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OSINT using search engines and social media

OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) is the practice of gathering information from publicly available sources. It’s used in cybersecurity, investigations, journalism, and even by everyday people who just want to learn more about someone or something online.

Two of the most effective ways to do this are through:

  1. Search engines (like Google or Bing)
  2. Social media platforms (like Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, LinkedIn)

This blog will show you some simple and powerful techniques you can try right away, with practical examples.

1. OSINT with Search Engines

Search engines can reveal a surprising amount of public data if you know how to use advanced search operators.

Example 1: Find mentions of a name on a website

Suppose you want to see if someone named Peter Parker is mentioned on LinkedIn. Use this search:

site:linkedin.com "Peter Parker"

This limits results to only LinkedIn pages with the exact name Peter Parker.

Example 2: Instagram no more shows account activity of your friends :( Try this:

Let’s say your friend goes by the username peterparker_cool_123, and say you’re curious.

Try this search:

intext:"peterparker_cool_123" site:instagram.com

This tells Google to search Instagram for any page where that exact username appears in the text.

If they’ve commented, liked, or been tagged anywhere publicly using that username, it may show up.

Example 3: Look for public documents

You can search for PDF files that may contain personal info. For example, resumes or bios:

"Peter Parker" CV filetype:pdf

Or, if you’re investigating a company:

"Company ABC" financial report filetype:pdf

Example 4: Search by specific keywords on a site

Let’s say you want to find posts about a data breach on Reddit:

site:reddit.com "data breach"

You can even narrow it down further with:

site:reddit.com/r/cybersecurity "data breach"

2. OSINT on Social Media

Social media platforms are full of useful public data—posts, photos, hashtags, connections, events, and more.

Want to know who attended a concert or event in a city? Try hashtags like:

#coldplaychicago #lollapalooza2025

You can also use Google:

site:instagram.com "Lollapalooza 2025"

This will show profiles or posts tagged with the event.

Example 2: Facebook – People and Posts

Facebook still has public posts, even from non-friends. You can search:

"Peter Parker" New York site:facebook.com

Then look through People, Posts, or Photos tabs.

Also, try:

intext:"peterparker_cool_123" site:facebook.com

This might show public posts or comments where our cool ;) Peter Parker is mentioned.

Use Twitter’s built-in advanced search or structure your query like this:

from:peterparker_cool_123 since:2024-01-01 until:2024-12-31

This will find all tweets from the mentioned account in 2024.

You can also search tweets containing a keyword from a location:

"data breach" near:"San Francisco" within:50mi

Note: Some location-based search options may only work with Twitter’s API or advanced tools.

3. Combining Tools for Better Results

You can also combine operators. For example:

site:instagram.com intext:"peterparker_cool_123" "New York"

This could help narrow down users by location and username at once.

Noted? Remember, Stay Ethical

While OSINT uses public information, it’s important to act responsibly:

  • Do not try to hack or bypass privacy settings
  • Do not impersonate others or create fake profiles
  • Only use the data for legal and ethical purposes
  • Do not stalk ;)

Respect people’s privacy, just as you would want your own respected.

Conclusion

OSINT isn’t just for professionals. With a few simple search tricks, you can uncover valuable insights using nothing more than Google and social media.

If you’re looking up an old friend, researching a company, or checking what information is public about yourself, OSINT can help!