Start with the right question
Map pins look precise even when the underlying data is approximate or incomplete. Start by identifying the device, account, and service producing the record. The question is what that particular record can support, not what the map appears to suggest.
Work through the checks
Identify the source
Record whether the data came from a phone, vehicle, app, photograph, or account export. Note who controlled the device and who could access the account. Do not equate account ownership with possession at every moment.
Check time and precision
Preserve the displayed timestamp, time zone, and any accuracy information. Distinguish a measured point from an inferred visit or route. Avoid converting a broad area into an exact address without support.
Record gaps and settings
Note disabled permissions, offline periods, battery settings, and missing intervals where known. A missing point does not necessarily prove a person was absent, just as a point does not prove what they were doing.
Keep the original view
Retain the authorized export or capture and a separate annotated map if needed. Explain any route lines or labels you added. Do not imply that your illustration came directly from the service.
A record you can use
- Device or service
- Record and timestamp
- Precision or uncertainty
- Account and possession context
- Gap or added annotation
Keep this record locally. Use document references rather than publishing account numbers or other people's personal details. An empty field means the information is still missing; it should not be filled with an AI guess.
Worked example
A fictional timeline places a phone near a shopping center, but the export shows only a broad location estimate. The reviewer records the area and uncertainty rather than naming a particular store. A receipt is assessed separately and is not treated as automatically validating every point on the map.
This example is fictional and illustrates the method, not a real case result.
Limits and next steps
Only collect location records you are authorized to access. Location data is sensitive; do not track another person or publish their movements. Contested technical interpretation may require a qualified expert.
Use the record alongside independent documents and state the limited proposition it supports. Keep unrelated locations out of a shared packet unless they are genuinely necessary and appropriately handled.