When we followed 1,469 verified citations to their source, only 15.0% reached the primary that first reported the number.
The reason this matters is what we found when we walked those chains ourselves. When we followed 1,469 verified citations to their source, only 15.0% reached the primary that first reported the number. That figure is the one I keep coming back to.
Status
Citation Chain
Primary source · first-party
Type
Statistical
Verifications
1
Value
15.0%
First Tracked
June 24, 2026
Last Verified
June 24, 2026