May 28, 2020 10:35:34 AM Edited Jun 4, 2020 02:37:41 PM by Lena E
May 28, 2020 10:35:34 AM Edited Jun 4, 2020 02:37:41 PM by Lena E
As noted in our original post we are making changes to our Terms of Service (TOS) regarding communicating on and outside of Upwork.
We understand that not sharing contact information prior to starting a contract is a very real change for how both freelancers and clients use the Upwork platform. Many of you in the Community have shared your concerns in our previous thread which amassed a significant amount of comments burying many of your questions and our replies.
We have created this thread to better highlight and answer your specific questions. We are actively exploring opportunities to improve our product features, tools, communications, and education to better meet user needs.
UPDATE 6/4/20:
On May 26, 2020, we announced upcoming changes to our Terms of Service that will require users to conduct all pre-contract conversations through the Upwork platform.
We understand that many of you have questions and concerns about this change, and we want to let you know we have heard you. We also want to clarify the new requirements, which will go into effect on June 26.
We know at times it is necessary for a freelancer or client to provide an email address so the other party can gain access to critical systems (for example, an ad analytics account, code repository, etc.). This access allows a freelancer to review a project prior to a contract so they can determine if they have the needed skills, how many hours it will take, etc.
Because the Terms of Service changes are about preventing off-platform communication (rather than blocking freelancers from reviewing projects in advance), we are making the following exception:
Users may share email addresses for the sole purpose of providing access to a system that contains information about the project. If the system can be accessed without sharing an email address (such as via a link), it should be shared that way.
If an email address is provided, it should not be used for any communications, including discussions about the project, until a contract is in place. Off-platform communication creates a risk of scam, fraud, other harmful behaviors, and can lead to circumvention, which is a violation of our Terms of Service.
As always, email addresses cannot be requested or shared in a profile, proposal, invite, or job post.
For more information, please see:
Other helpful articles:
May 28, 2020 10:50:59 AM by Jay D
I have asked this on previous threads but must have been missed.
Sometimes just a screenshare isn't enough. We need to give/gain access (mouse/keyboard control) to the other person like TemViewer / AnyDesk does, so that we/they can perform some actions on the other device - a use case would be to ask a freelancer to demonstrate that they have understood the process and can operate a private software as required. Having an access would be unavoidable in such case - a screen sharing is not enough!
May 28, 2020 10:53:55 AM by Adam P
Jun 16, 2020 06:15:36 AM by Andrei H
Jun 16, 2020 08:58:06 AM by Vladimir G
Hi Andrei,
Thanks for your question. In case of existing clients, you may use any communication methods you choose to discuss new engagements. However, when communications (and work) stay on our platform we can better track, verify, and help address any issues that emerge.
Jun 16, 2020 12:58:40 PM Edited Jun 16, 2020 01:01:59 PM by Nichola L
My impression was that Maria was not asking for specific information. I think we would all like to know how it is - given assurances of privacy - that someone is allowed to enter stealthily into a chat room. The link does not appear to cover that, or if it does, I have missed it.
Of course if you are not allowed to answer the question about stealth visits in general terms, then there is no more to be said. Just one more doubt to add to the debit column.
Jun 16, 2020 01:01:19 PM by Maria T
Nichola L wrote:My impression was that Maria was not asking for specific information. I think we would all like to know how it is - given assurances of privacy - that someone is allowed to enter stealthily into a chat room. The link does not appear to cover that, or if it does, I have missed it.
Of course if you are not allowed to answer the question about stealth visits in general terms, then there is no more to be said. Just one more doubt to add to the debit column.
Thanks for the clarification of my comment Nichola!
May 28, 2020 10:55:02 AM Edited May 28, 2020 11:22:54 AM by Alex T
May 28, 2020 11:38:09 AM by Lena E
Hi Alex,
Many of your questions have been answered in the post. If a client needs to send a large file they can use a filesharing service that doesn't require an email. We also have Dropbox integrated already in Upwork Messages. You can share links to any of your portfolios and sites as long as they don't require an email for the other party to access them. Also, the Video/voice feature in Messages already has a screen share function.
-Lena
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