> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://tools.osintnewsletter.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://tools.osintnewsletter.com/osint-tools/littlesis.md). # LittleSis | **LittleSis** | **Quick Overview** | | ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | URL | | | What it does | Maps power, reveals connections and tracks influence. | | How to use it | Search a person or organisation, explore relationship maps, review profiles, follow linked entities, and verify connections with cited sources. | | Cost | Free. | | Account required | No. | | Cookies | First-party analytics and consent cookies, most likely generated by Matomo Analytics. | | Ownership | Public Accountability Initiative (PAI), a US non-profit research organisation. | | Use in Reporting | Excellent for identifying networks of influence, corroborating corporate and political relationships, and generating investigative leads. | ### What does LittleSis do? LittleSis is an open-source database that documents relationships between influential individuals, corporations, politicians, lobbyists, government officials, think tanks, universities, foundations and other institutions, predominantly in the U.S. Rather than acting as a traditional people search engine, it visualises how powerful entities are connected through employment, board memberships, donations, lobbying, ownership, family relationships and other affiliations. The platform combines publicly available information with researcher contributions and cites its sources wherever possible. **The lowdown:** It’s particularly valuable during the early stages of investigations when mapping networks and identifying potential avenues for further research. ### How to Use: **1. Search for a person, company or organisation by name.** **Explore their profile to identify employers, board memberships, political donations, family links, lobbying relationships and associated organisations.** **2. Use the relationship maps and interconnected profiles to expand your investigation, identify recurring names and discover previously unknown links between people and institutions.** **3. Follow the cited sources for every relationship and corroborate findings using official records such as company registers, lobbying disclosures, court records or government filings before relying on them in reporting.**
### Cost * [x] Free * [ ] Partially Free * [ ] Paid ## Data Processing ### Account Required: * [ ] Yes * [x] No Account only needed for contributing/editing data. ### Cookies: The site uses Matomo first-party analytics cookies (pk) to collect anonymous visitor statistics and Matomo consent cookies (mtm\_) to store cookie preferences. ### Use in Reporting LittleSis is particularly useful during background research and network analysis. It can quickly identify relationships that may not be obvious through conventional searching, helping develop hypotheses, identify conflicts of interest and uncover influence networks. Examples of its use in reporting include: * Investigating board interlocks between corporations, charities and universities. * Identifying political donations and lobbying relationships surrounding legislation. * Mapping connections between government officials and private industry during procurement investigations. * Researching corporate ownership and executive networks linked to sanctions, corruption or financial crime. * Finding common directors or advisors across multiple organisations during company investigations. * Supporting investigations into elite influence networks, where LittleSis has been referenced by investigative journalists and OSINT practitioners, including guidance published by Bellingcat.
CapabilitiesLimitations
Maps relationships between influential people, companies, and organisations.Coverage is strongest for US political and corporate figures.
Visualises complex networks through interactive relationship graphs.Information depends on publicly available records and contributor updates so profiles may be incomplete/outdated.
Tracks board memberships, employment history, lobbying, and political connections.Doesn’t replace official company registers, court registers, or government databases.
Aggregates publicly sourced data into searchable profiles with referenced sources.Relationship strength and context require careful interpretation (connections do not necessarily imply wrongdoing.)
Helps identify hidden links, recurring names, and potential conflicts of interest.Some entities have significantly richer profiles than others depending on available data and contributor activity.
### Summary LittleSis is best used during the discovery, background research and network-mapping stages of the OSINT workflow. It’s ideal for identifying influential relationships, generating investigative leads and revealing organisational structures that may warrant further examination. ### Ownership LittleSis is operated by the [Public Accountability Initiative (PAI)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Accountability_Initiative), an independent, non-profit research organisation based in the United States that investigates corporate and political power structures. ### Ethical Considerations * Treat LittleSis as a secondary research resource rather than definitive evidence. * Verify all significant findings against primary documentation before publication. * Avoid inferring misconduct solely from documented relationships or associations. * Be mindful that network maps illustrate connections, not proof of influence or wrongdoing. * Ensure reporting provides appropriate context and accurately represents the nature of each relationship. ### Related Tools: * [OpenCorporates](/osint-tools/opencorporates.md) * OpenSanctions * [Companies House](/osint-tools/companies-house.md) * OpenSecrets * FollowTheMoney #### Sources