Evidence about the quality, validity, or interpretation of other evidence. It's the evidence you use to weigh evidence. This includes a study's methodology, the chain of custody for a forensic sample, the calibration records of a sensor, or the historical accuracy of a witness. In a courtroom, the DNA match is evidence; the lab's accreditation and error rate is the meta-evidence. It's the critical layer that separates raw data from a credible claim, and it's where most conspiracy theories and legitimate skepticism violently collide.
Example: "The photo was evidence of the event. The meta-evidence—the JPEG's EXIF data showing it was created two days prior, and the shadow angles being physically impossible—was what proved it was a fake. The evidence lied; the meta-evidence told the truth about the lie."
by Dumu The Void January 30, 2026
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