Avoid duplicate reports without losing new information

Duplicate reports can split updates across several pages. They can also make one event look like several separate incidents. Before adding another record, establish whether the existing report concerns the same person and the same event.

Compare more than the name

Names repeat. Compare the incident date, location, photograph, and source of the report. A similar name alone does not justify merging records or assuming one is a duplicate.

If you find what appears to be the same case, record both links privately and raise the question with the relevant operator. Do not accuse the other reporter publicly or publish their private details.

Route new information appropriately

A new photograph, a corrected spelling, and a new disappearance are different changes. Ask whether the existing report can receive an update, whether a correction is needed, or whether a genuinely separate event requires its own record.

• Same person or only a similar description?
• Same incident or a different event?
• New evidence or a repeat of an existing source?
• Who can clarify the relationship between the records?

Preserve traceability

When you tell an operator about a possible duplicate, include the links and your reasons. Let them assess the relationship and apply their process. Do not replace one source with another without explaining what changed.

While the issue is unresolved, direct helpers to the agreed primary public source where appropriate. The goal is a clear current account, not simply the smallest possible number of pages.