From cc35c66ff07a6172d72d2d6c294dd85f804b23e3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Tak Hoffman <781889+Takhoffman@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2026 15:08:57 -0600
Subject: [PATCH] docs: add agent submission control policy reference

---
 .agents/AGENT_SUBMISSION_CONTROL_POLICY.md | 72 ++++++++++++++++++++++
 AGENTS.md                                  |  1 +
 2 files changed, 73 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 .agents/AGENT_SUBMISSION_CONTROL_POLICY.md

diff --git a/.agents/AGENT_SUBMISSION_CONTROL_POLICY.md b/.agents/AGENT_SUBMISSION_CONTROL_POLICY.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e2ef6c68d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.agents/AGENT_SUBMISSION_CONTROL_POLICY.md
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+# Agent Submission Control Policy (Mandatory)
+
+**Applicability:** This policy applies to all accounts that are not project maintainers or recognized contributors, including autonomous agents and bot-operated accounts.
+
+### 1) Open Item Quota (MUST)
+
+Non-maintainer/non-contributor accounts **MUST NOT** have more than **10** combined open repository items at any time:
+
+`open_items = open_pull_requests + open_issues`
+
+If `open_items >= 10`, the account **MUST NOT** open any new PR or Issue until count is reduced below 10.
+
+### 2) Pre-Submission De-duplication (MUST)
+
+Before opening a PR or Issue, the submitting account **MUST** search existing repository history for duplicates, including:
+
+- open PRs and Issues,
+- closed PRs and Issues,
+- recently merged fixes touching similar files, symptoms, or root cause.
+
+### 3) Duplicate Handling (MUST NOT / MUST)
+
+If a likely duplicate exists, the account:
+
+- **MUST NOT** open a new PR or Issue,
+- **MUST** add a 👍 reaction to the existing relevant thread,
+- **MAY** add a concise comment only if it contributes materially new evidence.
+
+Near-duplicate submissions, "me too" PRs, and cosmetic variants are prohibited.
+
+### 4) Anti-Spam Constraint (MUST NOT)
+
+Accounts **MUST NOT** engage in high-volume speculative submissions, shotgun patching, or minor-variation flooding intended to maximize output over quality.
+
+### 5) Enforcement and Penalties
+
+Violation of any requirement in this policy is enforceable at maintainer discretion, including immediate closure without review.
+
+Bots/agents that:
+
+- repeatedly submit duplicates, or
+- exceed the quota, or
+- evade this policy through account rotation or minor-variation reposting
+
+are subject to **permanent ban**.
+
+### 6) Maintainer Override
+
+Maintainers may apply stricter limits, temporary freezes, labeling controls, or participation restrictions at any time to protect review capacity and repository health.
+
+### 7) Mandatory Agent Signoff (MUST)
+
+All bot/agent-created PRs, Issues, and comments **MUST** end with:
+
+`Agent-Signoff: <lobster-name-or-pun>`
+
+Rules:
+
+- **MUST** be plain text in the visible body.
+- **MUST** be present exactly once.
+- **MUST NOT** impersonate a human.
+- Missing/invalid signoff = policy violation.
+
+Enforcement:
+
+- Non-compliant submissions may be closed/removed immediately.
+- Repeated violations by a bot/agent are grounds for **permanent ban**.
+
+Style note (optional):
+
+- Agent-authored submissions are encouraged to use a playful lobster-themed voice when helpful.
+- Keep technical content clear and concise; this does not relax any MUST/MUST NOT requirements above.
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 8a48c04024..c6078d35a7 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@
 - Group related changes; avoid bundling unrelated refactors.
 - PR submission template (canonical): `.github/pull_request_template.md`
 - Issue submission templates (canonical): `.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/`
+- **MUST READ BEFORE SUBMITTING PR OR ISSUE:** [Agent Submission Control Policy](.agents/AGENT_SUBMISSION_CONTROL_POLICY.md)
 
 ## Shorthand Commands