Admiralty code for the verification of information

Management Summary

The Admiralty Code is a proven system for evaluating information sources that was originally developed for military intelligence and is now used in areas such as journalism, science and cyber security. It consists of two dimensions: the credibility of the source (A-F) and the reliability of the information (1-6). Despite its advantages, the code has some challenges, including subjectivity and limited adaptation to modern digital media. Further development could be achieved through AI-supported verification systems. | Reading time: approx. 12 minutes | Authors: Carsten Reffgen & Niclas Felber

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Introduction

In a world where information is disseminated in a matter of seconds, the verification of sources and data is more important than ever. False reports, disinformation and unverified claims make it difficult to make informed decisions - whether in politics, journalism, science or cyber security. A proven model for assessing the credibility of information is the Admiralty Codewhich was originally developed in military intelligence. Today, it is used in various areas to systematically classify information and assess its reliability (NATO Intelligence Doctrine, 2020).

Historical background of the Admiralty Code

The Admiralty Code was developed by the British Admiralty during the Second World War to evaluate intelligence information in a standardized manner. The aim was to avoid misjudgements and improve decision-making. This system was later adopted by NATO and integrated into various intelligence structures. Today, it is not only used in the military sector, but also in journalism, scientific research and open source intelligence (OSINT) (OSINT Framework, 2021).

Structure and methodology of the Admiralty Code

The Admiralty Code is based on two central criteria: the evaluation of the source and the evaluation of the information itself.

Areas of application and practical use

Intelligence services and intelligence analysis

In intelligence analyses, the Admiralty Code used to quickly and effectively assess the quality of information. An example: A source from an established news service with a A1-rating provides information confirmed by independent sources. An anonymous online source with a C4-rating, on the other hand, is less trustworthy (ITU Cybersecurity Guide, 2021).

Journalism and media competence

The Admiralty Code can also serve as a tool for evaluating sources in journalism. Journalists and fact-checkers can use it to systematically classify news reports and counteract fake news. Established media companies with good journalistic practice could thus A2-rating, while an unknown blog with speculative content is more likely to be rated as D5 would have to be classified (Kovach & Rosenstiel, 2014).

Scientific research and academic citations

In science, too, the Admiralty Code help to assess the quality of sources. For example, a peer-reviewed study in a renowned specialist journal could be used as a A1 be categorized, while an unverified online publication is more likely to be C3 would be. This could contribute to strengthening scientific integrity (Kovach & Rosenstiel, 2014).

Cybersecurity and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)

In cyber security, threat information is often collected from a variety of sources. This is where the Admiralty Code help to distinguish between reliable threat warnings and unfounded panic reports. For example, a report from an established security company could be considered A2 be classified, while an unverified social media rumor can be classified as a C5-rating (OSINT Framework, 2021).

Comparison with other verification models

There are several alternative methods for verifying information:

• CRAAP test (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose) - A method for evaluating sources in the academic field.
• SIFT method (Stop, Investigate, Find better coverage, Trace claims) - Often used in journalism to debunk fake news.
• Bayesian analysis - A mathematical approach to evaluating the probability of information.

During the Admiralty Code enables a quick, standardized assessment, other methods offer a more detailed analysis, especially when more context is required (NATO Intelligence Doctrine, 2020).

Challenges and criticism

Although the Admiralty Code is a proven system, there are some challenges:

• SubjectivityThe classification of sources and information may vary depending on the analyst.
• Static scaleThe system leaves little room for finer gradations.
• Need for adaptation for digital mediaToday's information landscape with social media and AI-generated content may require extensions to the model.

Conclusion and future prospects

The Admiralty Code has proven to be a useful tool for verifying information. Whether in intelligence analysis, journalism or cyber security, the system helps to systematically evaluate information sources and make informed decisions. Nevertheless, further development is necessary in order to meet the challenges of the modern information society. One possible future perspective could be the integration of AI-supported analyses that combine the code with big data technologies (ITU Cybersecurity Guide, 2021).

Sources

The following sources were used in the preparation of this article:    

• NATO Intelligence Doctrine (2020). Accessed at: https://jadl.act.nato.int/ILIAS/data/testclient/lm_data/lm_152845/Linear/JISR04222102/sharedFiles/AJP27.pdf
• Kovach, B. & Rosenstiel, T. "The Elements of Journalism" (2014)
• OSINT Framework (2021). Accessed at: https://osintframework.com/
• ITU Cybersecurity Guide (2021). Accessed at: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Cybersecurity/Documents/GCIv5/2401416_1b_Global-Cybersecurity-Index-E.pdf