Friction intentionally added to slow harmful processes and keep moral latency within safe bounds. Protective friction inserts checkpoints where speed would otherwise amplify risk.
It should be targeted and proportional: enough to prevent harm, not enough to create punitive burden.
AgencyTemporal
Scope
I. Friction & flow. Designing intentional friction that protects people while keeping harm contained.
Genealogy
Ethotechnics uses Protective Friction to extend the i. friction & flow vocabulary and connect governance, design, and policy teams.
Ethotechnics Institute Research Team. (2026). Protective Friction. Ethotechnics glossary. https://ethotechnics.org/glossary/protective-friction
MLA
Ethotechnics Institute Research Team. "Protective Friction." Ethotechnics glossary, 2026, https://ethotechnics.org/glossary/protective-friction.
Chicago
Ethotechnics Institute Research Team. "Protective Friction." Ethotechnics glossary. Jan 9, 2026. https://ethotechnics.org/glossary/protective-friction.
BibTeX
@misc{glossary_protective-friction,
title={Protective Friction},
author={Ethotechnics Institute Research Team},
year={2026},
howpublished={Ethotechnics glossary},
url={https://ethotechnics.org/glossary/protective-friction},
version={v1.1.0}
}
RIS
TY - WEB
TI - Protective Friction
AU - Ethotechnics Institute Research Team
PY - 2026
UR - https://ethotechnics.org/glossary/protective-friction
ER -