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Channel drift signal.

Drift is the change in a listing's character over time. We measure it because parents who liked a listing two years ago need to know when it has changed enough that the rating no longer applies.

How drift is measured

Per category, we track structural variables that capture the listing's character: ad load and sponsored-content density (channels), nutritional formulation (snacks), recall history and small-parts presence (toys), spending pressure and chat moderation (games), privacy posture and ad load (apps). The variables are recorded on a rolling window per listing.

What triggers a reclassification

A sudden discontinuity in a tracked variable, or a sustained shift over a category-specific window, triggers a reclassification review. Reviews queue with the moderator first; significant drift escalates to the council.

How drift shows up on the listing

  • An indicator (an up or down arrow with magnitude) attaches to the listing.
  • The drift indicator is visible on hover and is recorded in the listing history.
  • For subscribers with the drift trigger on, an alert fires when drift crosses a category-specific threshold.

Disputes

Drift triggers are auditable. Entities can dispute a drift call via the council process; the council reviews the methodology, not just the conclusion.