Prolific Academic Survey Alerts

Value

Using a VPN should mean someone can't see where you're logging in from but they can tell you're using a VPN.

The most straightforward way of checking on VPN use is to look up an IP address. There are plenty of IP address check tools that detail the IP address location. If you know someone to be based in a specific location but the IP address location is different, it’s likely they’re using a VPN. You can also use IP address checkers to see the ISP. By looking up the ISP in question, you may be able to find out if it’s associated with a particular VPN provider. If a person’s IP address changes regularly, this suggests the use of a VPN.

Some sites will block all VPN use, especially if it's from some of the more popular VPN companies.

Julezy101

Whenever I have my VPN switched on it usually assigns me another UK one (Manchester or London it seems). So it looks like Prolific detects that a VPN is being used and blocking any studies even if your IP address is a UK one.

Value

Julezy101 said:

Whenever I have my VPN switched on it usually assigns me another UK one (Manchester or London it seems). So it looks like Prolific detects that a VPN is being used and blocking any studies even if your IP address is a UK one.

Yes, that's what they're doing. I can choose a location when I use my VPN, and with one of those types of VPN I could be someone in Asia (for example) using my VPN to set my location as a particular UK city to try to participate in studies. So they seem to block all VPN usage as that's easier to do and be certain about where people are doing studies.

onemouseplace

Last AI study I had was 27 March - anyone seen any since then?  I know they do sometimes disappear for a while, but also wondering if I've been given the boot!

snowwhyte

I haven't seen any since Friday (Fact checking)

elsien

I had a spate of ones I couldn't do about a week ago as they came while I was at work, then a couple of "compare conversation" ones which I just refuse to do, but certainly nothing regular. 

Value

I had an AI one yesterday (comparing answers).

onemouseplace

snowwhyte said:

I haven't seen any since Friday (Fact checking)

OK - I think we're in the same group as we seem to get the same ones at the same time, so that fits in with what I am seeing.

Annoyingly I did just manage to get onto one of the image ones which I haven't seen in months, but I couldn't maximise my browser window enough so had to return it which was really frustrating!

snowwhyte

I haven't really done any fact checking work in weeks. I lost motivation a bit after they changed the guidelines and made it more difficult. I need to start working on it again or I could be removed from the project. 

snowwhyte

There's a fact checking study up