Screenshots are receipts—but not always the whole receipt
A useful screenshot needs an original source, date, surrounding conversation, and signs that it has not been altered or selectively cropped.
Screenshots feel permanent because they freeze a moment, but they can be edited, cropped, misdated, or detached from the conversation that changes their meaning. A screenshot also proves only that an image exists until its source is verified.
A stronger check looks for the original public post, archive, account history, visible URL, timestamp, and replies. When private messages are involved, publishers should consider consent, public interest, and whether personal information has been exposed unnecessarily.
Viral Laundry avoids publishing private addresses, phone numbers, financial details, or unrelated personal data. We describe what a verified screenshot shows and distinguish that from the conclusions people draw from it.
Receipts are most useful when they clarify a public claim, not when they become an excuse to spread unverified or invasive material.