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[DSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING] [DSI:NAME=DOCUMENT_SEMANTIC_METADATA;ROLE=LEARNING;AUTHOR=SIMON_MACFARLANE;VERSION=1_0] [DSM:SYSTEM=SEMANTIC_BINDING;AUDIENCE=PUBLIC,PROFESSIONAL,AUTHORING_SYSTEMS]

Page 3.3 — DSM — Document Semantic Metadata​

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.DOCUMENT_SECTION_METADATA.PURPOSE.DEFINITION.3-3-1] [SSI:TITLE=WHAT_IS_DSM;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-3-1] [SSM:SECTION=DEFINITION;INTENT=DEFINITION;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]

What DSM Is​

Document Semantic Metadata (DSM) declares the contextual constraints under which a document is valid, applicable, and safe to use.

DSM answers questions such as:

  • Who is this document for?
  • In which system does it apply?
  • Under what organisational or operational context is it valid?
  • Where should this document not be used?

DSM shapes where and when meaning applies
without redefining what the document means.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.DOCUMENT_SECTION_METADATA.SCOPE.CONSTRAINT.3-3-2] [SSI:TITLE=WHAT_DSM_DOES_NOT_DO;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-3-2] [SSM:SECTION=DEFINITION;INTENT=CONSTRAINT;ABSTRACTION=MEDIUM]

What DSM Does Not Do​

DSM must never:

  • redefine the document’s subject
  • narrow or expand semantic scope
  • encode intent or abstraction
  • change interpretation of content

Two documents may share identical DSB and DSI
but differ in DSM.

DSM constrains applicability, not meaning.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.DOCUMENT_SECTION_METADATA.FIELDS.DEFINITION.3-3-3] [SSI:TITLE=DSM_FIELDS;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-3-3] [SSM:SECTION=DEFINITION;INTENT=DEFINITION;ABSTRACTION=MEDIUM]

Canonical DSM Fields​

DSM may declare one or more of the following contextual attributes:

  • SYSTEM — system or platform context
  • AUDIENCE — intended readership or role
  • ORGANISATION — organisational boundary
  • JURISDICTION — legal or geographic scope
  • CONFIDENTIALITY — access or sensitivity level
  • APPLICABILITY — conditional applicability flags

Example: '[XXX:SYSTEM=PEOPLE_WORK; AUDIENCE=INTERNAL; ORGANISATION=ABACUS_BLACK; CONFIDENTIALITY=RESTRICTED]'

Fields are additive and constraining.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.DOCUMENT_SECTION_METADATA.AUDIENCE.MODEL.3-3-4] [SSI:TITLE=AUDIENCE_SCOPE;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-3-4] [SSM:SECTION=CONCEPT;INTENT=MODEL;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]

Audience Scope​

AUDIENCE declares who the document is for.

Audience is not descriptive prose.
It is an enforcement signal.

Typical values include:

  • INTERNAL
  • EXTERNAL
  • CUSTOMER
  • PARTNER
  • PUBLIC
  • EXECUTIVE
  • OPERATIONAL

Audience enables:

  • safe exposure
  • retrieval filtering
  • access control
  • response tailoring

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.DOCUMENT_SECTION_METADATA.SYSTEM.MODEL.3-3-5] [SSI:TITLE=SYSTEM_CONTEXT;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-3-5] [SSM:SECTION=CONCEPT;INTENT=MODEL;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]

System Context​

SYSTEM declares the operational system in which the document applies.

Examples:

  • PEOPLE_WORK
  • SNOWVAULT
  • AI_WEB_AGENTS
  • EXTERNAL_PLATFORM

System context prevents cross-system misuse of otherwise valid content.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.DOCUMENT_SECTION_METADATA.GOVERNANCE.RATIONALE.3-3-6] [SSI:TITLE=GOVERNANCE_AND_COMPLIANCE;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-3-6] [SSM:SECTION=CONCEPT;INTENT=RATIONALE;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]

Governance and Compliance​

DSM supports governance by:

  • declaring compliance boundaries
  • enabling jurisdiction-aware retrieval
  • enforcing confidentiality constraints
  • supporting audit and traceability

Governance rules live outside the content,
but constrain how content may be used.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.DOCUMENT_SECTION_METADATA.SYSTEM_USE.APPLICATION.3-3-7] [SSI:TITLE=SYSTEM_USE_OF_DSM;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-3-7] [SSM:SECTION=CONCEPT;INTENT=APPLICATION;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]

How Systems Use DSM​

Systems rely on DSM to:

  • filter retrieval by audience or system
  • block unsafe cross-context reuse
  • apply access and visibility rules
  • explain why content was or was not returned

DSM enables context-aware safety without semantic distortion.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.DOCUMENT_SECTION_METADATA.RULES.CONSTRAINT.3-3-8] [SSI:TITLE=CANONICAL_DSM_RULES;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-3-8] [SSM:SECTION=DEFINITION;INTENT=CONSTRAINT;ABSTRACTION=MEDIUM]

Canonical Rules for DSM​

  • Exactly one DSM per document
  • Fields are declarative and binding
  • DSM must not encode intent or abstraction
  • DSM may restrict but never expand applicability
  • DSM may change without altering DSB

Violating these rules compromises contextual safety.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.DOCUMENT_SECTION_METADATA.SUMMARY.SUMMARY.3-3-9] [SSI:TITLE=SUMMARY;AUTHORITY=SECONDARY;REF=3-3-9] [SSM:SECTION=SUMMARY;INTENT=SUMMARY;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]

Summary​

Document Semantic Metadata (DSM) defines where, when, and for whom a document is valid.

It constrains applicability, not meaning.

By separating contextual constraints from semantic content:

  • DSB defines what the document is about
  • DSI defines who the document is
  • DSM defines where and how the document may be safely used

This separation allows the same semantic content to exist across:

  • different systems
  • different audiences
  • different organisational or legal contexts

without semantic reinterpretation or duplication.

DSM enables:

  • context-aware retrieval
  • safe cross-system reuse
  • audience-appropriate responses
  • governance and compliance enforcement
  • explainable inclusion and exclusion decisions

DSM ensures that meaning remains stable while usage is controlled.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.DOCUMENT_SECTION_METADATA.STATUS.STATUS.3-3-10] [SSI:TITLE=STATUS;AUTHORITY=SECONDARY;REF=3-3-10] [SSM:SECTION=STATUS;INTENT=STATUS;ABSTRACTION=LOW]

Status​

Document Semantic Metadata (DSM) is active and mandatory.

Every semantically bound document must declare exactly one DSM, and all systems must enforce it as the authoritative source of contextual applicability and safety constraints.