Deleted Reddit comments about a zoning hearing still appear on a public third-party mirror. How should the analyst cite them?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
A third-party Reddit mirror is a photocopy of a notice that came off the bulletin board. Useful, but label it as a copy and date when you saw it. Do not pretend the original thread is still live, and do not buy private IPs.
Full Explanation
Public third-party archives can preserve deleted Reddit comments and are legitimate OSINT sources when cited as such. The report should name the mirror, the retrieval date, and the limitation that coverage may be incomplete or altered. Presenting archived text as a live Reddit comment misstates provenance. Purchasing private IP data is not public-source collection.