ThinkCritical.eu · Manipulation atlas
Sources and evidenceVague source
“A friend who was there”, “someone at the town hall” – a source that can't be traced or checked.
A source along the lines of “I heard from someone” makes a story sound true, but it can't be checked. The more important the information, the more it matters who exactly said it and how they know.
A neighbour posts in the local group: “My sister-in-law works at the hospital and she says that from January we'll have to pay a fee for every visit to the doctor.” Who decided this and where it is written down, you never find out.
How to spot it
- “A friend who was there”, “someone at the council”, “people are saying”.
- No name, date, link or document you could look at.
- The website has no address, company number or names of the people behind it.
- The information spreads as a screenshot with no web address.
How to check and what to do
- Ask: who exactly said this, and where can I read it?
- Look for the official source – the website of the authority, council, hospital or health insurer.
- For an online shop or website, find the company number and check it in the official company register.
- Until you find the source, don't treat the message as fact and don't share it.
Full explanation and exercises:
thinkcritical.eu/en/manipulation-atlas/vague-source