Please advise on ToS Compliance

[75fd64c5]

Hi guys,

New here and still feeling around. Admin and expert community members please assist.

I have a line in my work sample documents uploaded into my portfolio section that has my email address.

The line is:

-"Comments & Questions: my email address                         Transactions via Upwork platform"-

I remember reading in some post that it is ok if in the portfolio not the proposal so I need a confirmation on this. For clarity, I have no intentions of dealings outside of Upwork for my own protection and privacy. The email is only meant for questions pertaining to that particular work sample. 

I thank you in advance for your answers,

Aaren A

[kashifanzar]

Hi Aaren,

Using anything that can lead clients outside of Upwork is prohibited.

Adding an email to your portfolio can result in a ban, so my suggestion is to remove it and instead, add your username.

Thanks, Kashif

[5fd3c6f8]

Mr. Aaren, quickly remove this email from the portfolio. On the other hand, your account will be suspended as soon as possible.

3 days ago, my account was blocked for the same reason. But the contact number on the business card was unreal, it was my justification. After explaining my justification to the support, they restored my account back. If The contact number on business card would real, they wouldn't restore my account.

Please, understand that your situation is very strict, remove it quicky.

(If you got answer with this explanation, give me solution.)

[sofia2008]

You also need to remove your mailing address from your profile as it violates ToS.

[75fd64c5]

Thank you for everyone who took the time to answer thus far.

Please would someone from Upwork admin also weigh in on this for clarity and confirmation. Reply or DM me. I truly appreciate it.

Aaren A

[LuiggiR · Accepted solution]

Hi Aaren,

Thanks for your question. While we allow sharing links to external portfolios with your potential clients and understand that some of those links may contain contact information, we do not allow sharing your contact information within portfolio items uploaded to your public profile. It would be best if you blurred/removed the contact information displayed in your portfolio item.

In all cases, you should always keep all pre-contract communication on Upwork. Feel free to see this article for more information.

[billkearney]

Is this still true? According to a new pop-up I received on the Upwork Messages desktop app today, it appears all links will be blocked in pre-contract communication, including any external portfolios. As a video company, this removes the ability for us to show any work examples pre-contract through our curated portfolios and we'd have to resort to direct MP4 uploads through the message window, which is very clunky. Of course, portfolios are an important part of most freelancer/agency bids and proposal processes.

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/360049608113-Sharing-Information-on-Upwork

The above article doesn't agree with the new pop-up on the Messages app today. I can't seem to find any other information on this in forum searches, or reproduce the image pop-up in order to share what it said exactly.

[the-right-writer]

Because you are new, you need to read everything about how to use Upwork. If a client has questions, they can message you through Upwork, not in your private messaging, until a contract is in place. Please read this post, and follow every link.

Re-read the Terms of Service and pay special attention to the Red Flags from Wes on Scams. Scammers target new and inexperienced freelancers, and it is your responsibility to avoid them. The single biggest mistake freelancers make is going outside the platform before a contract is in place.

Your profile needs work, it is too long, and doesn't address the client's needs. Clients who search only see the first short sentence. Clients who look at your profile need something to hook them. I don't mean some wild claim, I mean what you will do for the client no one else can or will. Also, your title has too many skills in it, and needs two or three at the most. Focus on what you do best. You can create specialized profiles, in your profile, to showcase work and skills specific to one area.

I know you have put work into your profile, and I'm not taking away from that effort. However, these days online with any platform, the better and more professional your profile, the more clients you will have and fewer scammers.

If you want to notify a moderator here, click on the three vertical dots in the right-hand corner of your post. There is a drop down menu with "notify moderator" at the bottom.

[williamtcooper]

Aaren,

Remove the email address immediately so you don't get removed from this site.

[75fd64c5]

Thank you all for assisting.

Thank you Luiggi R moderator for clarifying the matter.

I'd like to add that if the wording was specifically clear in the Upwork support article then there wouldn't have been room for my misinterpretation of it. I've attached a screenshot of the relevant support article with this reply. If it had said "Freelancers might include contact information directly in their external portfolios. It's still ok to share." instead of how its worded now without the word external that i just added above. In which case I wouldn't have misunderstood even if I just skimmed through it. I own my mistake and will rectify immediately with my portfolio renewed latest by tomorrow, in the meantime, I'd appreciate if you please don't flag it, Mr. Luiggi and colleagues, thank you.

Finally,  a big thank you to Jeanne H. for taking the time to view my profile and type out your feedback, it's always nice to see people willing to spend some time to help others, especially in these days when most have forgotten that we humans are not solitary animals.

All the best to everyone here, thank you.

Aaren A.

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[75fd64c5]

Ok, rectified mistake, removed email and replaced with "Comment & Questions via Upwork platform" like they don't already know that.

Thank you everyone for assisting a newcomer.

And hats off to William T C, for a newcomer like me in Upwork (though not in life), it's like an ant looking up hearing the voice of a giant 🙂 thank you!

Aaren A