Evidence and sources · QUICK REFERENCE
Source date versus check date
A document's publication date and the day you accessed it answer different questions. Store both fields instead of replacing an old publication date with today's date. This prevents a historical notice from appearing new simply because an editor revisited its page.
A practical checklist
- Copy the publication date as shown.
- Record the date of access separately.
- Explain material later updates.
Putting it in context
A notice from 2022 checked in 2026 remains a 2022 notice. The later check can confirm that the source was consulted, not that the underlying situation is unchanged.
Keep in mind
A recent access date is not a current-status guarantee.
References & further reading
The checklist and examples are original editorial guidance. External links provide background within their stated scope; they do not validate an individual operator or case.
- Operator Atlas: research methodologyOur original editorial method
- ACMA: formal warning to BlockDance B.V. (BC.Game)Australia · historical warning dated 17 October 2022
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