Permanently prevent a specific participant from entering any of your future studies.
How to Blacklist
This option is only available for submissions you have already rejected.
Workflow
- After rejecting a submission, click the menu icon (three dots) for that participant
- Select "Add to Blacklist"
- Confirm your decision
Effect
The participant is added to your personal, permanent exclusion list for all future studies across all of your projects. This action does not affect their ability to participate in studies from other researchers on the platform.
⚠️ Prerequisites
You must first reject a participant's submission before the blacklist option becomes available. This ensures the decision is based on actual performance.
When to Use Blacklisting
Serious Quality Issues
- Repeated poor quality: Participants who consistently submit low-quality work across multiple studies
- Fraudulent behavior: Participants who provide false information or attempt to cheat
- Gaming the system: Participants who try to complete studies without following instructions
- Attention check failures: Participants who systematically fail attention checks
Conduct Issues
- Disruptive behavior: Participants who violate platform guidelines
- Inappropriate content: Participants who submit offensive or inappropriate responses
- Communication problems: Participants who are abusive or threatening in their interactions
💡 Use Sparingly
Blacklisting should be reserved for serious quality or conduct issues. Consider whether additional feedback, a warning, or reversing a rejection might be more appropriate for minor issues.
Scope of Blacklisting
What It Affects
- Your studies only: Affects only your future studies, not other researchers' studies
- All your projects: Applies across all projects in your account
- Future studies only: Does not affect currently active studies
- Permanent duration: The blacklist is permanent and cannot be easily reversed
What It Doesn't Affect
- The participant's ability to join other researchers' studies
- The participant's current or past payments from you
- The participant's overall platform standing
- Studies already in progress
Impact on Participant Pool
Blacklisting reduces your potential participant pool. Use this feature judiciously to maintain access to quality participants while filtering out problematic ones.
Best Practices
Documentation
- Keep detailed records: Document exactly why each participant was blacklisted
- Save evidence: Preserve screenshots or examples of poor-quality work
- Track patterns: Note if multiple participants from the same source show similar issues
- Review periodically: Assess whether your blacklisting criteria are appropriate
Decision Making
- Be consistent: Apply the same standards to all participants
- Consider context: Account for potential technical issues or misunderstandings
- Give chances: Consider warnings or feedback before blacklisting for first-time issues
- Review systemic issues: If many participants have similar problems, examine your study design
Alternatives to Blacklisting
Less Severe Options
- Detailed feedback: Provide specific guidance to help participants improve
- Bonus compensation: Pay for partial work if technical issues occurred
- Rejection reversal: Reconsider your decision if new information emerges
- Study design improvements: Address issues that may be causing participant confusion
⚠️ Cannot Be Easily Undone
Blacklisting is a permanent action that requires significant justification to reverse. Make sure you have thoroughly considered your decision before proceeding.