordinate with your counsel when a matter needs litigation. Many clients use us to reduce legal spend by resolving issues extra-judicially first.
What problems do you solve?
False or misleading content, harassment/doxxing, misuse of brand assets, privacy/data leaks, and coordinated smear campaigns. Our outputs include rectification requests, platform notices (YouTube/Meta/X), evidence bundles, and stakeholder pressure campaigns when appropriate.
How do your monitoring plans differ?
Plans vary by sources tracked (number of creators/sites), languages covered (EN/ES/DE), alert SLAs (weekly digest → 6h), and reporting cadence (monthly → weekly) plus add-ons like legal review or brand-asset detection. See the comparison table above.
Where do you operate and which laws matter?
We act primarily under UK/EU frameworks (defamation, privacy, data, e-commerce & platform T&Cs). For Spain and Germany we align with national press/data laws and YouTube policies. Jurisdiction is chosen based on where harm occurs and which platform publishes.
Is the data you collect lawful and GDPR-compliant?
Yes. We process publicly available data under legitimate interest, apply data minimisation, keep an ROPA, and store evidence in the UK/EU with access controls and retention schedules. Client data processing is governed by our DPA.
What evidence do I receive?
Time-stamped captures, URLs, hashes, transcripts, actor maps, and a case narrative linking claims to policy or legal breaches. Each bundle is built to be actionable: a platform notice, a rectification request, or a litigation brief.
How quickly can you act?
Depending on plan: weekly digest for Base, <24h for Standard, <12h for Pro, and <6h for Enterprise. Escalations to platforms or publishers typically go out same day once evidence is verified.
Do you work with volunteers?
Yes. True Observer runs a structured Volunteers Programme, where individuals can contribute as observers under a formal Volunteers Contract. All submissions are reviewed and verified by our analysts before any action is taken. Learn more and apply here: https://trueobservermedia.com/volunteers-programme/
What don’t you do?
We don’t hack, doxx, or operate covertly; we don’t publish client confidentials; and we don’t run political influence ops. Everything is lawful, documented, and auditable.