Glossary entry

Appropriate friction

Definition

Deliberate slowdowns or checkpoints inserted where harm would be costly or irreversible. It treats slowing fast automated steps and automatic halts as safety features.

Hypothetical example

  • High-risk data exports require a second reviewer before completion.

Related terms

Insulation Protective friction Dignity friction Humane friction

References

Cite this glossary entry · v1.17.1 · updated Oct 6, 2026 · CC BY-SA 4.0

APA

Ethotechnics Institute. (2026). Appropriate friction. Ethotechnics glossary. https://ethotechnics.org/glossary/appropriate-friction

MLA

Ethotechnics Institute. "Appropriate friction." Ethotechnics glossary, 2026, https://ethotechnics.org/glossary/appropriate-friction.

Chicago

Ethotechnics Institute. "Appropriate friction." Ethotechnics glossary. Oct 6, 2026. https://ethotechnics.org/glossary/appropriate-friction.

BibTeX

@misc{glossary_appropriate-friction,
  title={Appropriate friction},
  author={Ethotechnics Institute},
  year={2026},
  howpublished={Ethotechnics glossary},
  url={https://ethotechnics.org/glossary/appropriate-friction},
  version={v1.17.1}
}

RIS

TY  - WEB
TI  - Appropriate friction
AU  - Ethotechnics Institute
PY  - 2026
UR  - https://ethotechnics.org/glossary/appropriate-friction
ER  -

Authorship

Contact: hello@ethotechnics.org

Publication details

  • Published: Dec 3, 2025
  • Last updated: Oct 6, 2026
  • Version: v1.17.1

License: CC BY-SA 4.0

Credit Ethotechnics Institute, include the term title and version, and link to the glossary permalink.

Archive: Wayback Machine history

Latest change

v1.17.1 · Oct 6, 2026 — Editorial revision. Titles are in sentence case. Pasted spec blocks are replaced with prose and worked examples, 79 operational tests are rewritten as pass conditions, 22 origin notes are rewritten or sourced, and unsourced superlatives are cut. No terms were added or removed, and permalinks are unchanged.

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