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This thesis explores the evolution of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), a method of intelligence gathering that is becoming increasingly relevant in the digital age. The thesis explores the historical evolution of OSINT, from its humble beginnings as a tool used to monitor foreign propaganda and for military purposes, to its current role as a key tool in many fields such as cybersecurity, marketing, business, social sciences, law, and sports. The thesis will explain that it is not only new technologies such as radio, television and the Internet that have contributed to the development of OSINT, but also security challenges such as World War II and the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York in 2001. The paper will also show what challenges OSINT has faced since its inception and how these challenges have changed. Furthermore, the thesis will show, through several case studies, how OSINT has worked in different periods. In the conclusion of the thesis, I will evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of OSINT and explain in which direction OSINT will continue to develop in the light of the ever-increasing volume of publicly available data