At Prolific, honest participants are the foundation of great research. Authenticity checks help protect that trust by flagging submissions that real people didn't complete themselves.
Authenticity checks are technology-enabled checks that help researchers spot answers that didn't come from you, or submissions completed by automated tools instead of a real person.
The checks look at how you complete a study, not what you write. They don't judge your opinions or your wording.
These checks protect the integrity of research on our platform, so honest participants like you can keep taking part in quality studies.
How do authenticity checks work?
Authenticity checks look at how you complete a study, not the content of your answers. If we spot patterns that suggest a submission wasn't completed by you, we may flag it for the researcher to review.
Good news: our checks are highly accurate. We wrongly flag just 0.6% of genuine submissions, so if you're answering honestly, you have very little to worry about.
Will authenticity checks read my responses?
No, authenticity checks don't examine what you've written. Your privacy remains a top priority.
When are authenticity checks used?
Like attention checks, authenticity checks are optional. Researchers choose whether to include them in their studies, so not every study uses them.
When can researchers use authenticity checks?
Researchers must use authenticity checks responsibly. If a study genuinely requires you to research or use external sources, researchers shouldn't apply these checks to those questions.
Researchers can't reject your submission for using external sources or tools if their study explicitly asks you to.
What happens if my submission is flagged?
If we flag a submission, you'll get a warning. It lets you know what's happened and asks you to make sure future answers come directly from you, in your own words.
If we see repeated flags, we may temporarily restrict you from taking part in studies. You'll see a message that says "You can't take studies right now," with a timer showing when you can take part again. Once the timer ends, you can take studies as normal.
If you're restricted, you'll need to wait for the timer to end. Our support team can't lift or shorten a restriction, so there's no need to contact them about it. Restrictions are temporary, and you can take studies as normal afterward.
What should I do if I believe my submission has been flagged in error?
Sometimes a flag happens in error, and flags aren't permanent. A flag is a signal for the researcher to review, not a decision. We don't add a permanent warning to your account.
If we flagged a submission but the researcher approved it, you don't need to do anything.
If a researcher rejected your submission with the reason "Failed authenticity check":
Message the researcher through Prolific and explain what happened, clearly and respectfully
Ask them to review the rejection, since the decision is theirs
Follow our rejection dispute process if you can't resolve it with them
You don't need to contact support to remove a flag or lift a restriction. If you're restricted, wait for the timer to end. For a rejection, the dispute process is the right route.
We never put an account on hold because of authenticity check flags without a deep manual review by a person on our team first. If you're answering honestly, you have very little to worry about.
Tips for a smooth experience
Read study instructions carefully. They'll tell you when you can and can't use external sources
Share your own thoughts and opinions. Your authentic perspective is what researchers value most
Complete studies yourself, without automated tools or scripts
If you're not comfortable with a study's requirements, you can always return it without penalty
Our commitment to fair participation
At Prolific, we're committed to an environment where honest participants thrive. Authenticity checks help us maintain research quality, so participants like you can keep making valuable contributions to research.