SUMMARY: Consent drift happens when a site surface changes faster than member expectations about visibility, permanence, or use.
Members learn the site by using it. A forum feels public enough to cite. A chat room feels temporary until messages persist. A news page feels provisional until it becomes a standing route. An archive feels neutral until its internal links create emphasis.
Consent drift is the gap between what the system now does and what participants reasonably think it does.
Drift Signals
Visibility drift: material appears in a wider context than expected.
Permanence drift: temporary discussion becomes durable record.
Purpose drift: a surface starts being used for a different kind of work.
Authority drift: links or summaries make tentative material look settled.
Countermeasure
Pair consent drift review with consent surfaces and boundary revisits. The surface explains the action. The boundary explains the audience.
Operator Rule
When a surface changes purpose, update the expectation before relying on the new behavior.
Field assessment: consent is maintained, not assumed.