Using Upwork to populate a survey

[thekohser]

I am a freelancer who provides full-service market research functions (like questionnaire design, sample management, data collection, analysis, and reporting). I'm starting to grow disappointed with how many agencies are using the Upwork platform to essentially "hire" a freelancer (for $5 or $10) to complete a web survey as a respondent.

First, it will cost the freelancer a number of Connects to submit a "proposal". Second, Upwork will be taking its cut from this transaction. And third, I don't see how this is in any way a legitimately "representative" sampling technique, unless the study's sponsor is specifically interested in learning about virtual freelancers.

To me, it just feels like this is an abuse of what the Upwork platform was intended to nurture. We are not Amazon Mechanical Turk here, in other words. Anyone agree?

**Edited for community guidelines**