Prolific Academic Survey Alerts

MollyR

Are you on a static or a dynamic IP address?  If dynamic (as most people are), then the easiest way to change it is to reboot your router, giving it five to ten minutes' downtime - when it reconnects it will hopefully be using a different IP address.  If you have a static IP, you will need to speak to your ISP about having it changed;  mine (with Plusnet) was identifying itself as being in France, so I got them to change it to one which was clearly in the UK.

You can check your IP address at https://www.whatsmyip.org/.

willowcat27

Thanks for the quick reply MollyR - I checked my IP using your link and it is based where I live so that's no problem.  Not sure about the static/dynamic thingy.  I'll try turning the router of and on like you said.  If the IP changes does that mean it's dynamic.    I put in a request using there help system and it gave a few other things which might help.  One was to use the latest version of Chrome which when I looked did need updating, so I've done that.

Do you know how quick it is after making these changes that Prolific lets you back in?

libra10

I am also with Plusnet, and had similar problems with another survey site.  Unplugging the router seemed to make no difference, and the survey site could offer no other way to fix the problem other than contacting my ISP.  They suggested using my mobile data, which I did and it worked, enabling me to complete their surveys.
The survey site is now accessible and I can now do their surveys, but it took a while.

willowcat27

willowcat27 said:

Thanks for the quick reply MollyR - I checked my IP using your link and it is based where I live so that's no problem.  Not sure about the static/dynamic thingy.  I'll try turning the router of and on like you said.  If the IP changes does that mean it's dynamic.    I put in a request using there help system and it gave a few other things which might help.  One was to use the latest version of Chrome which when I looked did need updating, so I've done that.

Do you know how quick it is after making these changes that Prolific lets you back in?

Hopefully it's been sorted.  I just saw another study pop up and I got a place and it all went through ok - no error codes popped up this time. I was in a state of panic for a minute there.  

MollyR

That's good, willowcat.  If your IP was different before and after rebooting the router it means you are on a dynamic IP address, and that will have done the trick. 

I think that Prolific's objection to certain IPs will be automatic, rather than based on a human examining it - so when you accessed it from your new IP address it will not have triggered the block.

Makingabobor2

On the subject of IP addresses. I have found that every time we go away and I am using the wifi where we are staying, I don't get any studies pop up at all for the whole week. This has happened more than once, so not just a coincidence. 

Zuzi

Is being on a UK-based IP address a prerequisite for participating in the surveys? Aren't there sometimes surveys where it's to some degree irrelevant where the participants are?

I have had surveys in foreign languages (that I can speak), although the one may not be related to the other obviously. Just wondering whether it even makes sense to check Prolific if I go abroad for a week or two? Based on the comment from @Makingabobor2 above, probably not?

MollyR

I've only been using Prolific since just before the first lockdown, so I haven't tried to use it from anywhere but the UK yet;  but it could be that because French IP addresses are used a lot by spammers, they objected that my Plusnet IP was connected to France - I just don't know.

Value

If you're a participant from the UK you can only access studies while in the UK - Can I access studies while on holiday abroad? – Participant Help Centre (prolific.co)

I've also noticed that if I use a VPN in the UK or abroad I don't get any studies for that period of time either.

Makingabobor2

Zuzi said:

Is being on a UK-based IP address a prerequisite for participating in the surveys? Aren't there sometimes surveys where it's to some degree irrelevant where the participants are?

I have had surveys in foreign languages (that I can speak), although the one may not be related to the other obviously. Just wondering whether it even makes sense to check Prolific if I go abroad for a week or two? Based on the comment from @Makingabobor2 above, probably not?

My stays away are all UK, not abroad