✦ Methodology

How FocusScore measures your attention

FocusScore analyses five behavioural signals in real time to compute a Focus Score (0–100) that reflects the quality of your online attention — updated every 3 seconds.

In one sentence: FocusScore watches how you use tracked platforms locally in your browser, converts your behaviour into anonymised signals, and computes a real-time Focus Score without ever seeing your personal data.
Process

From behaviour to insight in 3 steps

1
🔌

Install & browse normally

→Add FocusScore to Chrome in under 10 seconds — no configuration, no account required.
→FocusScore activates automatically on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, Reddit, and LinkedIn.
→A lightweight content script observes your behaviour locally. Nothing leaves your browser except the computed score.
2
📡

Behaviour is converted to signals

→Five behavioural signals are measured every 3 seconds: watch time, Shorts ratio, tab switches, scroll speed, and idle time.
→URL parameters, page content, and personal data are never collected — only the coarse interaction metrics needed to score attention.
→Signals are filtered and normalised so a 20-minute session is comparable to a 2-hour session.
3
📊

Score is computed and explained

→A weighted scoring engine combines the five signals into a single Focus Score (0–100).
→The score, signal breakdown, and trend are shown in the popup and dashboard.
→Weekly email reports summarise your highest-distraction platform, score trend, and three personalised improvement tips.
Signals

The five attention signals

Every Focus Score is built from these five behavioural signals, measured in real time in your browser. None require personal data.

▶
Score ↑

Long-form watch time

Time spent watching videos longer than 10 minutes. Sustained watching is the strongest signal of intentional, focused engagement.

✂
Score ↓

Shorts consumption

Ratio of Shorts / Reels watched vs. long-form. High Shorts ratio indicates passive, algorithmic distraction.

⇄
Score ↓

Tab-switching frequency

How often you leave and return to a page. Frequent switching is the clearest behavioural marker of fragmented attention.

↕
Score ↓

Scroll speed patterns

Rapid, continuous scrolling through feeds signals passive consumption rather than intentional content selection.

⏸
Neutral

Idle time ratio

Time the page is open but the user is not interacting. Some idle time is natural; high idle with short sessions signals distracted usage.

Privacy by design

Measuring attention without surveillance

Attention measurement and privacy are not in conflict. Here is exactly how FocusScore stays privacy-first.

✓
Local computation
All signal extraction and scoring happens in your browser. Only the final Focus Score (a single number) is sent to our servers.
✓
No keystroke logging
FocusScore never accesses your keyboard input, passwords, or form fields.
✓
No browsing history
FocusScore only activates on explicitly listed platforms. It does not read your general browsing history.
✓
Pseudonymous ID
You are identified by a random UUID, never by name, email, or device fingerprint (unless you sign in).
Read the full Privacy Policy →

Common questions about how FocusScore works

Install the FocusScore Chrome extension. It starts measuring within seconds of you opening a tracked platform (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, Reddit). Your score updates every 3 seconds and is visible in the popup. No account needed to start.

Only anonymous behavioural signals: aggregated watch time, Shorts consumption ratio, tab-switching frequency, scroll speed, and idle time. FocusScore does NOT collect page content, keystrokes, full URLs, or your browsing history.

It can optionally hide YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, Facebook Suggested Posts, Reddit Trending, and LinkedIn promoted content — but its primary purpose is to measure and improve your attention rather than restrict it. All blocking features are opt-in.

FocusScore computes your score every 3 seconds using a rolling window of the last 200 browser events. The score reflects your recent behaviour, not your all-time history, so it responds quickly to changes in how you browse.

Yes. The extension works immediately without any sign-up. Creating a free account unlocks 30-day dashboard history, weekly email reports, and the before/after comparison view.

No. FocusScore runs as a lightweight content script. It processes events locally in your browser using minimal CPU (less than 0.5% in testing). No heavy ML model runs on your device — the scoring is done by a fast rule-based engine.

Get started

See your Focus Score in 30 seconds

Install FocusScore, open YouTube or Instagram, and your live attention score appears in the popup — no configuration needed.

Add to Chrome — FreeWhat is a Focus Score? →

No account required · No credit card · Works instantly