CiteTrace

CiteTrace is a web app (with a lightweight browser extension) that monitors how a specific claim, quote, or “fact” propagates across sites and social posts. Users paste a claim or URL, and the app builds a share-and-citation graph showing where it originated, which accounts amplified it, and which outlets repeated it verbatim or with subtle edits. It flags likely copy chains, missing primary sources, and “citation laundering” (when low-quality sources get legitimized through repetition). It’s an AI-assisted app: LLMs help cluster near-duplicate phrasing and summarize the evolution of the claim, while deterministic link analysis provides the backbone. The product is aimed at speed and defensibility: every conclusion links to captured snapshots and timestamps. Realistically, it won’t “solve misinformation,” but it can save professionals hours and reduce embarrassing publishing mistakes.