On this site, “verifiable” has a real meaning.
Not “a guy said it.” Not “it went viral.” Not “it feels true.”
Verifiable means an independent person can check it, using the same source, and reach the same conclusion.
The standard in one sentence
If a claim cannot be verified by a neutral third party using primary records, it does not qualify as evidence here.
It can still be an opinion. It can still be a suspicion. It can still be a story.
But it is not evidence.
What counts as evidence on this site
Evidence is information with a traceable origin that can be checked.
Strong evidence usually looks like one of these:
- Official records such as government documents, certified results, agency reports, published datasets
- Court records such as filings, exhibits, docket entries, transcripts, rulings
- Direct full context media such as full video, full audio, full transcript, with time and source
- Reputable investigative reporting that links to primary documents and issues corrections
- Audits and recount documentation tied to specific jurisdictions and procedures
When in doubt, we prefer the thing that existed first.
The record. Not the commentary about the record.
If you want the workflow in plain English, start with Evidence vs Rumors and Finding Fake News: The FABLE Method.
What does not count as evidence
This is where most misinformation lives.
- Screenshots with no original source link and no provenance
- Edited clips without the full recording and timestamp context
- Anonymous claims that cannot be validated
- “Insider” stories with no documents and no chain of custody
- Memes even when they include charts or quotes
- Motives used as proof, meaning “they would do it” instead of “they did it”
- Volume meaning “a lot of people are saying it”
If you cannot trace it back to something checkable, it is not evidence here.
For the most common trap, read Why Screenshots Aren’t Evidence.
Primary sources vs commentary
A primary source is the original material.
A court filing. A budget line. A certified report. A full transcript. A recorded vote.
Commentary is everything built on top of that material.
Commentary can be smart. Commentary can even be correct.
But commentary is not the source.
On this site, the source comes first.
If you want a clean breakdown, read The Difference Between Records and Commentary.
Chain of custody matters
Chain of custody is a fancy phrase for a simple question.
Where did this come from, and how do we know it was not altered?
For digital material, that means we care about:
- Who captured it
- When it was captured
- Where it was published first
- Whether the full file exists, not just a screenshot of it
- Whether it can be cross checked against other records
If chain of custody is missing, certainty is not justified.
Use The Chain Of Custody Checklist For Everyday People as your quick guide.
Verifiable means reproducible
Here is the test.
If you hand the same evidence to five reasonable people, can they follow the trail and confirm what you are claiming.
If the answer is no, it is not verifiable.
If the answer is “only if they trust this influencer,” it is not verifiable.
Verification is not belief. Verification is a process.
How we handle uncertainty
Sometimes the honest answer is “unknown.”
That is allowed here.
We label uncertainty plainly instead of pretending we have proof we do not have.
Confidence should rise or fall based on evidence, not emotion.
What this means for the $10K Truth Challenge
If you submit evidence for the challenge, you are not submitting a belief.
You are submitting a package that must be checkable by independent reviewers.
That means:
- The claim must be specific and testable
- The evidence must be primary or directly linked to primary
- The chain of custody must be explained
- The material must actually prove the claim, not just suggest it
If the evidence exists, someone will claim the money.
If it cannot meet these standards, it is not evidence. It is a story.
Start here: How to Submit Evidence and the 10K Truth Challenge page.