Verified Facts, Reported Claims, and Campaign Positions

In a fast-moving situation, the most valuable habit a supporter can have is to keep three things separate: what is verified, what is merely reported, and what is a campaign's own position. Blurring them is how misinformation spreads and how a campaign loses credibility.

Verified fact

A verified fact is supported by reliable, checkable sources: a primary document, an official record, or consistent reporting by established organisations. It can be traced back to where it came from.

Reported information

Reported information is a claim that has been published but not independently confirmed, or that comes from a single or unverifiable source. It may well be true, but it should be labelled as reported, with its source and date.

Campaign position

A campaign position is an argument or a value the campaign advocates, such as no one should be executed for expression. It is legitimate to hold and share such positions, as long as they are clearly presented as positions and not disguised as facts.

A simple test

Before sharing, ask: can I trace this to a source? Is it fact, allegation, or opinion? Is the date and context intact? Would I stand behind it if it were quoted back to me? If you cannot answer, do not share it yet.

References

• Widely used media-literacy and fact-checking frameworks.
• Responsible-reporting guidance from human-rights and journalism bodies.