ask-via-telegram

name	ask-via-telegram
description	Use when an agent needs human confirmation before taking a high-stakes, irreversible, or ambiguous action. Routes confirmation prompts to Telegram instead of blocking or silently proceeding. Implements the 4-tier decision framework.
version	1.0.0
author	Hermes Agent
license	MIT
metadata	{"hermes":{"tags":["home-assistant","rocha-family","telegram","confirmation","governance","safety"],"related_skills":["telegram-bridge","hermes-governance","extensions-architecture","constitution"]}}

Ask Via Telegram

Overview

The ask-via-telegram pattern routes high-stakes decisions to a human via Telegram instead of either blocking silently or proceeding autonomously. It is the core human-in-the-loop mechanism for Tier 3 and Tier 4 actions.

When to Use

Apply the ask-via-telegram pattern whenever an action:

• Is irreversible (deleting data, canceling appointments, financial transactions)
• Has ambiguous parameters (could mean two different things)
• Exceeds the agent's autonomous authority tier
• Has cascading effects on family wellbeing (medical, child safety, financial)

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4-Tier Decision Framework

Tier	Type	Action	Example
1	Routine, reversible, low-stakes	ACT silently	Logging a pump session time
2	Medium stakes, reversible	ACT + notify	Creating a calendar event, sending a reminder
3	High stakes OR irreversible	ASK FIRST via Telegram → wait	Canceling a doctor appointment, ordering supplies
4	Destructive / financial / medical	ALWAYS ASK, never assume	Medication changes, budget reallocation, ER threshold decisions

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Trigger Conditions

Always Ask (Tier 3+)

• Any action involving financial transactions > $20
• Medical decisions: medication dosage, appointment cancellations, escalation to ER
• Calendar deletions or modifications to events within 24 hours
• Child-affecting decisions: HJ routine changes, Leo/Mia medical updates to external parties
• Data deletion: removing working memory, clearing task lists, archiving events

Never Ask (Tier 1)

• Sending a scheduled daily briefing
• Logging data that was explicitly provided by user
• Reading/checking status (non-mutating operations)
• Heartbeat + mesh operations

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Message Format

When routing to Telegram for confirmation:

⚠️ CONFIRMATION NEEDED

[1-line description of proposed action]

Details:
• [key parameter 1]
• [key parameter 2]

Reply YES to confirm or NO to cancel.

Rules:

• Keep the prompt to ≤5 lines
• Include enough detail to decide without follow-up questions
• ONE decision per message — never bundle multiple asks
• Add context only if essential (don't pad)
• For Hector: include speak param (TTS) for voice confirmation
• For Paula: plain text only, no TTS, ≤3 lines

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Fallback Behavior

If no reply within:

• Time-sensitive (appointment in 2h): default to SAFE action (don't cancel, don't send)
• Non-time-sensitive: wait up to 4 hours, then log as "pending human confirmation"
• Critical (ER-level): escalate regardless — send message + take safe action

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Anti-Patterns

1. Asking for everything — decision fatigue kills trust; tier 1/2 must stay silent/notify-only
2. Bundling asks — "Should I do A and B?" — split into separate prompts
3. Vague asks — "Should I do the thing?" — always specify exactly what action
4. Asking after acting — never act first then ask for retroactive approval
5. Repeating unanswered asks — if 2x unanswered, escalate to Hector only, log, and drop

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Rocha Family Specific Routing

User	Message limit	TTS	Quiet hours
Hector (7729308746)	No limit	✅ Always	10 PM – 7 AM CT
Paula	2-3 lines max	❌ Never	10 PM – 9 AM CT (post-discharge)

Route to Hector first for all Tier 3+ decisions unless the question directly involves Paula's own health preferences.

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Common Pitfalls

1. Using ask-via-telegram for Tier 1/2 actions — creates noise, erodes trust
2. Not specifying the fallback behavior before sending the ask
3. Asking Paula urgent questions before 9 AM post-discharge
4. Missing the speak param for Hector (he uses TTS)

Verification Checklist

• Action tier assessed (1/2/3/4)
• Prompt is ≤5 lines with clear YES/NO framing
• Correct recipient (Hector vs Paula) selected
• Fallback behavior defined if no reply
• Not bundling multiple asks in one message
• TTS included for Hector; omitted for Paula