Categories and territories

Every MAX channel on datool.ru can have categories (what the channel is about) and a territory (which place it belongs to). They drive catalog filters, category and region pages, ratings, similar channel selection and the comparison in the quality index. This page explains how labelling works, who does it and how an owner can set the categories of their own channel.

Where you see it

• On a channel page — category chips in the “About the channel” block; the primary category is highlighted.
• The list of all categories — max.datool.ru/categories/; each category and region has its own page with its channels.
• Catalog and rating filters — Finding channels, Categories, Ratings.

Categories

• A channel has up to 5 categories, one of which is primary. The primary category is the channel's main topic: it is used to compare the channel with similar ones in the quality index and to select similar channels. The others refine it: for example, a city channel about roads might have “Новости и СМИ” (news and media) as primary and “Авто и транспорт” (cars and transport) as additional. Category names are shown in Russian for now, even in the English interface.
• The category list is shared and approved: MAX currently has 66 categories, from “Образование и обучение” (education and learning) to “ЖКХ и соседи” (housing and neighbours).

Territory

A channel has one territory — the most precise place in the tree:

country → federal district → region → city

• Russia has the full tree, with cities. Other countries have only the country node.
• Channels relevant to all countries at once have a separate territory, “World”.
• A region filter also shows channels of its cities: choose “Krasnodar Krai” and the list includes channels of Krasnodar, Sochi and Novorossiysk.

If no territory is set, the channel does not appear in region filters or in the “same region” comparison for similar channels.

Who sets categories and territory

The main rule: a human decides.

1. Automation only suggests. We automatically analyse channel names, descriptions and texts and suggest a category or territory. The suggestion goes to a datool.ru moderator — only they move the value into the channel card.
2. The moderator reviews and approves — or rejects the suggestion if it is wrong.
3. Automation never overrides a human decision. Once a moderator or the owner has set a category, no new suggestion replaces it.
4. The owner of a verified channel sets categories and the territory themselves — and automation does not override their choice either.

How an owner sets categories and territory

1. Verify that the channel is yours.
2. Open “My MAX” → “My channels” (max.datool.ru/my/channels/). Under the channel name you see category and territory chips; if something is missing — a dashed “+ category” or “+ territory” chip.
3. Click a chip or choose “Categories and territory” in the channel's “⋯” menu.
4. The page has three steps:
   • primary category — choose from a list with pictures and channel counts; there is a search;
   • additional categories — up to four more (5 in total);
   • territory — find a city, region or country by searching the directory; there is also a “No territory” option.
5. Save — the channel page updates with the new categories and territory.

Details — My channels.

Tags

Besides categories, a channel may have tags — free-form labels that describe the topic more precisely than categories (up to 30 per channel). Tags are assigned automatically based on the channel's content; a tag removed by a staff member is never put back by automation. Tags are not shown on the showcase yet.

See also

• Categories — how to find channels by category and region.
• How similar channels are selected.
• Quality index — compares a channel with channels of the same primary category.
• Owner verification.