ATTN. GARNOR -- oDesk Community Managers: ADDED: No reply publicly or privately as of May 1, 2015 (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
I received a similar message via the oDesk core site messaging system with the same subject "Freelancing reimagined - A new way to win more work online!"; except it was from someone named "Belinda" not "Jemma" as shown in the image (since removed by Community Mods I.A.W. Community guidelines) included with the original, oDesk Community post.
Since my oDesk messages are forwarded to my personal email system, I first thought the email was an "official" email from someone that works "officially" for oDesk (either in-house or remote). Seeing the message again in the actual oDesk core site messaging system, I noticed that it was not related to any job posting.
QUESTIONS: Does Belinda, Jemma, or both individuals officially work for oDesk either in-house or remote? Can persons that do officially work for oDesk send members (clients and freelancers) messages via the oDesk core site messaging system without a related job posting? Are the messages in question officially from oDesk?
I have requested on numerous occasions that persons officially working for oDesk, either in-house or remote, be required by an official oDesk "established and documented" internal policy to sign their communications, as a minimum, with their first name, last name, and their oDesk title or position (Also, refrain from including salutations with random, unneeded slogans, tag lines, and other non-standard [unapproved] notations). In other words, use professional style saluatations in officlal oDesk wriitings.
In addition, as a reminder, many Community members have requested that an icon or similar graphic be added to Community members' appearing in the Community in cases where they work in-house or remote officlally for oDesk (this includes "quest" contributors and other non-management roles). Such designations are needed so that members (clients and freelancers) can distinguish various roles e.g., gurus, leaders, etc,) from those that work officlally on behalf of oDesk.
QUESTIONS: Does oDesk trade publicly via a US based stock exchange, or is venture capital acquired thru private investments? In the former case, is oDesk subject to the "Sarbanes Oxley act 2002"? Albeit a grey area, are not the disclosures discussed herein required by the US FTC (similar to requirements for other US owned websites, blogs, etc.)? Has the official oDesk messaging system been SPAMMED? Whether yes or no to the previous question, is oDesk subject to PCI DSS Data Security Standards? Again, whether yes or no, are members' (clients and freelancers) confidential data (credit cards, etc.) stored on the same servers / systems as the oDesk core site and Community?
Please note that in the past, I have tried to obtain answers to many of my questions via non-open channels and my own research to no avail.... Please feel free to answer publicly or privately.
UPDATED May 1, 2015: As of this date, based on oDesk replies in this thread, oDesk does not yet know the facts surrounding the main topic of this thread; hence no affiliation officially claimed by oDesk. ADDED Question: After further research, I must ask is Elance, oDesk, or both (or its owners, management, etc.) affiliated in any way with the website referenced in the message received via oDesk that this thread is about?
UPDATED May 1, 2015: Although my questions in this post are relevant to the issue(s) brought forward in this thread (e.g., questions involving official information from oDesk (core site and Community roles), disclosures, security, regulatory requirements (governmental, industry, and other requirements), and other pertinent questions), once again I have not received any replies from oDesk whether publicly or privately.
ADDED May 1, 2015: No sense in starting another thread regarding another issue relating to the oDesk messaging system, emails, and other information sent by oDesk: Today, I received a flood of emails from oDesk that were duplicates of emails about payment method conformations and withdrawal confirmations dating back from March 2010 to November 2012. Now, what [who] prompted that activity? Not me....
Being SPAMMED by oDesk? An attempt by a person or persons to flood personal email? Does the site use a firewall and filters to control both incoming and outgoing email and messenging? Site allows open mail relay perhaps? (nah, no one is that careless). Failure to adequately control these things could result in the site being blacklisted!
ADDED May 1, 2015: Regarding this thread and the website in question, although the social media and other Internet marketing methods are gray-hat at best, the site itself seems harmless and is just another of the many start-ups attempting to join those engaged in serving the freelance marketplace. If they have the financial resources needed to succeed, they might eventually become a real player in that market (My estimates: investment of $250+ and 3 years to ROI). Some of the writings on that site appear to have specifically targeted oDesk freelancers -- using examples of negative issues affecting freelancers yet without actually mentioning oDesk.
Member Since: Mar 6, 2014
