Prefer a source close to the fact
Use official product documentation for what a provider publishes about its offering, and authoritative public resources for general consumer information. A source's authority depends on the claim: a provider can describe its own product without independently proving that it outperforms competitors.
Sources should be read in context. A headline, search snippet, or page that merely names a company is insufficient support for a detailed performance or product claim.
Treat AI citations as leads
An AI answer may supply useful links, but the presence of a citation does not verify the answer. Links can be outdated, irrelevant, or inconsistent with the claim. A research article should distinguish what the AI said from what a source independently supports.
When the available evidence is incomplete, a qualified statement is more useful than a confident but unsupported conclusion.
Dates and changes matter
Provider pages and service terms can change after research is collected. Read the study date and source context together. A link that is live today does not establish what it said on a past research date.
If a source no longer supports a published statement, report the exact page and claim through the corrections channel.