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Policy: Ratings and Feedback
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Feedback is essential to the proper functioning of oDesk’s marketplace. We believe that two-way feedback improves the overall quality of the network and ensures the best possible matches between Buyers and Providers. We believe that anyone submitting feedback on another User should treat the other User with respect, courtesy and professionalism. We also ask that all Users seek to understand the reasons for success or failure of an assignment before assigning feedback to the other person. Please remember that feedback becomes part of a person's public profile and is critical to their reputation and credibility and, therefore, their ability to successfully continue as a productive participant on oDesk.
oDesk reserves the right to delete any derogatory or offensive comments that are posted about other Users. You acknowledge and agree that the oDesk Marketplace will contain public feedback from Users with whom you have transacted. You acknowledge that feedback results for you may consist of comments and ratings left by other Users and that oDesk may calculate a composite feedback number based on these individual ratings. oDesk provides its feedback and rating system as a means through which Users can express their opinions publicly and oDesk does not monitor or censor these opinions or investigate any remarks posted by Users for accuracy or reliability unless a User brings the posting to oDesk’s attention. You may be held legally responsible for damages suffered by other oDesk Users or third parties as a result of these remarks if a court finds that these remarks are legally actionable or defamatory. oDesk is not legally responsible for any feedback or comments posted or made available on the oDesk Marketplace by any Users or third parties, even if that information is defamatory or otherwise legally actionable.
You agree to report violations or abuses of our rating and feedback system immediately by contacting Customer Support.
You agree not to take any actions that undermine the integrity of the feedback system, including but not limited to the following:
- Falsifying feedback for yourself or another User, by any means, to artificially raise the level of your own feedback or create negative feedback for another User.
- Manipulating or coercing another User to perform a given task by threatening to leave negative feedback or withholding deliverables or funds until another User agrees to leave positive feedback or no feedback.
- Offering to sell or buy Services in exchange for good feedback, trading feedback undeservedly or buying feedback.
oDesk reserves the right to remove any feedback from the system at any time, including but not limited to feedback:
- that contains language that is profane, vulgar, racist or contains adult material.
- submitted by a User who is either in violation of any of oDesk’s policies or agreement or has conducted any fraudulent transaction.
- that is not directly related to transactions conducted through oDesk.
- that makes any reference to actions taken or purported to be taken by oDesk or any law enforcement organization.
- When oDesk is provided with a ruling or settlement agreement from a valid and certified dispute resolution service or is provided with a court order finding that the disputed feedback is slanderous, libelous, defamatory or otherwise illegal.
- The User who left feedback provided oDesk with false contact information during the transaction period (as verified by oDesk) and cannot be contacted by oDesk.
- The User who left feedback is participating in an oDesk transaction with the intent of leaving feedback as part of a campaign to harass oDesk member(s) (as verified by oDesk).
- Negative feedback that was intended for another User only when the User responsible for the mistaken feedback contacts oDesk and places the same feedback for the appropriate User. This does not apply to feedback that was mistakenly marked negative instead of positive or vice versa, in which case the User should enable changes to have the feedback corrected by the party who made the mistake.
We respect the privacy of our Users and would like to give every User a chance to build their oDesk reputation. Users can choose whether to display or hide the qualitative components of feedback. However, the quantitative assessment of a User’s performance on an assignment will always be displayed. The quantitative component includes a 1-5 ranking on 6 different categories, including skills, quality, availability, deadlines, communication and cooperation.
We understand that some Users would prefer full disclosure of all feedback, but given the personal nature of the feedback and the right of every User to build their credibility and reputation through the oDesk network, we've allowed all Users to decide which comments will be displayed publicly on their profile. We believe that the comments on feedback forms should be treated as an opportunity to leave a public testimonial of performance.
oDesk allows Buyers or Providers to end any existing assignment at any time. When either party ends an assignment, that User will be required to leave feedback on the other party. Once an assignment is ended by one party, the other party will be notified that the assignment has ended and will be asked to provide feedback. The feedback will not be made publicly available until both parties submit feedback or until 14 days have passed, whichever is sooner. We have opted to keep the feedback hidden until both have been submitted in an effort to ensure the most accurate, open and honest assessments possible.
The feedback system is double-blind. You cannot see whether feedback has left for you or what it is until you leave feedback for the other party (or 14 days pass).
If you have a serious complaint about feedback that has been left for you, please contact Customer Support. oDesk does reserve the right to remove any feedback from the system. If you would like your dispute to be considered by oDesk, please include a detailed discussion of the assignment and a written statement of why you feel the feedback is unfair and/or inappropriate given the guidelines above.
All polices are subject to the oDesk Marketplace User Agreement. Any capitalized term undefined in this Policy shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the oDesk Marketplace User Agreement.
Violation of these guidelines may result in suspension or termination of your account. If you are aware of a potential violation, please contact Customer Support.
For further clarification or if you have any questions about a specific policy, please contact Customer Support.
