As part of Prolific's commitment to protecting participant privacy, we only keep personal data for as long as necessary.
If your account has been inactive for over 12 months or you have been on the waitlist for an extended period, we'll send you a deletion notice via email. Following the steps in that email will keep your records active. However, if you take no action, your details will be permanently deleted, and we cannot guarantee future access to a Prolific participant account. This means:
Your account cannot be recovered
Any unclaimed balance will be forfeited
Your account history will be permanently erased
All details from your About you page will be deleted
What happens if I don't use my account?
If your account has been inactive for over 12 months, or you've been on the waitlist for an extended period, we'll send a data retention notice to your registered email address. This email lets you know that your account is at risk of deletion and gives you the opportunity to take action to keep it active.
To make sure you don't miss this important email, we recommend adding Prolific to your safe sender list or contacts. Retention notices can sometimes end up in spam or junk folders, so it's worth taking a moment to add [email protected] to your contacts.
It's also worth keeping in mind that any balance sitting in your Prolific account won't gain interest the way it would in a bank account, so we recommend cashing out regularly rather than letting it accumulate. Please also be aware that cashing out large amounts can take longer to process than smaller withdrawals.
I received an email about my details being deleted soon. What should I do?
If you haven’t logged into Prolific for a while, you may receive an email asking you to log in. By simply logging in, you can ensure your details are kept on record so that you can come back anytime you wish.
If you want your account deleted, no action is required, your account will be deleted on the date specified in the email.
Important: You’ll have to complete this ahead of the date quoted in the email, otherwise your details will be deleted.
I'm having trouble logging. What can I do?
If you're having trouble accessing your account, you can follow the below step-by-step guides:
Please note, if your account is currently on hold, signing in won’t change your account’s status, but it will prevent your account from being deleted.
If you continue to experience issues logging in, see I can't log in to my account
I missed the deadline in the email. What can I do?
Unfortunately, we cannot reinstate an account once it is closed or deleted under any circumstances, so we are unable to offer you a new Prolific account in this case.
What happens to my balance?
If your account is deleted while you still have a balance, any unclaimed balance will be forfeited. This includes payable balance and studies awaiting approval. To receive your balance, log in before the date quoted in the email. You'll then be able to cash out.
I'm on the waitlist. Will this impact me?
Yes. If you've been on the waitlist for a while without receiving or accepting an invitation, you'll receive an email. To renew your interest, simply follow these steps:
Click the button in the email
Confirm the email address you used to register for Prolific's waitlist on the following page
Hit enter
While we can't specify exact invitation timing, we continuously review our waitlist based on researcher needs and participant demographics.
Important: You’ll have to complete this ahead of the date quoted in the email, otherwise your details will be deleted. You can re-register for the waitlist if you wish.
Related resources:
1. How will you use my personal data
2. Data protection and privacy/GDPR