A source note needs two dates

22. říjen 2026

When I read a regulatory record, I keep the date of my observation separate from any date stated in the record. Those dates answer different questions. The source might describe a decision made earlier; my note records when I actually saw that source.

This is a small data-design choice with a practical effect. If a reader returns later and finds a changed entry, the note still says what was checked and when. It does not pretend that an old observation is a live check.

A deliberately incomplete example

The following JSON is an illustrative record design. It is not a real licence, operator, domain check or regulatory finding. The reserved domain and conspicuous placeholder reference help keep examples separate from evidence.

{
  "legal_entity": "ILLUSTRATIVE ENTITY — NOT A REAL OPERATOR",
  "licence_reference": "ILLUSTRATIVE-NOT-A-LICENCE",
  "domain": "example.invalid",
  "status": "not_checked",
  "source_url": "https://www.mga.org.mt/licensee-hub/licensee-register/",
  "source_stated_date": null,
  "observed_at": null,
  "notes": "Example structure only; no check has been performed."
}

The source link identifies a place to begin a real check. Its presence does not turn the other fields into verified facts. In particular, a source URL and an empty observation date should not produce a reassuring green badge in a user interface.

Preserve uncertainty explicitly

I use null for a date I have not established, rather than substituting today's date. I also keep not_checked distinct from a negative finding. “I have not checked this” and “I checked this and found no matching entry” are different observations.

The same care applies to identity. A legal entity, a licence reference and an exact website should be separate fields. If the names differ, that is something to investigate and explain, rather than something to erase by putting all three into a single title field.

Make the note useful to another reader

A good record should let another person understand the scope of the observation. That means retaining the original source, the actual check time and a short explanation of what was compared. It also means keeping an illustrative example visibly separate from production data.

The MGA's own register page links to its licensee register and URL checker. My editorial method describes how I approach source reading for MaltaMGA. Neither an example schema nor an old note replaces a fresh check of the relevant original record.

Clara Vella edits the independent, non-commercial MaltaMGA guide. Contact and corrections: [email protected].