A Layered Approach
Screenshots are the foundation, but a stronger record layers multiple types of evidence: the source page itself (saved as HTML or PDF where possible), any available metadata (posting timestamps, edit histories where a platform shows them), and, where appropriate, a third-party archive of the page.
Don't Rely on Archive.org Alone
Archive.org's Wayback Machine only has a snapshot of a specific URL if that page happened to be crawled at some point, and its crawlers heavily favor major, high-traffic websites over individual social media posts, specific reviews, or personal profile pages. Assuming a defamatory post will simply "be on the Wayback Machine" if you need it later is a common and costly mistake — the vast majority of individual posts and reviews are never archived there at all. Treat archiving tools as a backup, not a substitute for your own documentation done at the time.
What to Actually Save
- Full-page screenshots (see How to Take Screenshots the Right Way)
- The direct URL to the specific post, review, or profile, saved as text
- A saved copy of the page (PDF or "save as" HTML) in addition to the screenshot
- A note of whether the page appears in the Wayback Machine, and if so, a link to that snapshot as an additional copy
- Any metadata the platform displays — post ID, edit history, account creation date