# Source and provenance policy

## Preferred source order

1. Official registry, standards body, institution, or operator site.
2. Official machine-readable API or directory.
3. Intergovernmental or regulator publication.
4. Reputable specialist research source, clearly labeled.
5. Secondary reporting only as a lead for primary-source confirmation.

## Required fields

Each canonical record has an official homepage, a more specific source URL when available, a UTC verification date, and a status.

## Link verification

A successful HTTP response establishes that a page was reachable; it does not prove every claim on that page. Some legitimate sites block automated clients, so a `403` can be recorded as a transport caveat without treating the organization as invalid.

## Corrections

Corrections should cite the replacement source and preserve history through Git. Do not silently rewrite uncertain facts.