An Available Page Is Not Necessarily Current Evidence

Publication dates, retrieval dates, evidence checks, and search snippets can refer to different moments. A new wrapper does not turn an old claim into current information.

Editorial guidance · About 1 min · Text updated 19 Sept 2026 · How information is compiled

Ask what the date describes

‘Visited today’ only records an access. A copyright year in the footer does not establish when the body changed. An evidence-check date needs a record of checking the particular content; missing dates should stay missing.

Trace repeated claims to their source

Near-identical wording, images, or numbers may come from one source. A newer repost date is not newer evidence for the claim. If the original cannot be found, identify where the source trail ends.

A dead link creates a question, not a conclusion

Suppose last year’s exhibition announcement returns a 404 while search results retain its old snippet. That proves neither a new edition nor a cancellation. A move, outage, or withdrawal can all make a page inaccessible; the cause needs separate evidence.

Three dates behind a piece of information

  1. Source publication

    The date given by the original publisher. If none is stated, it stays unknown.

  2. Evidence check

    When this site checked the source content. Loading a page is not verification of every field.

  3. Editorial update

    A change to this page’s wording or structure, separate from any change to the source.

Spotted an error?

Send the page URL, disputed text, proposed correction, and a public source. Please leave out identity documents and anyone’s private information.

  1. The full page URL on this site
  2. The field or wording at issue
  3. Your proposed correction
  4. A public source URL and its stated date, if available
Corrections and removal contacts