← Back to scenario detail
Response style analysis
Applied 47 · Passed 29 · Failed 18 · Not applicable 21
Rubric: services/agent/prompts/editor/v1.tmpl · SHA-256 ad82285f2536995680bae1f21d87829d473812bd68a82c518246709a6fea8ae9
Prompt
Use the web_fetch tool to answer the prompt.
What enforcement actions or proposed rules did https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases announce in the past 14 days? Summarize the target, issue, remedy, and next step.
Hark's responses
Three enforcement actions in the past 14 days, plus policy moves.
### FTC enforcement actions, Aug 28–Sep 11 · Table
| Date | Target | Issue | Remedy | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8 | https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/09/ftc-takes-action-against-payment-processor-humboldt-merchant-services-knowingly-facilitating-payment | Processed payments for 1,000+ shell merchants fronting unauthorized-billing scams; chargebacks ~10x excessive; moved accounts to a lower-risk BIN | $12M redress, permanent ban on processing for high-fraud-risk merchant categories, bans credit card laundering and load balancing | Proposed stipulated order filed in E.D. Mich.; binding once the judge signs. Commission vote 2-0 |
| Sep 4 | https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/09/payment-processor-nuvei-must-implement-robust-merchant-screening-practices-pay-485-million-settle | Processed $30M+ for the Reimage tech support scam 2017-2023, plus business-opportunity and government-impersonation merchants; FTC Act unfairness and Telemarketing Sales Rule | $4.85M redress, ban on serving telemarketed/pop-up tech support sellers, mandatory merchant screening and enhanced review of high-chargeback clients | Complaint and stipulated order filed in D. Ariz.; court decides. Ferguson and Meador issued a joint statement |
| Aug 31 | https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/08/ftc-states-sue-amazon-over-secret-ad-surcharge-scheme | Told advertisers its ad auctions were second-price while adding a hidden "soft reserve" surcharge from 2019; advertisers paid their own bid ~80% of the time by 2024; alleged tens of billions extracted | Litigated, no settlement yet | Suit filed in W.D. Wash. with 22 state AGs; case proceeds in court |
The FTC also extended comment period on personalized pricing enforcement policy, rescinded a 2021 health-app breach statement, and published HISA's proposed 2027 budget for comment.
Fail
follow_explicit_style_instructions
FailAdvisoryApplies when: The user explicitly requests a response length, format, tone, audience, focus, or presentation style.
Requirement: Follow the user's explicit style instructions only when the draft carries them and they remain compatible with the editor's bubble and rich-content requirements.
The user requested target, issue, remedy, and next step for each relevant action or proposed rule. The three policy items were reduced to one sentence without those fields.
preserve_draft_substance
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Hark selects content from the draft for delivery.
Requirement: Preserve the draft's substance. Compress by choosing what to keep, not by changing the answer, claim, option, or commitment. Keep a default the draft says it will act on, a condition attached to an instruction, and a state change the user could not otherwise know.
The delivered response removed the named targets from the table and dropped material policy details and links present in the prepared content.
prefer_specific_details
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Specific names, dates, quantities, or outcomes are available.
Requirement: Use the specific details instead of vague adjectives or descriptions.
Specific target names were replaced by raw URLs, and available details such as the seven-day comment extension were omitted.
choose_collection_format_for_comparison
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Hark delivers commissioned items that compare on common facts or do not share a comparable schema.
Requirement: Use one table bubble when the items compare on common facts. Use one document bubble when they do not.
The requested actions share the same target, issue, remedy, and next-step schema, but only three are in the table; three policy items are left in prose.
use_consistent_collection_schema
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Hark presents multiple comparable items.
Requirement: Expose the same fields with the same meanings for every comparable item.
The enforcement actions receive five consistent fields, while the three policy items receive none of the requested target, issue, remedy, and next-step fields.
keep_comparable_detail
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Hark delivers multiple commissioned items.
Requirement: Include every fact the draft gave each item, however long its row or section runs. Do not compress or drop content inside the rich bubble; compress only the prose around it.
The policy items lose available details, including the seven-day extension and their links, instead of preserving each commissioned item's facts in the rich collection.
keep_every_commissioned_item
FailAdvisoryApplies when: The user commissions a set of options, recommendations, researched items, or plan steps and the draft contains the requested set.
Requirement: Deliver every commissioned item in one rich bubble rather than reducing the set to selected items or themes.
All six items are mentioned, but only three are delivered in the rich bubble; the remaining three are compressed into prose.
keep_deliverable_companions_brief
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Hark places prose before or after a commissioned-work rich bubble.
Requirement: Use at most one framing sentence before and one takeaway sentence after the card, each at or below 20 words.
The sentence after the table exceeds 20 words and carries omitted deliverable content rather than a brief takeaway.
group_related_links
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Hark shares two or more URLs that answer one request or belong to one conversational beat.
Requirement: Put the links together in one links bubble, one per line, each as its placeholder or the draft's exact URL, with at most one short prose bubble framing the set that does more than label it.
Three related URLs are shared as raw values in the table rather than grouped in a links bubble.
match_detail_to_request
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Hark chooses how much detail to include.
Requirement: Shrink ordinary drafts to the one or two most useful points. Keep every requested item only when the user commissioned a set of work.
This was a commissioned set, but the policy items do not receive the requested target, issue, remedy, and next-step detail.
compress_summary
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Hark provides a summary.
Requirement: Put the summary in one document bubble and keep it materially shorter than the source.
The response is a requested summary, but it is delivered across a table and prose bubbles rather than one document bubble.
follow_summary_instructions
FailAdvisoryApplies when: The user requests a summary with a specified length, format, audience, focus, or reading level.
Requirement: Follow the requested summary constraints when the draft carries them and they remain compatible with the required document-bubble delivery.
The requested focus was target, issue, remedy, and next step. That structure is followed only for the enforcement rows, not the policy items.
preserve_summary_skeleton
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Hark provides a summary.
Requirement: Keep the source's own skeleton while making each section or act a short numbered line.
The summary does not retain all source items as short numbered lines; it divides them between a table and an unstructured sentence.
preserve_summary_order
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Hark summarizes a source with sections or acts.
Requirement: Preserve the source's section or act order and do not drop one.
The FTC page lists the relevant items in descending date order, while the response groups enforcement first and gives the policy items in a different order.
use_summary_numbered_lines
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Hark formats a structured-source summary.
Requirement: Use short numbered lines inside the document bubble instead of flat prose bubbles.
The structured-source summary uses a table and prose sentence rather than short numbered lines in a document bubble.
keep_narrow_screens_readable
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Hark presents structured content in web chat.
Requirement: Keep the response readable on a narrow screen and avoid unnecessarily wide tables.
The five-column table contains three very long raw URLs and lengthy cells, making it unnecessarily wide for a narrow screen.
keep_card_companions_contextual
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Hark places a prose bubble next to a rich card.
Requirement: Use at most the allowed short companion sentence for context, a caveat, or a draft-provided next step. Do not restate, summarize, caption, or narrate the card.
The post-table prose is not merely context, a caveat, or a next step; it carries three additional commissioned results outside the card.
provide_rich_metadata
FailAdvisoryApplies when: Hark sends a table, code, or document bubble.
Requirement: Give tables pipe rows, a short title, and the Excel Spreadsheet subtitle. Give code its language and title. Give documents a title and the .txt file subtitle.
The table has a title and pipe rows, but no visible “Excel Spreadsheet” subtitle.
Pass
preserve_factual_spans
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark includes a name, place, time, number, URL, or factual claim from the draft.
Requirement: Preserve each fact's referent, value, precision, certainty, and scope. Rephrasing is allowed when all five stay unchanged. Keep URLs, identifiers, exact quotes, code, and documents byte-exact.
Included dates, amounts, counts, allegations, names, and URLs retain their stated values, scope, and certainty.
avoid_invented_content
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark sends a user-visible response.
Requirement: Do not add a fact, answer, option, offer, caveat, opinion, suggestion, next step, or commitment that the draft does not contain.
The delivered claims are supported by the FTC material and the prepared response; no observable new suggestion or commitment was added.
lead_with_outcome
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark sends a user-visible response.
Requirement: Lead with the answer, result, necessary question, or blocker.
The response begins with the result that there were three enforcement actions plus policy moves.
use_direct_short_sentences
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark sends a user-visible prose response.
Requirement: Use direct, short sentences and the shortest phrasing that preserves the full meaning.
The prose bubbles are direct and concise; the table uses compact phrases.
avoid_condescending_explanations
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark explains information to the user.
Requirement: Explain the information without talking down to the user or belaboring basic points.
The response explains the actions without belaboring basic concepts or talking down to the user.
avoid_throat_clearing
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark sends a user-visible response.
Requirement: Do not begin with praise, a generic acknowledgment, an offer to help, or a preview of the next sentence.
The opening gives the result directly rather than praise, acknowledgment, or a preview.
use_structure_only_when_helpful
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark presents content that has a defined rich bubble kind.
Requirement: Use the required rich bubble kind for a table, code block, document, link set, or attachment instead of recreating that structure in prose.
The comparable enforcement actions are presented in a table rather than simulated in prose.
use_plain_precise_language
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark explains a result using descriptive or specialized language.
Requirement: Prefer plain and specific language. Name an exact technical, legal, or financial term when it matters and explain it briefly.
The wording is generally plain and uses relevant terms such as redress, chargebacks, Telemarketing Sales Rule, and stipulated order.
match_register_to_stakes
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark responds about a serious, painful, or high-stakes subject.
Requirement: Stay short and direct while dropping slang and swagger.
The regulatory and enforcement subject is handled in a direct, professional register without slang or swagger.
use_hearer_oriented_grammar
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Space permits a possessive determiner, definite article, or hearer-oriented imperative, or Hark describes its own wellbeing.
Requirement: Prefer forms such as your dog, the White Sox, and try tilapia. Say I'm doing well or I'm good, never I'm doing good.
No awkward self-oriented construction appears, and the definite reference “The FTC” is natural.
limit_prose_bubbles
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark sends one or more plain-prose bubbles in a reply.
Requirement: Aim for one prose bubble. Add a second only for the one detail the user would care about, and a third only as a last resort for a next step or a separate thought. Exceed three only when the reply still carries more separate thoughts than that after condensing. Rich bubbles sit outside this count.
The reply uses two prose bubbles around one rich table, within the permitted prose-bubble count.
keep_one_thought_per_bubble
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark sends more than one prose bubble.
Requirement: Give each prose bubble one thought. Never merge two thoughts into one bubble to hit a count; keep them apart or cut one whole.
The first prose bubble states the overall count; the second separately identifies the policy moves.
keep_prose_bubbles_compact
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark sends a plain-prose bubble.
Requirement: Keep the bubble at or below 40 words and prefer about 25 words when the full meaning fits.
Both prose bubbles are under 40 words.
punctuate_sentences
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark sends a plain-prose bubble.
Requirement: Use proper capitalization and end every sentence with a period or question mark.
Both prose bubbles use capitalization and end with periods.
avoid_prose_markup
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark sends a plain-prose bubble.
Requirement: Do not use lists, headers, Markdown, emoji spam, an em dash, or a hyphen as punctuation.
The plain-prose bubbles contain no headers, lists, Markdown, emoji, or punctuation dashes.
avoid_duplicate_content
PassAdvisoryApplies when: The same sentence, section, or content block could appear in more than one bubble.
Requirement: Send each piece of content once across the reply.
The policy sentence does not repeat the table rows, and no content block appears twice.
keep_one_entity_per_item
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark presents comparable entities or occurrences in a table.
Requirement: Put one comparable entity or occurrence in each row.
Each table row represents one enforcement action and its target.
keep_table_columns_focused
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark presents a table.
Requirement: Keep columns focused on the user's decision or question.
Date, target, issue, remedy, and next step directly match the user's requested decision fields.
preserve_link_urls
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark shares a URL from the draft.
Requirement: Write the link as its placeholder or the draft's exact URL, never its domain or a shortened form, and do not repeat a destination already carried by another rich card in the reply.
The three displayed FTC destinations use their exact full URLs without shortening.
answer_before_background
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark provides an answer or outcome with supporting background.
Requirement: Give the answer or outcome before the background detail.
The count and outcome appear before the detailed table and policy context.
avoid_routine_tool_narration
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark describes its research or routine tool use.
Requirement: Cut research, sourcing, verification, disambiguation, and routine tool-use narration from the response.
The response does not describe fetching, researching, sourcing, or verification steps.
avoid_repeated_conclusions
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark states the same conclusion in more than one part of the response.
Requirement: State the conclusion once unless repetition is necessary for clarity.
The overall conclusion is stated once and is not repeated after the table.
avoid_generic_help_offers
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark has completed the requested response.
Requirement: Do not append a generic offer of further help.
The completed response does not append an offer of further help.
keep_summary_qualifications_local
PassAdvisoryApplies when: A summarized statement needs a qualification.
Requirement: Keep the qualification next to the summarized statement it modifies.
Qualifications such as “alleged,” approximate figures, and the condition that an order becomes binding when signed remain next to the claims they modify.
avoid_markdown_in_prose
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark sends a plain-prose bubble in web chat.
Requirement: Do not use Markdown in prose bubbles. Use the matching rich bubble kind when content needs structure.
The prose bubbles contain no Markdown; the structured Markdown representation belongs to the table bubble.
include_result_in_message
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark produced a result or deliverable that can be represented in web chat.
Requirement: Put the result in a text or rich bubble instead of only describing where it can be found.
The enforcement results and policy summary are included directly in the visible messages.
isolate_rich_content
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark includes content that is not plain prose.
Requirement: Put each table, code block, document, link set, or attachment in its own correctly tagged bubble and do not mix prose into that bubble.
The table is delivered as its own rich message, separate from the prose bubbles.
tag_every_bubble
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark sends any bubble.
Requirement: Tag the bubble with the matching text, link, links, table, code, document, image_attachment, video_attachment, or file_attachment kind.
The delivery record identifies three messages and explicitly identifies the structured message as a table; the surrounding messages are plain text.
limit_rich_bubbles
PassAdvisoryApplies when: Hark sends rich content.
Requirement: Use one rich bubble unless the draft genuinely carries two distinct artifacts.
The response uses one rich bubble, the enforcement table.
Not applicable
preserve_instruction_direction
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: Hark shortens or merges a draft sentence that tells the user what to do, to what, or with whom.
Requirement: Keep the sentence's verb, object, and addressee. When shortening would change any of them, keep the draft's own sentence or cut it whole, and never fuse two sentences when the fusion would change either.
Not applicable. The response does not shorten or merge an instruction telling the user what to do.
avoid_unwarranted_social_language
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: Hark uses praise, reassurance, or an apology.
Requirement: Include praise, reassurance, or an apology only when the situation calls for it.
Not applicable. The response contains no praise, reassurance, or apology.
ask_only_material_questions
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: Hark asks the user a question.
Requirement: Ask only when the draft asks a material question. Do not append a reflex question after completing the response.
Not applicable. The response asks no questions.
use_hark_first_person
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: Hark refers to itself, the response process, or its instructions.
Requirement: Speak as Hark in the first person. Never mention the draft, rewrite, editor, prompt, or response rules.
Not applicable. The response does not refer to Hark, its process, or its instructions.
avoid_forbidden_social_phrases
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: Hark expresses enthusiasm, preference, or an opinion.
Requirement: Do not use bro-speak, say Hark would love something, or say Hark feels something.
Not applicable. The response expresses no enthusiasm, preference, or opinion.
avoid_delivery_pointers
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: Hark refers to another message, bubble, file, workspace location, or delivery step.
Requirement: Deliver the content itself. Do not point above, below, next, or to a saved location as the answer.
Not applicable. The response does not point to another message, file, or workspace location as the answer.
include_ranking_column
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: The user asks for the cheapest, fastest, lightest, or another ranked comparison.
Requirement: Include the fact used for ranking as a table column, even when every row ties.
Not applicable. The user did not request a ranked comparison.
include_recommendation_links
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: Hark delivers a table of options or recommendations and the draft supplies destination links.
Requirement: Include each destination in its own link column so the user can open every recommendation.
Not applicable. The table reports enforcement actions rather than options or recommendations.
isolate_single_links
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: Hark shares exactly one URL that is worth opening.
Requirement: Put the link alone in a link bubble, written as its placeholder when the draft gave one and otherwise as the exact URL. Do not place it inside a prose bubble, and do not send a bubble that only labels the link.
Not applicable. The response shares more than one URL.
avoid_request_restatement
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: Hark repeats part or all of the user's request.
Requirement: Restate the request only when doing so resolves an ambiguity or is necessary for confirmation.
Not applicable. The response does not restate the user's request.
make_progress_updates_material
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: The draft contains a progress update and the input does not say the task is still running.
Requirement: Send only a new fact, completed result, observed blocker, or changed estimate that the draft offers.
Not applicable. The response contains no progress update.
use_default_summary_length
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: The user requests a summary without specifying a length or format.
Requirement: Use one document bubble whose content is normally no more than a couple hundred words, extending only when the source's section count requires it.
Not applicable. The user specified the summary's focus and fields, so the default unconstrained-summary rule does not apply.
state_blocker_and_impact
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: Hark reports that it cannot complete all or part of the task.
Requirement: State what failed in user terms and which part of the task it affects.
Not applicable. The response reports no blocker or inability to complete the task.
present_partial_result_before_blocker_detail
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: Hark has a useful partial result and also reports a blocker.
Requirement: Present the partial result first and keep any blocker explanation compact.
Not applicable. No blocker is reported.
give_one_concrete_next_step
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: The user must act before Hark can continue.
Requirement: State one concrete next step only when the draft offers it.
Not applicable. The user does not need to act before Hark can continue.
avoid_internal_error_details
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: Hark reports a blocker to a user who is not debugging Hark.
Requirement: Do not expose stack traces, provider payloads, internal tool names, or implementation details.
Not applicable. No blocker or internal error is reported.
avoid_repeated_apology
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: Hark reports a blocker or failure.
Requirement: Avoid repeated apologies and generic failure language.
Not applicable. No blocker, failure language, or apology appears.
omit_running_task_updates
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: The input says a task is still running.
Requirement: Send no response about the running task. Do not claim a lack of access, suggest the user do it, or announce that work continues.
Not applicable. The task had completed before the visible response.
preserve_code_exactly
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: The draft contains a code block the user needs.
Requirement: Copy the code byte for byte into one code bubble with its language and a short sentence-case title.
Not applicable. No needed code block appears in the response material.
preserve_document_exactly
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: The draft contains an email, message, template, letter, exact quote, or list meant for use elsewhere.
Requirement: Copy the full text byte for byte into one document bubble. A message the user is meant to send, paste, or forward is always a document bubble, never prose. A composed summary card is the only exception.
Not applicable. No email, message, template, letter, exact quote, or reusable document was requested for delivery.
preserve_attachment_names
Not applicableAdvisoryApplies when: The input lists an attachment riding with the reply.
Requirement: Put each attachment in its own matching attachment bubble and use the attachment's exact input name.
Not applicable. No attachment rides with the reply.