reattributing

Reattributing is the act of transferring or revising attribution of credit, authorship, source, or responsibility for a work, finding, statement, or data from the original recipient to a different one. It can apply in scholarly publishing, journalism, art and music, software and data licensing, and provenance records. The goal is to align attribution with the true origin or contribution and to maintain accuracy and accountability.

Reasons for reattributing include new evidence about a source, corrections of errors, disputes over contribution or authorship, ethical concerns about misrepresentation, or licensing requirements that mandate proper attribution. Reattributing may occur during revisions, corrections, investigations, or after audits of sources.

Attribution updates can be made through formal channels such as corrigenda and errata, retractions with revised credit lines, or notices of updated metadata. In academic practice, authorship order or credit statements may be revised; in media, captions and credits are updated; in digital platforms, metadata tags and license declarations are amended.

Reattribution can affect accountability, reputation, and legal rights. It may resolve disputes but also provoke contention among contributors. Proper process and documentation are important to ensure transparency and prevent new misattributions.

Reattributing differs from retracting or refuting a claim; it concerns who gets credit or responsibility, rather than whether the content is true.