Source Intelligence
Where information came from, and how much confidence it deserves.
Tier 1
Trace Provenance
Post → article → report → dataset or recording → primary source.
Do not confuse a hop on the chain with a new source. Ask who first held the record, and whether later layers still show that origin.
Tier 1
Virality Is Replication
Repetition is not corroboration. Copies of one source are still one source.
Independent support requires independent origin. A screenshot of a screenshot is a copy, not a second witness.
Tier 2
Source Laundering
Hiding or swapping origin so a claim looks independently sourced.
Watch for restatements that drop the first holder, anonymous-to-named swaps, and “according to reports” with no report.