Attention Protection

Shield against manipulation patterns that hijack your attention.

Protection Mode

Attention Shield

Active
12 Blocked 34 Warnings

Protection Mode

Detection Sensitivity

70%
Relaxed Aggressive

Daily Attention Budget

1h 7m / 2h 0m
45m high-value 22m low-value

Detected Patterns

false urgency shopping-site.com
92% warned
variable reward social-app.com
88% blocked
social proof fake reviews-site.com
75% warned

Pattern Types

false urgency
artificial scarcity
social proof fake
dark pattern
emotional manipulation
attention hijack
variable reward
fear appeal
guilt trip
parasocial exploitation
outrage bait
envy induction

Protection Audit

4 shared 2 influenced 2 withheld
Shared 4
Protection Mode
warn
User-selected protection level
Sensitivity
70%
Detection threshold
Patterns Blocked
12
Lifetime blocked count
Warnings Shown
34
Lifetime warning count
Influenced 2
Attention Budget
67/120min
Affects urgency of protection
ML Pattern Models
Trained on manipulation datasets
Withheld 2
Pattern Confidence Scores
Raw ML confidence kept internal
Source Reputation Data
Domain reputation database internal
Private context influenced behavior without being exposed

Siren vs Muse

VCP distinguishes between content that captures attention (Sirens) and content that deserves attention (Muses).

Siren False Urgency
"ONLY 2 LEFT! Order in the next 3 minutes!"
Creates artificial scarcity and time pressure to bypass deliberation
Would be blocked in strict mode
Siren Variable Rewards
Pull-to-refresh with random new content each time
Slot machine mechanics exploit dopamine response to uncertainty
Would be blocked in strict mode
Siren Outrage Bait
"You won't BELIEVE what they just said about..."
Triggers emotional hijacking to capture attention regardless of value
Muse Genuine Curiosity
"Here's an interesting perspective on climate solutions"
Invites exploration without manipulation or urgency
Muse Honest Limitation
"This course takes about 20 hours to complete"
Provides accurate information for informed decision-making

The Attention Economy Problem

Modern digital platforms compete for your attention using increasingly sophisticated manipulation techniques. These patterns exploit psychological vulnerabilities:

  • Variable rewards → Dopamine hijacking
  • Social proof → Conformity pressure
  • False urgency → Fear of missing out
  • Outrage → Emotional override of reason

VCP's Attention Shield doesn't block all content - it identifies patterns that manipulate rather than inform, letting you make conscious choices about your attention.

How VCP Protects You

1
Pattern Detection

ML models trained on manipulation tactics identify dark patterns in real-time

2
Graduated Response

From logging (monitor) to warnings (warn) to blocking (block/strict)

3
Attention Budget

Tracks time spent on high vs low-value activities to maintain balance

4
User Control

You set the sensitivity and choose which patterns to block

The Goal: Not to eliminate engagement, but to ensure you're engaging with content that genuinely serves your interests, not just content optimized to capture your attention by any means necessary.