[Please Help!] Turking from abroad while in vacation: legit?

Discussion in 'Help & Guides' started by Clozy, Jun 16, 2017.

?

Is it allowed to MTurk while in vacation abroad?

  1. Yes, no problem!

    1 vote(s)
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  2. Yes, but watch out..

    1 vote(s)
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  3. No, avoid!

    1 vote(s)
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  4. But think to enjoy your vacation, damn you..

    1 vote(s)
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  5. Banana

    1 vote(s)
    20.0%
  1. Clozy

    Clozy Well-Known Turker

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    Hello everyone! The summer is coming, and many of us might be going to spend some time abroad in vacation. I was wondering: is it allowed to work on MTurk while being abroad temporarily for a vacation?
    I know that many requesters check your IP, and if they saw you were connected from abroad they might prevent you from taking the HIT, or maybe they might reject your work, saying you weren't qualified to take it..
    My other question is: is it allowed to work through VPN or, maybe even more easily, connecting in remote to your computer in the States using software like Google Remote Desktop or whatever else program/app?
    Do we risk to have our account suspended?

    I found some answers to those same questions on Reddit but I prefer to ask here too.. Thanks! ^_^
     
  2. ChrisTurk

    ChrisTurk Administrator

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    No one will ever be able to answer this short of an mTurk employee openly coming out with a policy update on it, but I'd personally avoid it at all costs.

    Do this. This is 100% safe if you can make the setup efficient since as far as mTurk will be concerned you are "at home." VPNs will always come with the risk of leaking your IP/other identifying info, and are incredibly easy to detect anyway as originating from a VPN / corporate service (even if you setup your own through DO or such).

    But if you go from wherever you are and connect to your PC at home, so long as you load everything on the home PC, you'll be good to go. The caveat is that if your power/internet goes out at home.. well, you might be SOL unless someone can run by your house and reboot for ya.

    But yeah, enjoy your vacation!!! Haha.
     
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  3. Clozy

    Clozy Well-Known Turker

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    Hi ChrisTurk, thank you very much for your reply!
    I'll try to dig a little the TOS or maybe shot an email to the assistance (even if I doubt they might be able to answer these questions.. and anyway I wouldn't trust them, lol), but since I have the luck of having someone available to reboot my pc if needed, I think I will go with Google Remote Desktop and avoid any other risk :ay:
     
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