1. Primary and official sources
Platform profiles, issuing organizations, government records and first-party business materials can directly establish specific facts within their scope.
2. Independent corroboration
Multiple independent sources that agree can strengthen a fact pattern.
3. Reporter observations
Firsthand observations are useful but should be labeled and corroborated when possible.
4. Search snippets and aggregators
These can reveal leads but may be stale, incomplete or copied from elsewhere.
5. Anonymous claims
Unverifiable allegations should not be converted into factual findings merely because they are repeated.
VerifySweep standard: Evidence should support the exact statement being made. A suspicious indicator is a reason to investigate, not a verdict.