The boundary is where inference stops
When two names, titles, or domains look alike, the honest label is not “same source” and not “different source.” It is relationship unknown. That is the boundary — and past it, you stop.
Similarity is not a verdict
An abbreviation can expand to many different full names. A full name can be shortened several ways. A title can be reused. None of these is proof that one page owns, runs, or endorses another. Similarity only tells you to keep checking — it never settles identity.
Similar names are a question mark, not a link. Treat them as unknown until the destination itself confirms the relationship.
When to mark “relationship unknown”
- The names look alike but the domain differs.
- The domain looks alike but the page context differs.
- The title matches but the destination is somewhere unexpected.
- Any marker cannot be observed directly.
Stop, do not guess
When the evidence runs out, the correct move is to stop. Do not smooth over a mismatch, do not fill a missing marker from another one, and do not upgrade “looks similar” into “is related.” A gap left visible is safer than a gap quietly filled.
A worked reading
- Two names look alike at a glance.
- Read each marker separately — name, domain, context, destination.
- Any difference or gap → mark the relationship unknown.
- Stop until the destination page actually confirms the link.
Identity-reading example — not ownership proof, verification, or a saved lookup.
Continue your review
Return to the four markers in the identity check guide, and read addresses precisely in the domain context guide.