Public sources

Major publications and news organizations provide independent reporting, context, and external verification of urban developments. They can establish that an event occurred and help assess its significance. Technical specifications, performance numbers, and claims originating from a company, researcher, or government entity are checked against the underlying primary source when they materially affect interpretation.

Government agencies and public institutions are primary sources for regulations, government programs, permits, public investments, official statistics, standards, and publicly funded initiatives. Their statements can establish official actions and decisions, while projections, expected economic impact, technology-performance claims, and broader urban implications require independent assessment.

University research announcements establish that the research, prototype, experiment, or partnership exists. Performance claims, “world first” claims, commercial-readiness claims, and broader urban implications require independent verification.

RSS feeds, APIs, public feeds, and search are discovery mechanisms, not evidence classes. They determine how Smart City Dispatch discovers a story. The credibility and verification requirements are determined by the underlying publication or institution, not by whether the story was found through RSS, API, or search.