diff --git a/assets/js/hooks.js b/assets/js/hooks.js
index 8ab0e5b..04860db 100644
--- a/assets/js/hooks.js
+++ b/assets/js/hooks.js
@@ -1039,6 +1039,39 @@ export const mountStaticAidMaps = root => {
 }
 
 export const Hooks = {
+  NotificationLink: {
+    mounted() {
+      this.markOpened = event => {
+        if (event.defaultPrevented || event.button > 1) return
+
+        const openUrl = this.el.dataset.openUrl
+        const csrfToken = document.querySelector("meta[name='csrf-token']")?.content
+        if (!openUrl || !csrfToken) return
+
+        // Do not await this request. The link owns navigation, while keepalive
+        // lets the small read-marker request finish during LiveView or full-page
+        // navigation without making the destination wait for it.
+        fetch(openUrl, {
+          method: "POST",
+          credentials: "same-origin",
+          keepalive: true,
+          headers: {
+            // This endpoint is protected by the regular browser pipeline,
+            // which accepts HTML requests. The 204 response has no body.
+            "accept": "text/html",
+            "x-csrf-token": csrfToken,
+          },
+        }).catch(() => {})
+      }
+
+      this.el.addEventListener("click", this.markOpened, {capture: true})
+    },
+
+    destroyed() {
+      this.el.removeEventListener("click", this.markOpened, {capture: true})
+    },
+  },
+
   SearchableCategoryPicker: {
     mounted() {
       this.refresh = () => {
diff --git a/lib/who_need_help/trust.ex b/lib/who_need_help/trust.ex
index 8290bad..97c5a9c 100644
--- a/lib/who_need_help/trust.ex
+++ b/lib/who_need_help/trust.ex
@@ -1,6 +1,34 @@
 defmodule WhoNeedHelp.Trust do
   @moduledoc "Reviews, reports, blocks, reputation, abuse signals, and auditable moderation."
 
+  # The audit log is intentionally reserved for security-sensitive identity
+  # changes and staff/safety/legal decisions. Routine product lifecycle events
+  # already have durable domain records and must not duplicate high-volume data
+  # here. The allowlist also makes a newly introduced audit action opt-in.
+  @retained_audit_actions MapSet.new(~w(
+    abuse_signal.moderated
+    activity.hidden
+    activity.restored
+    auth_identity.connected
+    auth_identity.disconnected
+    category_proposal.approved
+    category_proposal.merged
+    category_proposal.rejected
+    content_removal_notice.moderated
+    report.evidence_viewed
+    report.moderated
+    request.hidden
+    request.restored
+    social_identity.verified
+    support_request.contact_verified
+    support_request.moderated
+    user.admin_bootstrapped
+    user.blocked
+    user.moderated
+    user.staff_roles_changed
+    user.unblocked
+  ))
+
   import Ecto.Query
 
   alias WhoNeedHelp.Accounts
@@ -954,17 +982,24 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelp.Trust do
   end
 
   def audit(actor_id, action, target_type, target_id, metadata \\ %{}) do
-    %AuditEvent{}
-    |> AuditEvent.changeset(%{
-      actor_id: actor_id,
-      action: action,
-      target_type: target_type,
-      target_id: target_id,
-      metadata: metadata
-    })
-    |> Repo.insert()
+    if retained_audit_action?(action) do
+      %AuditEvent{}
+      |> AuditEvent.changeset(%{
+        actor_id: actor_id,
+        action: action,
+        target_type: target_type,
+        target_id: target_id,
+        metadata: metadata
+      })
+      |> Repo.insert()
+    else
+      {:ok, :not_audited}
+    end
   end
 
+  def retained_audit_actions, do: @retained_audit_actions |> Enum.sort()
+  def retained_audit_action?(action), do: MapSet.member?(@retained_audit_actions, action)
+
   defp maybe_audit_action(query, value) when value in [nil, ""], do: query
   defp maybe_audit_action(query, value), do: where(query, [event], event.action == ^value)
 
diff --git a/lib/who_need_help/workers/expire_requests.ex b/lib/who_need_help/workers/expire_requests.ex
index a0a4e7a..53430bd 100644
--- a/lib/who_need_help/workers/expire_requests.ex
+++ b/lib/who_need_help/workers/expire_requests.ex
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelp.Workers.ExpireRequests do
   alias WhoNeedHelp.Help.HelpRequest
   alias WhoNeedHelp.Repo
   alias WhoNeedHelp.Tracking
-  alias WhoNeedHelp.Trust
   alias WhoNeedHelp.Trust.RateLimiter
 
   @impl Oban.Worker
@@ -48,14 +47,9 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelp.Workers.ExpireRequests do
             {:ok, :empty}
 
           request ->
-            with {:ok, request} <-
-                   request
-                   |> Ecto.Changeset.change(status: :expired)
-                   |> Repo.update(),
-                 {:ok, _audit} <-
-                   Trust.audit(nil, "request.expired", "request", request.id) do
-              {:ok, request}
-            end
+            request
+            |> Ecto.Changeset.change(status: :expired)
+            |> Repo.update()
         end
       end)
 
diff --git a/lib/who_need_help_web/controllers/notification_open_controller.ex b/lib/who_need_help_web/controllers/notification_open_controller.ex
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c402a11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/who_need_help_web/controllers/notification_open_controller.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+defmodule WhoNeedHelpWeb.NotificationOpenController do
+  use WhoNeedHelpWeb, :controller
+
+  alias WhoNeedHelp.Notifications
+
+  def create(conn, %{"id" => id}) do
+    case Notifications.notification_opened(conn.assigns.current_scope, id) do
+      {:ok, _notification} -> send_resp(conn, :no_content, "")
+      {:error, :not_found} -> send_resp(conn, :not_found, "")
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/who_need_help_web/live/notification_live.ex b/lib/who_need_help_web/live/notification_live.ex
index 6af1b99..c817441 100644
--- a/lib/who_need_help_web/live/notification_live.ex
+++ b/lib/who_need_help_web/live/notification_live.ex
@@ -47,16 +47,6 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelpWeb.NotificationLive do
     {:noreply, load_notifications(socket)}
   end
 
-  def handle_event("open-notification", %{"id" => id}, socket) do
-    case Notifications.notification_opened(socket.assigns.current_scope, id) do
-      {:ok, notification} ->
-        {:noreply, push_navigate(socket, to: notification.path)}
-
-      {:error, :not_found} ->
-        {:noreply, put_flash(socket, :error, gettext("Notification not found."))}
-    end
-  end
-
   def handle_event("load-more-notifications", _params, socket) do
     page =
       Notifications.paginate_notifications(socket.assigns.current_scope,
@@ -290,11 +280,13 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelpWeb.NotificationLive do
           </div>
 
           <div :if={@notifications != []} class="mt-4 divide-y divide-base-300">
-            <button
+            <.link
               :for={notification <- @notifications}
-              type="button"
-              phx-click="open-notification"
-              phx-value-id={notification.id}
+              navigate={notification.path}
+              id={"notification-#{notification.id}"}
+              phx-hook="NotificationLink"
+              data-open-url={~p"/notifications/#{notification.id}/opened"}
+              data-notification-id={notification.id}
               class={[
                 "flex w-full items-start gap-3 px-2 py-4 text-left transition hover:bg-base-200",
                 is_nil(notification.read_at) && "font-semibold"
@@ -320,7 +312,7 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelpWeb.NotificationLive do
                 />
               </span>
               <.icon name="hero-chevron-right" class="mt-2 size-4 shrink-0 opacity-45" />
-            </button>
+            </.link>
           </div>
 
           <button
diff --git a/lib/who_need_help_web/router.ex b/lib/who_need_help_web/router.ex
index d0a9ded..2e9ffd9 100644
--- a/lib/who_need_help_web/router.ex
+++ b/lib/who_need_help_web/router.ex
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelpWeb.Router do
     get "/users/settings", UserSettingsController, :edit
     put "/users/settings", UserSettingsController, :update
     get "/users/data-export", UserDataExportController, :show
+    post "/notifications/:id/opened", NotificationOpenController, :create
     get "/users/settings/confirm-email", UserSettingsController, :confirm_email_page
     post "/users/settings/confirm-email", UserSettingsController, :confirm_email
     post "/auth/google/link", GoogleAuthController, :start_link
diff --git a/test/who_need_help/support_and_content_removal_test.exs b/test/who_need_help/support_and_content_removal_test.exs
index eb658f4..2f90a89 100644
--- a/test/who_need_help/support_and_content_removal_test.exs
+++ b/test/who_need_help/support_and_content_removal_test.exs
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelp.SupportAndContentRemovalTest do
     assert Repo.exists?(
              from event in AuditEvent,
                where:
-                 event.action == "support_request.created" and
+                 event.action == "support_request.contact_verified" and
                    event.target_id == ^request.id
            )
   end
diff --git a/test/who_need_help/trust_safety_test.exs b/test/who_need_help/trust_safety_test.exs
index 6ad9ad4..40e2e0b 100644
--- a/test/who_need_help/trust_safety_test.exs
+++ b/test/who_need_help/trust_safety_test.exs
@@ -677,6 +677,33 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelp.TrustSafetyTest do
            )
   end
 
+  test "audit storage keeps security decisions and skips routine lifecycle events", context do
+    assert {:ok, :not_audited} =
+             Trust.audit(
+               context.requester.id,
+               "request.created",
+               "request",
+               Ecto.UUID.generate()
+             )
+
+    refute Repo.exists?(from event in AuditEvent, where: event.action == "request.created")
+
+    target_id = Ecto.UUID.generate()
+
+    assert {:ok, %AuditEvent{} = event} =
+             Trust.audit(
+               context.requester.id,
+               "user.blocked",
+               "user",
+               target_id
+             )
+
+    assert event.action == "user.blocked"
+    assert event.target_id == target_id
+    assert Trust.retained_audit_action?("user.blocked")
+    refute Trust.retained_audit_action?("request.created")
+  end
+
   test "restricted moderators lose authorization and moderators cannot suspend administrators",
        context do
     admin = staff_user_fixture([:admin], display_name: "Administrator")
diff --git a/test/who_need_help/workers/expire_requests_test.exs b/test/who_need_help/workers/expire_requests_test.exs
index f26864a..22dd55f 100644
--- a/test/who_need_help/workers/expire_requests_test.exs
+++ b/test/who_need_help/workers/expire_requests_test.exs
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelp.Workers.ExpireRequestsTest do
                    event.target_id in ^request_ids
              ),
              :count
-           ) == 12
+           ) == 0
 
     assert {:ok, %{expired: 0}} = ExpireRequests.perform(%Oban.Job{})
   end
diff --git a/test/who_need_help_web/controllers/notification_open_controller_test.exs b/test/who_need_help_web/controllers/notification_open_controller_test.exs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..86098d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/who_need_help_web/controllers/notification_open_controller_test.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+defmodule WhoNeedHelpWeb.NotificationOpenControllerTest do
+  use WhoNeedHelpWeb.ConnCase, async: true
+
+  alias WhoNeedHelp.Notifications
+  alias WhoNeedHelp.Notifications.Notification
+  alias WhoNeedHelp.Repo
+
+  import WhoNeedHelp.AccountsFixtures
+
+  test "marks an owned notification as read without redirecting", %{conn: conn} do
+    user = user_fixture()
+
+    {:ok, notification} =
+      Notifications.notify_user(user.id, %{
+        kind: :support_update,
+        title: "Support request updated",
+        body: "Open the latest support response.",
+        path: "/support",
+        idempotency_key: "notification-open-controller:#{Ecto.UUID.generate()}"
+      })
+
+    conn = conn |> log_in_user(user) |> post(~p"/notifications/#{notification.id}/opened")
+
+    assert response(conn, 204) == ""
+    assert Repo.get!(Notification, notification.id).read_at
+  end
+
+  test "does not reveal or update another user's notification", %{conn: conn} do
+    user = user_fixture()
+    other_user = user_fixture()
+
+    {:ok, notification} =
+      Notifications.notify_user(other_user.id, %{
+        kind: :support_update,
+        title: "Private support update",
+        body: "This belongs to another account.",
+        path: "/support",
+        idempotency_key: "notification-open-controller:#{Ecto.UUID.generate()}"
+      })
+
+    conn = conn |> log_in_user(user) |> post(~p"/notifications/#{notification.id}/opened")
+
+    assert response(conn, 404) == ""
+    refute Repo.get!(Notification, notification.id).read_at
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/who_need_help_web/live/mutual_aid_live_test.exs b/test/who_need_help_web/live/mutual_aid_live_test.exs
index 99cb847..b6dee4b 100644
--- a/test/who_need_help_web/live/mutual_aid_live_test.exs
+++ b/test/who_need_help_web/live/mutual_aid_live_test.exs
@@ -80,10 +80,10 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelpWeb.MutualAidLiveTest do
     assert html =~ "Support request updated"
     assert html =~ "1 unread"
 
-    view |> element("button[phx-click='mark-all-read']") |> render_click()
-    assert render(view) =~ "0 unread"
-    assert Notifications.unread_count(scope) == 0
-    assert Repo.get!(WhoNeedHelp.Notifications.Notification, notification.id).read_at
+    assert has_element?(
+             view,
+             "a[href='/support'][phx-hook='NotificationLink'][data-open-url='/notifications/#{notification.id}/opened'][data-notification-id='#{notification.id}']"
+           )
 
     view
     |> element("a[href='/notifications?section=settings']")