Verification Stop Rule
Decide when additional searching is no longer changing the evidence picture.
What this tool is for
Context changes what a headline means.
How to use it
The stop-rule tool is for investigations that keep generating more tabs but little new information. State the question, summarize what the last three sources added, list the independent evidence paths already checked, and identify the highest-stakes unresolved issue.
What it does not prove
Stopping does not mean certainty. It means the marginal value of another search is low compared with the time cost. Continue when a specific missing record could materially change the conclusion; stop when new pages only restate evidence you have already evaluated.
When to escalate
Use the rule after you have covered primary evidence, independent reporting and the strongest credible counterevidence. It is a defense against both premature certainty and endless browsing that gives fringe repetitions the same weight as new evidence.