Change Detection

Change Detection is a web page monitoring service that tracks changes to specified web pages and notifies users when content is added, removed, or modified. For OSINT investigators conducting ongoing surveillance of specific targets, journalists tracking developing stories, and security analysts monitoring suspicious websites, Change Detection automates the labor-intensive process of repeatedly checking web pages for updates.

The service works by periodically fetching a web page and comparing the current version against the previously stored version. When differences are detected, the user receives an alert — typically by email — with a diff showing exactly what changed. This allows investigators to maintain awareness of a subject's web presence without manual checking, and to receive immediate notification when monitored content changes.

For OSINT applications, Change Detection is useful for monitoring: corporate websites for changes to team pages (indicating hiring, departures, or restructuring), social media profiles for bio changes or new posts on less-active accounts, suspect websites for content modification, court dockets for new filings, government registry pages for company status changes, and forum threads for new replies. Any publicly accessible URL can be monitored.

The visual diff feature shows precisely which words, sentences, or sections changed between versions — critical for investigators who need to document not just that a change occurred but exactly what was altered and when. This creates a defensible timeline of content changes relevant to investigations.

Frequency of checks ranges from minutes to days depending on service tier. Higher-value monitoring targets warrant more frequent checks, while low-activity pages can be checked less often to conserve quota.

For critical monitoring during active investigations, pair Change Detection with Wayback Machine automated capture and local archiving to maintain a complete historical record of page versions. Document the monitored URL, start date, and all detected changes in investigation files.