General Topic
Being punished for honesty
Elizabeth T 39609624-Sep-23 10:21 am
This happens more often than not and happens more often in surveys.
I just sat through a 1 hour survey (which the screener said was going to be a 20 minute survey) and at the end after watching the content, responding with the bar that you move up and down for how much you like it, answering all their questions (including lots of lengthy text based responses) AND their questions to prove you were actually paying attention...I got screened out at the end (where I was given the opportunity to evaluate the survey) and I selected (which was an option) that the survey was too long and gave it a rating of 1. Surveys should not be allowed to screen you out when they have wasted so much of your valuable time.
One other survey I did a long time ago asked me to sign a petition at the end in order to complain about an issue, and because I refused, I was screened out (after spending 30-40 minutes on the survey).
Then there are the usual surveys that ask you to answer a million question on scales of strongly dislike to like and if you are not giving them the answers they are looking for (as some surveys are more interested in getting data they want instead of a true representation of what the populous thinks) you are screened out about half way through or right at the end because you are NOT who they are looking for based on your answers. Again, highly unfair and many times you don't get ANY compensation just time wasted.
It is sad that this is how society treats people too (ie whistleblowers and anyone else giving honest opinions) and this attitude is just meanly reflected in surveys when they say they want your honesty but burn you for giving it.
Please share your experiences where you have been burned for your honesty.
Comments
  • Dawn B 1183336
    I get that a lot too. If They don't want your honesty then don't ask.
    • allin
      馃榿
      • eLee
        OH MY GOODNESS.. I hear ya... My favourite survey site (which never had any of those issues), changed ownership, and suddenly it was nothing but all those issues...arrrgh! So, as I grew more n more frustrated, I began messaging the site to complain and request them to reward me my well-earned points. They rewarded me for the first couple, then stopped responding, and finally, just stopped sending me surveys all together.!! :o There are times where there just isn't enough swear-words available ;p
        • Elizabeth T 396096
          Funny how quickly good sites turn to bad (or they seem to be good until you go to cash out). One horrible site I used to be a member of initially had a $10 minimum cash out. That changed to $15, then $20 then $30 and then $50 and it took me ages to get to $50 (they didn't get many surveys and then when you would get the invite, you were lucky to get it as EVERYONE needed it). As soon as I got to $50, I cashed out and left the site (as did many others). Not surprisingly, that site does not exist any more.
      • Elizabeth T 396096
        And now screened out at the end of a video game survey. Why do they make you do the whole survey and then screen you out? Another waste of 20 minutes. 4c for my trouble BIG DEAL.
        • Elizabeth T 396096
          Just spent 20 minutes on what was supposed to be a 10 minute survey and it didn't credit in the end as it claimed I had done it before (which I had not). Super boring fashion survey. Wouldn't be surprised if it is a survey that I have clicked on but wasn't "live" at the time and now that it is, it thinks I have done it (or some other ridiculous reason for thinking I have done it). Not even any screen out points. If it is so sure I have done it then why didn't it kick me out BEFORE I started doing it?
          • Glenice L 1244113
            So very true! Time wasting and paltry benefits if any. It hardly ever matters what I think as they're selling the thing anyway.
            • Elizabeth T 396096
              The sad thing is that there are times when you get a higher amount of surveys that screen you out at the end or fail for some other reason in spates and droves and this goes on for days before it tapers off and normalises to "oh good, I am finally getting paid for answering questions"/
          • Chosen
            It continues because you all just keep on keeping on.
            • Debra D 624780
              I was wondering if this was only happening to me. I am sorry it is also happening to others also. It is extremely frustrating and I have a lot of patience also.
              • Debra D 624780
                Totally agree with you, happens to me too, not sure what we can do about it, I keep trying, being totally honest.
                • Mercedes 1376978
                  Totally agree with you. Answering questions and then been screened out after wasting so much time really gets me peed off. After a few questions they should screen you out not after 30 min 馃槨 waste of time
                  • Elizabeth T 396096
                    The only good thing about this is you are not alone and it has happened to many of us. It should never happen but sometimes it feels like it always happens to you (one of those days when all the surveys are naughty). On the bright side, I like Halo (the survey was Horns of the Devil as it was so long and LIED about how long it was AND it didn't credit) and it feels better to share the frustration and let it go :)
                • Kinley 1380781
                  Just did the Halo survey did say 77mins which it was, screen out at 76 minutes to yield 100 points 馃槨
                  • Elizabeth T 396096
                    This is disgusting that this survey is still doing the rounds. I just did a survey on cameras and camcorders and I was near the end and it said that the survey has been reset so "click on original invitation" and start again (this is not possible and even if it were, I am not wasting ANOTHER 10 minutes on it when I already gave them 10 minutes). Why should I start it from the start again?
                • Nala
                  I get screened out more times than I actually get to complete the survey and get the full amount of points this happens more often than I like and I've noticed the points you recieve for playing games isn't as much as I would hope for I get 1 pt for loosing bingo and sometimes 2 I don't understand the point system there
                  • View all 3 replies
                  • Emma
                    It is based on the revenue rewardia gets from the ads nala
                  • NalaEmma
                    thanks emma this I didn't know
                  • EmmaNala
                    Your welcome
                • Angel 1122052
                  Uh-huh, I've experienced that frustration too when I've actually completed a survey after ans'g conscientiously for a certain am't of points. The rsearch Co. thanks you & indicates you will be rewarded for your time. And then upon redirecting you, it gives me 1 point. It isn't right. It boils down to them getting their research & that's all they care about & when they say it's for a certain am't of mins all too often it's a good 5-15 mins more.
                  • Robert 1315955
                    All the surveys want are all positive feedback no matter how we feel so they get their kick backs. It's all about $. Very sad but VERY TRUE!
                    • Victoria 1304258
                      Totally agree with the frustration of getting kicked out with no compensation after spending so much time!! Happens all the time to me. Why don鈥檛 they ask their screen out questions at the very beginning??
                      • Megan 1387629
                        i agree 100% about the 5 min survey that takes 60 and how u shouldnt be kicked off after youve spent 45 mins for nothing I know some sites will atleast kick out 5 points and if u get kicked out after the dirst couple questions they give you 2. ..but i think thats a huge leap to compare these surveys and their authors to the mean parts of society
                        • Elizabeth T 396096
                          What I find is irritating is there are lots of surveys that do the rounds that say they are a 5 or 10 minute survey but they are not: it is the prescreen, screen and jump through hoops to prove you are not a robot to the DUMB AI that is taking 5-10 minutes.
                      • Shawn B 1061185
                        Welcome to the age of"gimme, gimme, gimme. It's all about me, he, he, he.
                        • Chosen
                          That's ok as I love me.
                      • Lee b 979050
                        What you saying tiger that honesty doesn't pay? Ofcourse it doesn't. Do the right thing for yourself
                        • Grommie
                          those end of survey cuttings off drive me nuts
                          • View all 3 replies
                          • Elizabeth T 396096
                            They should not be allowed. Really hate how many surveys are failing due to technical errors and they are either not crediting or when you reach the end of the survey, it takes you back to the beginning of the survey. Why don't they test these things before they release them live? Speaking of which... that is another problem "this survey is not live yet" so why is it listed? More often than not, because you have clicked on the link only to be told the survey is not live yet, once it is live, you won't be able to do it because the dumb AI thinks you have already done it.
                          • Chosen
                            I hope you are not allergic to nuts.
                          • GrommieChosen
                            no but they do stick in grommie's teeth when he eats a peanut brownie
                        • BLACK LIVES MATTER
                          Welcome to Capitalism
                          • View all 10 replies
                          • Elizabeth T 396096
                            I was never invited; the system has been existence for all my life. I demand a new system!!!! ROFL
                          • BLACK LIVES MATTERElizabeth T 396096
                            aka 'Life Is Never Fair For Anyone' :-(
                          • Elizabeth T 396096BLACK LIVES MATTER
                            Just finished a survey "missing session" so it didn't credit
                          • BLACK LIVES MATTERElizabeth T 396096
                            Sorry to hear that! I 'just' stop doing surveys - just not worth it anymore for me!
                          • Elizabeth T 396096BLACK LIVES MATTER
                            sadly, I do enjoy them
                          • Elizabeth T 396096BLACK LIVES MATTER
                            Just had a "session time out" at the end of a survey (typical with cint surveys) but luckily, it credited
                          • BLACK LIVES MATTERElizabeth T 396096
                            c'est la vie
                          • BLACK LIVES MATTERElizabeth T 396096
                            Bonne
                          • Elizabeth T 396096BLACK LIVES MATTER
                            and of course, a cint one that let me do it until the end only to screen me out and give me 30 points...another waste of 20 minutes. I really dislike surveys that come from cint as they are most likely to fail, most likely to have technical glitches, most likely not to credit and also most likely to "ban" you when they are the ones that are being ridiculous in their prescreens, screening, questions etc. You can get marked down and banned from their surveys if your answer was not long enough, you took too long, you didn't take long enough, your answers apparently don't match (when the real problem is the nuances in the wording of their questions which are designed to illicit differing answers to "same" and "similar" questions) All part of the fun and games. Good mental exercise. You have to laugh.
                          • BLACK LIVES MATTERElizabeth T 396096
                            OK!
                        • Teri 1282723
                          Another thing I don't like is when they ask you all the survey questions and then do the personal stuff at the end, often after several minutes of survey. I've been kicked off surveys because I don't fit the profile they want. Big waste of time.
                          • Elizabeth T 396096
                            Better to be kicked out at the beginning (even though you can often waste time getting to the survey with all the pre-survey bs of proving you are not a robot, word association games, "most likely" and "least likely", click on the top of picture a but none of the rest, click on the car etc, type this phrase...it could be a good 10 minutes before you actually get sent to a router for a survey just to give your profile. This level of proving to robots that we are human is just unacceptable. The companies that are responsible for this should be forced to live a day in a life of a survey taker to see how ludicrous and frustrating it is just to get to one survey and then let it fail for them or kick them out at the end because it was "full" or they didn't qualify. They should also ensure that those surveys contain stupid questions like how many chocolate bars have you bought in the last 3 months, how much you have spent in the last three months on groceries, bills etc, how many surveys have you done in the last 6 months and other wonderfully stupid questions that no normal person could possible answer. If you are able to answer these questions accurately then you are a savant or have a high functioning brain where remembering the name of every person you have ever met is possible (yet answering honestly to this anit-bot question will have you disqualified).
                          • Elizabeth T 396096Elizabeth T 396096
                            and my other personal favourites of "how many times have you tapped your card this month?" "how much was each transaction?" "how many direct debits do you have and what are their values?" "how many times have you used a method other than tap, which methods and how much for the last month or three months?" "how many times have you logged into online banking via desktop, phone etc and how many transactions and average value for the last 3 months?" This is another topic. Do they know or even care how stupid these questions are and how any normal person could not possibly know, remember or care to remember?
                        • Teri 1282723
                          The most annoying one I've done was likely about 25 minutes long, it was for over 800 points; at the end it said wait while we give you your points and when the girl came on the screen with her hands in the air, it said Congratulations, You won 0 points. I wrote to Rewardia about missing points and they said I must've been disqualified right at the very end. Baaahhhhh... Nothing I could do about it.
                          • View all 4 replies
                          • Elizabeth T 396096
                            This is why I don't bother complaining anywhere any more as 99% of the time they can't prove you have finished it (technical errors) or you have been screened out at the end (which is unfair) and, if you are lucky, they might give you 5c compensation for being screened out (so it is not worth any more of my time complaining about it)
                          • mary c
                            Sooooooo annoying...happens far too often here :((
                          • Elizabeth T 396096mary c
                            Not just here: every site that hosts surveys (even gamers who take surveys to earn "currency" for games complain). Why would you want to do surveys for that or even for free (chance to win) when so often, when you are paid for it (even when the amount is not good enough for the survey they give you) the surveys fail.
                          • Elizabeth T 396096
                            Just finished a survey and it didn't credit as it said "missing session" at the end of it. Too many of these these days
                        • Holly Cat
                          I've had this experience about 3 times from a survey about an upcoming movie. I didn't like any of the movies, but explained why in a detailed, objective manner. The survey still goes on for a good 30 minutes and I get screened out. I now recognize this survey at the beginning and exit it right away. I suppose they only want surveys from people who like the movie, which gives a false sense the movie will be liked by the public.
                          • Elizabeth T 396096
                            It is super annoying because things like this have been happening for decades yet none of the companies that make the surveys or companies that pay places to make the surveys care to fix it.
                          • Holly Cat
                            On a good note, on Rewardia we can take a break and play games and do the polls, etc lol. When I first joined, I thought those things were silly. Now I'm submitting silly polls :) I also like that we feel validated since we can post discussions and vent on this site and not think it's just us having the issues.
                        • Janet H 854956
                          Ditto!,
                          • APB
                            As a rule of thumb....if you have finished a survey and they ask you for final comments at the end ...NEVER DO IT....even glowing or positive ones....that is where they often throw you out...no idea why!.....
                            • Elizabeth T 396096
                              In this case, it was not optional and you had to answer multiple choice questions AND give a text based response about what you thought of the survey BEFORE it got to some more crappy profiling and other random questions.
                          • Dada WA
                            Too often when doing a survey it becomes obvious what answer they want and if you are honest and give the wrong (not what they want) answer you are screened out.
                            • Elizabeth T 396096
                              Unfortunately, this is very true. Why should people care about survey results when they are published when we, as survey takers know that because we gave the "wrong" opinion or there were already too many people who voiced that opinion, we were screened out. How can we trust what these results say when they are made public when for many surveys, the opinions are weighted to what the survey owner wants the result to show?
                          • Chosen
                            I never have a problem except where I do.
                            • View all 6 replies
                            • Elizabeth T 396096
                              "I have never made a mistake, once I thought I did, but I was wrong". LOL
                            • ChosenElizabeth T 396096
                              Two wrongs make you right.
                            • Elizabeth T 396096Chosen
                              You are on a roll ROFL
                            • ChosenElizabeth T 396096
                              Well - roll out the barrel.
                            • boy blunderChosen
                              yeah, I might bet I booted 1 in 20. I guess I don't know why ,i think i pull out of surveys more than i get booted
                            • Elizabeth T 396096boy blunder
                              I know what you mean as sometimes I just close the survey and refuse to do it before it asks me anything. This survey I did not close as it said 20 minutes, it was paying a good amount (had it paid me) and it was on a topic I liked. If the survey was honest BEFORE it got to the survey (saying it was 1 hour viewing plus questions etc, I would have closed it for 2 reasons: 1/ it wasn't paying enough for a survey of that length 2/ the longer a survey is, the more likely you will be screened out because by the time you finish it, they may have already garnered the answers they needed

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