Return the full dossier for a watch item — the observatory's forward-looking observation primitive. Returns title, subtitle, scope (place / corridor / pattern / brief / region), trigger (type / date / condition), significance (score / horizon / confidence / confidence_pips / why_it_matters_voxel)...
Part of the Zoning Signal server.
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AI agents call describe_watch to retrieve information from Zoning Signal without modifying any data. This is common in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows where the agent needs context before taking action. Because read operations don't change state, they are generally safe to allow without restrictions -- but you may still want rate limits to control API costs.
Even though describe_watch only reads data, uncontrolled read access can leak sensitive information or rack up API costs. An agent caught in a retry loop could make thousands of calls per minute. A rate limit gives you a safety net without blocking legitimate use.
Read-only tools are safe to allow by default. No rate limit needed unless you want to control costs.
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"describe_watch": {}
}
}See the full Zoning Signal policy for all 17 tools.
These attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access describe_watch gives an agent. Each links to the full case and the policy that stops it:
Other read tools across the catalogue. The same approach applies to each: allow, with a rate cap to control cost.
Return the full dossier for a watch item — the observatory's forward-looking observation primitive. Returns title, subtitle, scope (place / corridor / pattern / brief / region), trigger (type / date / condition), significance (score / horizon / confidence / confidence_pips / why_it_matters_voxel), full body prose, four-clock freshness, and citation-stable claims[]. For RESOLVED watches, also returns the outcome cluster (outcome_type, outcome_summary, prediction_assessment with directional/horizon/significance assessments, lesson, citations) — and the lesson surfaces as a stable claim_id (per the Phase 11 Citable Contract × Phase 8 Resolution Bridge compound). Use to ground citations in a specific watch's prediction or resolution; pair with list_watch_items for discovery.. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Zoning Signal MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Zoning Signal MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for describe_watch: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Zoning Signal. Nothing to install.
describe_watch is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the describe_watch rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for describe_watch. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
describe_watch is provided by the Zoning Signal MCP server (https://zoningsignal.com/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 17 Zoning Signal tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
Free to start. No card required.
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