Signal Dictionary
What Rooted Reality signals mean — and what they do not.
Signals are pattern summaries, not verdicts. Each one describes what the Desktop Companion has observed, what it might mean, what it does not mean, and what you might do next. This dictionary is designed to be a reference you can return to whenever a signal appears in your household summary.
Design Rationale
Why these first signal families were chosen.
The initial signal taxonomy is intentionally conservative. Every family listed here maps directly to data the Desktop Companion can observe today: app foreground state, browser navigation via the companion extension, session timestamps, and readiness drill completion records.
Currently observable
Each family is grounded in data the product actually collects in v1, not data we plan to collect later.
Explainable in plain language
A parent can understand what each family tracks without technical background.
Durable
These categories will remain relevant as the product grows. New signals will slot into existing families rather than requiring taxonomy restructuring.
Credible for v1
We would rather ship a smaller, honest dictionary than a speculative one. Families that require content analysis, motive inference, or mobile device data are excluded until those capabilities exist.
Signal Families
7 families organized by what they observe.
Session Rhythm
When activity happens, how long it lasts, and how timing shifts over periods.
Session start/end timestamps, duration
Navigation Flow
How browsing moves between destinations, including redirect patterns and revisit loops.
Browser URL transitions, redirect chains, site revisits
Attention Pattern
How frequently focus shifts between unrelated apps or sites during sessions.
App foreground switches, tab changes within time windows
App & Site Exposure
What categories of apps and sites appear in activity, and when new or unfamiliar entries arrive.
App names, site hostnames in foreground
Readiness Engagement
How the household interacts with practice scenarios and simulation tools.
Drill start/complete/skip events, simulation timestamps
Permit & Preference State
How guardian settings and permit decisions evolve over time.
Permit grants, setting changes, guardian review events
Friction & Response
How browsing intersects with household rules, including repeated attempts to reach blocked destinations.
Blocked navigation events, repeated block-rule hits
All Signals
Every signal, explained.
Signal family
Session Rhythm
When activity happens, how long it lasts, and how timing shifts over periods.
Observable basis: Session start/end timestamps, duration
Evening session drift
informationalBrowsing or app sessions are consistently starting later in the evening compared to the household’s recent baseline.
Why it matters
Shifting session timing can indicate changing routines. Late-evening patterns may be worth a check-in, especially on school nights.
What it does not mean
This does not mean the teen is doing anything harmful. Schedule changes, seasonal shifts, and new activities all affect session timing.
Example situations
Sessions that used to start around 7 PM are now regularly starting after 9 PM over the past two weeks.
Suggested next step
Note whether the shift aligns with a known schedule change. If not, a casual conversation about evening routines may be helpful.
Confidence
Requires at least 5 comparable sessions across two time periods.
Elevated to Watch if the shift exceeds 90 minutes consistently.
Session duration shift
informationalThe average length of browsing or app sessions has changed notably compared to the household’s recent baseline.
Why it matters
Duration shifts often accompany routine changes. Significantly longer sessions may indicate deeper engagement or difficulty disengaging.
What it does not mean
Longer sessions are not inherently concerning. Extended research, creative projects, and focused study all produce long sessions.
Example situations
Average session length increased from 25 minutes to 55 minutes over the past two weeks.
Suggested next step
Consider whether the shift aligns with a known activity change.
Confidence
Requires at least 8 comparable sessions across two time periods.
Late-night session onset
informationalNew browsing or app sessions are starting after 11 PM, indicating activity initiation in the late-night window rather than a gradual shift in timing.
Why it matters
Sessions starting after 11 PM — especially on school nights — may indicate a pattern worth a check-in. Late-night onset is distinct from gradual evening drift and can be more actionable.
What it does not mean
This does not mean the teen is doing anything harmful. Seasonal changes, weekends, special events, and varying school schedules all produce late-night sessions.
Example situations
Three new sessions started after 11 PM on school nights within the past week, where previous weeks showed no late-night starts.
Suggested next step
Check whether the late-night sessions coincide with a known schedule change. If they appear on school nights, a conversation about sleep routines may be helpful.
Confidence
Requires at least 3 late-night session starts within a 7-day window.
Elevated to Watch if late-night sessions appear on 3+ school nights within a 7-day window.
Weekend vs. weekday divergence
informationalThe gap between weekend and weekday session patterns has widened or narrowed notably relative to baseline.
Why it matters
A growing divergence can indicate that routines are splitting. A narrowing gap may indicate more consistent habits forming.
What it does not mean
Different weekend and weekday patterns are completely normal. This signal only surfaces when the degree of difference changes.
Example situations
Weekend sessions now average 3 hours while weekday sessions remain at 45 minutes, where previously the gap was smaller.
Suggested next step
Note whether weekend patterns feel appropriate for the household. Most useful as context alongside other signals.
Confidence
Requires at least 2 full weeks of data with sufficient sessions on both weekdays and weekends.
Signal family
Navigation Flow
How browsing moves between destinations, including redirect patterns and revisit loops.
Observable basis: Browser URL transitions, redirect chains, site revisits
Browsing loop pattern
informationalThe same small set of sites is being revisited repeatedly within a single session, forming a loop rather than a linear browsing path.
Why it matters
Revisit loops can indicate checking behavior — refreshing feeds, waiting for responses, or cycling through a small set of destinations.
What it does not mean
Loops are not inherently negative. Research, comparison shopping, and iterative schoolwork all produce revisit patterns.
Example situations
A session where the same three sites are visited in rotation 8+ times within 30 minutes.
Suggested next step
Consider whether the loop aligns with a known activity. If it appears frequently across multiple sessions, a conversation about the experience may help.
Confidence
Requires the loop to appear in 3+ sessions within a 7-day window.
Elevated to Watch if frequency increases week-over-week.
Redirect chain increase
informationalThe number of automatic redirects during browsing has increased relative to baseline.
Why it matters
Redirect chains can indicate ad-heavy navigation paths, link shortener usage, or sites that pass users through tracking sequences.
What it does not mean
Redirects are a normal part of web browsing. This signal does not mean the teen visited a harmful site — it means the structure of navigation changed.
Example situations
Browsing sessions now average 4+ redirects per destination, up from a baseline of 1–2.
Suggested next step
No immediate action needed for informational-level signals. If persistent, reviewing the browser companion’s site summary may provide context.
Confidence
Requires comparison across two 7-day windows with sufficient browsing data.
Signal family
Attention Pattern
How frequently focus shifts between unrelated apps or sites during sessions.
Observable basis: App foreground switches, tab changes within time windows
Rapid context switching
informationalThe foreground app or active browser tab is changing unusually often compared to the household’s baseline.
Why it matters
Frequent, sustained context switching can indicate distraction, multitasking pressure, or difficulty settling into a single task.
What it does not mean
Context switching is normal during many activities. This signal only surfaces when the rate is notably above the household’s own baseline.
Example situations
A 45-minute session where the foreground changed 80+ times across unrelated apps and sites.
Suggested next step
If this pattern appears during homework or focused time, a check-in about distraction pressure may be helpful.
Confidence
Requires at least 3 sessions exceeding baseline switching rate within a 7-day window.
Elevated to Watch if observed in 5+ sessions.
Single-site concentration
informationalA disproportionate share of session time is being spent on a single app or site, well above the household’s typical distribution.
Why it matters
A shift toward concentration may indicate a new fixation, a compelling experience, or a social dynamic worth understanding.
What it does not mean
Teens often go deep on a single interest. This signal does not judge the destination — it notes the concentration pattern.
Example situations
One site now accounts for 70% of all browsing time, up from a baseline of 25%.
Suggested next step
A casual conversation about what is engaging on that site can provide context the system cannot.
Confidence
Requires at least 10 sessions within a 14-day window.
Elevated to Watch if concentration exceeds 80% for two consecutive periods.
Signal family
App & Site Exposure
What categories of apps and sites appear in activity, and when new or unfamiliar entries arrive.
Observable basis: App names, site hostnames in foreground
New app or site cluster
informationalSeveral previously unvisited apps or site domains have appeared in activity within a short window.
Why it matters
A burst of new destinations may indicate exploration of a new interest, a recommendation chain, or exposure to unfamiliar platforms.
What it does not mean
New apps and sites are a normal part of digital life. This signal does not assess the quality or safety of the new destinations.
Example situations
Five previously unseen domains appeared across three sessions within a single week.
Suggested next step
Review the new entries in the household summary. If any are unfamiliar, a brief conversation about what they are may be helpful.
Confidence
Requires 3+ new entries within a 7-day window not present in the prior 30-day baseline.
Elevated to Watch if cluster size is unusually large relative to baseline exploration rate.
AI tool usage shift
informationalThe cadence or duration of local AI tool usage has changed notably compared to the household’s recent baseline.
Why it matters
Shifts in AI tool engagement can indicate new workflows, creative exploration, or reliance patterns worth understanding in context.
What it does not mean
This does not mean AI tool usage is harmful. Increased usage often reflects curiosity, school projects, or productive experimentation.
Example situations
AI tool session minutes doubled over the past two weeks, or a previously unused tool appeared in daily activity.
Suggested next step
Review which AI tools are active and how session durations have shifted. A brief conversation about what the tools are being used for may provide helpful context.
Confidence
Requires at least 5 activity records across two 7-day periods to establish a baseline comparison.
Elevated to Watch if total AI session minutes increase by more than 100% week-over-week.
Signal family
Readiness Engagement
How the household interacts with practice scenarios and simulation tools.
Observable basis: Drill start/complete/skip events, simulation timestamps
Readiness drill completion rate
informationalThe proportion of started readiness drills that were completed has changed relative to prior periods.
Why it matters
Drill engagement is one of the clearest indicators of active participation in the household’s readiness program.
What it does not mean
A single skipped drill is not a signal. Completion rate is measured over multiple drills across a period.
Example situations
Completion rate dropped from 80% to 40% over the past month, with 3 drills started but abandoned.
Suggested next step
If completion is declining, a conversation about whether drills feel relevant or too difficult may help.
Confidence
Requires at least 4 drill attempts in the measurement period.
Elevated to Watch if completion drops below 50% for two consecutive periods.
Streak interruption
informationalAn active readiness streak broke after a sustained run of consecutive days.
Why it matters
Streaks reflect consistent engagement with the household’s readiness program. A break after a long run may signal shifting motivation or a disruption worth understanding.
What it does not mean
A single missed day is not a signal. This only fires after a sustained streak of at least five days breaks. Life interruptions (travel, illness) are normal causes.
Example situations
A 12-day readiness streak ended when no activity was recorded yesterday, after consistent daily participation.
Suggested next step
A brief check-in about what interrupted the streak can help decide whether to restart or adjust expectations.
Confidence
Requires a broken streak of at least 5 consecutive days.
Elevated to Watch if two streaks of 7+ days break within the same 30-day window.
Signal family
Permit & Preference State
How guardian settings and permit decisions evolve over time.
Observable basis: Permit grants, setting changes, guardian review events
Guardian permit review gap
informationalReadiness results or permit requests have been pending guardian review for longer than the household’s typical response time.
Why it matters
Timely review maintains the rhythm of the readiness system. A growing review gap may indicate the guardian is overwhelmed or unaware of pending items.
What it does not mean
A delayed review is not neglect. Life gets busy. This signal is designed to be a gentle nudge, not a judgment on parenting responsiveness.
Example situations
Two readiness results have been pending review for 10+ days, where prior reviews averaged 2–3 days.
Suggested next step
Check the pending review queue. If time is limited, even a brief acknowledgment keeps the process moving.
Confidence
Requires at least 3 prior reviews to establish a baseline response time.
Elevated to Conversation if items remain pending for 3x the baseline.
Signal family
Friction & Response
How browsing intersects with household rules, including repeated attempts to reach blocked destinations.
Observable basis: Blocked navigation events, repeated block-rule hits
Block-rule friction
informationalRepeat navigation attempts are hitting the same blocked destination, suggesting the household rule is generating ongoing friction.
Why it matters
Repeated blocked attempts at the same destination can indicate a rule the teen finds confusing or disagreeable. This is often a prompt for a household conversation rather than a policy change.
What it does not mean
This does not mean the rule is wrong or that the teen is being defiant. Bookmarks, auto-complete, and shared links can all produce repeat hits without intentional circumvention.
Example situations
The same blocked domain was hit 5 times across 3 sessions within a single week.
Suggested next step
Review which blocked destination is generating friction. A brief conversation about why the rule exists may reduce repeat attempts.
Confidence
Requires at least 4 blocked attempts at the same destination within a 7-day window.
Elevated to Conversation if the same destination is blocked 8+ times in 7 days.
Standards
Naming conventions for signals.
Use plain language
Signal names should be readable by a non-technical parent. Prefer “Evening session drift” over “temporal_shift_pm.”
Name the pattern, not the judgment
Lead with what was observed, not what it might mean. “Redirect chain increase” describes structure; “suspicious browsing” describes inference.
Keep names under 5 words
Brevity forces clarity and supports tooltips, report summaries, and conversation.
Avoid loaded words
Never use: suspicious, dangerous, alarming, addictive, obsessive, secretive, or deceptive in signal names.
Tone
How signals should sound.
Describe, do not judge
“Sessions are starting later” — not “your teen is staying up too late.”
Prefer “may” and “can indicate”
Over “means” and “shows.” Signals are probabilistic, not definitive.
Never name the teen
Signals describe device-level patterns, not individual behavior.
Acknowledge ambiguity
Every “why it matters” must be paired with a “what it does not mean.”
Calm severity scale
Use Informational / Watch / Conversation. Never use Warning, Alert, or Danger.
Dictionary updates
This dictionary will grow as the product evolves. New signals will be added to existing families when they are based on currently observable data. Signals that would require new data sources will not be added until those sources exist and are documented in the Privacy policy.
Understand the methodology behind these signals.
How signals are formed, what they claim, what they do not claim, and how to read them responsibly.