Verify Official Roles — Verify Official Roles

Verifying the official role and authority of a speaker is essential before repeating their claims. Within the federal government, specific roles are strictly defined by statute to avoid confusion over authority.

For example, the Department of Justice OPCL notes that policy guidance for the Privacy Act statutorily rests with the Office of Management and Budget, rather than the OPCL itself. Understanding who has the legal authority to set policy or make official statements helps prevent misattributing personal commentary as official stance.