Accepted Sources

Accepted Sources

Last updated: September 17, 2026

Accepted Source is one of SourceBoard's core provenance features.

It allows the author of a post to identify a contribution that answers the source request or provides the source the author was seeking.

1. What an Accepted Source means

An Accepted Source means that the post author selected a particular contribution as the accepted answer to that source request.

It is a post-author decision.

It does not automatically mean that SourceBoard independently verified every factual claim in the contribution.

2. What an Accepted Source does not mean

Accepted Source does not:

• transfer copyright;
• prove legal ownership;
• guarantee authenticity;
• guarantee that every statement is correct;
• establish that SourceBoard endorses the contributor;
• establish that the linked website is safe;
• grant permission to reproduce copyrighted material; or
• replace Verified Source review.

3. Evidence expectations

A strong source contribution should help another person independently understand why the source is relevant.

Useful evidence may include:

• a direct link to an original publication;
• a creator's own page;
• an earlier publication date;
• archived evidence;
• consistent creator identity;
• publication metadata;
• matching media;
• contextual explanation; or
• multiple independent references.

A bare assertion without support may be less reliable than a documented source trail.

4. Author control

The post author may be able to accept a source from the discussion.

Acceptance is intended to resolve the author's request, not to create a platform-wide declaration that no other source could be relevant.

5. Reversal

An Accepted Source may be revoked or changed when:

• the author accepted the wrong contribution;
• new evidence appears;
• the source becomes unavailable;
• the attribution is disputed;
• the accepted answer was manipulated; or
• moderation or Source Integrity review identifies a problem.

SourceBoard may preserve historical status information rather than silently pretending the earlier decision never occurred.

6. Relationship to Verified Source

Verified Source is a separate state.

An Accepted Source can later become Verified when Source Integrity review finds sufficient supporting evidence.

Verification should not be understood as a second unrelated source competing with the Accepted Source. It represents a stronger status within the source-resolution process.

7. Disputes

Users may challenge an Accepted Source by presenting better evidence.

Good disputes should focus on provenance rather than personal attacks.

Examples include:

• an earlier original upload;
• proof that the credited account reposted someone else's work;
• conflicting publication history;
• evidence that the linked page is not canonical;
• a creator correction; or
• evidence that the accepted material was fabricated.

8. Deleted or moderated content

If the accepted contribution is deleted or moderated, SourceBoard may:

• revoke the source;
• preserve limited source-history information;
• keep a canonical source reference where appropriate; or
• request a replacement source.

9. Public provenance

For public posts, Accepted Source status may be visible to visitors, search engines, journalists, researchers, and automated systems.

External systems should describe it accurately as a post-author-selected source, not as a universal certification.

10. Attribution and copyright

Source attribution and copyright ownership are separate questions.

A correct Accepted Source may identify where an image or work first appeared without determining the complete legal ownership of the work.

See Copyright & Attribution.

11. Good practice for contributors

When submitting a source:

• link as directly as possible;
• explain why the source is relevant;
• distinguish original publication from reposts;
• avoid overclaiming;
• disclose uncertainty;
• avoid unnecessary re-uploading of copyrighted works; and
• correct your contribution if better evidence appears.