{"id":"ETH-003","name":"Evidence exists before objective claim","domain":"ethics","layer":"sentence","strength":"hard_constraint","human_logic":"IF an objective material claim will be published, THEN verify a reasonable evidentiary basis existed before dissemination ELSE block the claim.","when":{"all":[{"path":"claim.type","operator":"eq","value":"objective"},{"path":"claim.material","operator":"eq","value":true}]},"then":[{"action":"verify","target":"claim.prior_substantiation"},{"action":"block_publication","target":"claim","when":"prior_substantiation_missing"}],"else":[{"action":"retain","target":"current_text","reason":"No triggering condition is present."}],"unless":[],"because":"Post-hoc support does not replace the duty to substantiate an objective claim before publication.","diagnostics":[],"examples":{},"source_ids":["WEB-013"],"laka":{"smallest_sufficient_intervention":true,"primary_axes":["scope","depth","magnitude","reversibility"]},"requires_facts":["claim.type","claim.material"],"tests":[],"sources":[{"id":"WEB-013","title":"Advertising Substantiation Policy Statement","creator":"U.S. Federal Trade Commission","domain":"claim_substantiation","type":"Regulatory policy","note":"Objective claims require a reasonable evidentiary basis before dissemination.","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/ftc-policy-statement-regarding-advertising-substantiation"}],"defined_in":{"file":"18-ethics-and-claims-rules.json","title":"Ethics, Truth, and Claim-Safety Rules","slug":"ethics-and-claims-rules"}}