Governance, conflicts, and change control
The Black Hole Index is a public-good instrument. Its credibility depends on rules that bind the principal investigator as tightly as any external user. This page records who can change what, on what notice, with what disclosure, and with what audit trail.
What this instrument is, and is not
The Black Hole Index (BHI) is a published index of structural lock-in risk for digital platforms. It is constructed from eleven observable, replicable parameters grouped into three pillars (Capture, Escape, Extended), aggregated into a scalar score.
- The instrument is not investment advice.
- The instrument is not a regulatory finding.
- The instrument is not a trade secret. Every weight and threshold is open under CC-BY 4.0.
External oversight
A Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) reviews methodology changes before publication. The board meets twice per year.
How a methodology change becomes effective
No weight, threshold, or indicator definition may be silently changed between published bulletins. Changes follow a five-stage protocol.
Every change, every quarter, every disclosure
The audit log is append-only. The most recent entries are reproduced below.
Disclosed positions, equity, and consulting
Every person with the ability to change a weight or indicator value must disclose equity holdings, employment, or paid consulting with any scored platform.
Where the operating budget comes from
The instrument is operated on a small, transparent budget. No grants, philanthropic gifts, or platform sponsorships are accepted.
If a scored platform believes a value is wrong
Any party may file a Correction Request. Requests are reviewed and adjudicated within 21 calendar days.
Contact
What happens if the instrument is wrong
If the rolling four-quarter Spearman ρ falls below 0.50 for two consecutive bulletins, the instrument is placed in review status. If review persists for four quarters, the instrument is retired.
— End of charter v3.0. Steward: I. Savich. Effective 14 Feb 2026.