How Laundry IQ scores a story without pretending to score truth

Laundry IQ is designed to help readers understand why a story surfaced on Viral Laundry. The number combines freshness, public interest, source quality, headline clarity, and the amount of conversation around the topic.

A high score does not mean every claim is true. Truth is evaluated through sources, records, and corrections—not a popularity number. A bizarre rumor can spread quickly and receive attention while still requiring a clear unverified label. A quiet public record can be highly reliable without becoming viral.

The score breakdown therefore appears beside the source information. Readers can see whether freshness, topic interest, or source priority raised the number. Automated discovery can suggest a story, but the quality gate decides whether it belongs in a public category.

Keeping those functions separate prevents an engagement score from masquerading as journalism.