Verification and Evidence
Content reviewed · Universal OSINT · Read as Markdown
Verification asks whether information is what it claims to be and whether it supports your conclusion. A credible publisher is a starting point, not a substitute for checking.
Four checks before you share
- Origin. Find the original publisher, author, document identifier, or dataset. A screenshot alone may omit its source and context.
- Context. Distinguish publication date from the period described. Read definitions, surrounding passages, corrections, and version notes.
- Corroboration. Look for independent evidence. Follow citations: several reports may all rely on the same observation.
- Claim fit. Ask what the evidence actually establishes. A real document can be quoted accurately but used to support an unrelated conclusion.
A small example
Two articles say a development indicator improved. Both cite the same institutional release. Find that release and its metadata before comparing years. You have confirmed where the claim came from, not independently confirmed its accuracy or explained its cause.
Use honest labels: "The source reports..." for an observation; "This suggests..." for an interpretation; "We could not establish..." for an unresolved question. Explain why, rather than attaching an unexplained confidence score.
Leave a short evidence trail
Record the question, original URL, publisher, version, reference period, retrieval date, checks, and limitations. Preserve only necessary material within applicable rights. If evidence conflicts or a claim cannot be checked, say so; AI summaries are not independent corroboration.
Read further
OHCHR and UC Berkeley's Berkeley Protocol provides specialist methodology and safeguards. UN SDG metadata shows why definitions matter when checking statistical claims.