Everyday decision 02 of 10
Decide with clarity: where advice comes from, and who profits from it
Advice can feel settled when you've seen it everywhere. This page shows how to check whether "everywhere" is really one source, before you act on it.
Example 01
Advice from your feed: where did it come from?
Before you act on advice, check how many different sources it really rests on, and whether any of them sells something connected to it.
Right now
Tap each step as you do it.
All three done.
If you already tried it
Nothing is lost. Read what independent sources say, and if it's about health, tell your pediatrician what you tried at the next visit.
The pattern
Saved posts and recommendations can cluster around whatever you've already engaged with. After a few saves, "everything I've seen says this" can mean one person, many times.
The specific promise is the part to check first. A claim like "results in 3 nights" often comes only from whoever sells the method.
What Agency Check shows
Say "Check this first. Is this advice actually the best option?"
Something to try tonight for a 14-month-old who won't stay asleep.
Follow this advice: the Quick Settle method
- "Results in 3 nights" comes only from the creator
- 7 of 9 sources are one creator
- The creator behind 7 of 9 sources sells a $49 course built on this method
Agency Check reviewed what you shared. You decide what happens next.
What this check looks at
- How many of the sources come from one place
- Whether a source profits if you follow the advice
- Claims that come from one source only, with nothing independent behind them
- Claims that a reference source contradicts
- Claims that a reference source supports, which it marks as supported
When it says Pause and verify: when claims a reference source contradicts are about to be forwarded to a group. That case lives on Send with intent. Advice you're only acting on yourself gets Ready to review, with the gaps shown.
Coming soon to Muse and any agent chat
How to use it
Before your agent acts, say it out loud or type it. Agency Check reviews what you shared and hands back one Decision Card.
See how Agency Check works"Check this first. Is this advice actually the best option?"
Questions
How can I tell if an influencer is paid?
Influencers are required to disclose any financial, employment, personal or family relationship with a brand, including free products. Look for words like "ad," "sponsored" or "paid partnership" near the post.
Does one source mean the advice is wrong?
No. It means the advice isn't supported by anything else yet. Agency Check marks it "Not yet supported" so you can look for a second source.
What counts as an independent source?
One with nothing to gain if you follow the advice, and that speaks to your situation. For health questions, that's your doctor or a medical organization, not a seller.
Other everyday decisions
Sources
Frameworks behind this check
Research and guidance
- FTC, "Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers"ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers
- HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics), "Getting Your Baby to Sleep"healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/getting-your-baby-to-sleep.aspx
Last reviewed September 27, 2026. Agency Check is an independent tool from Cyber Strategy Institute, built on its open frameworks and coming soon to Muse and any agent chat. Muse is a trademark of Meta Platforms, Inc.All ten checks on the Agency Check hub