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Ipsos...Interesting


kit480

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I just completed a survey for Ipsos, and at the end of the survey, I was advised that they were checking my computer to see if I was doing multiple surveys from the same computer.

Also, I received an email from Valued Opinions today telling me that as of May6,2009, they were going to install, not word for word, but as I understand it, tracking software on my computer when I do their surveys. Wow, it's getting harder and harder to make a dollar on the surveys. Maybe it's the economy.

I only belong to a few survey sites, and have always been honest and upright with my answers. I admit that I feel downright insulted.

Anyone else getting these messages?

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I don't use Ipsos or Valued Opinions and from my understanding they don't pay that much. I will NEVER accept spy software from a survey company on my computer, no matter what. My dignity and information is worth more than $1. The only way I would tolerate spy software on my computer is if they paid $100 per 10 minute survey...

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Vipercat, I feel the exact same way you doabout the spyware. I made $160.00 in Amazon codes from Valued Opinions last year, and have received several Applebee's Gift cards fromIpsos, but as of May6, I will not be doing anymore Valued Opinion surveys. What a shame. I had very carefully selected only the survey sites that I thought were dependable and professional. :( . And the Amazon codes helped out a lot.

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im in both of these companies and I didnt get that email. Did the letters you received state that these changes are in their terms of use? If not then perhaps its only select members.

what is this tracking software you mentioed? is it some proggy or something similiar to neilson? either way, shady at best on their parts. will update if i receive this message.

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Surveybang, As you know, after you take a survey on Ipsos, you go to a page that offers you the Poll Predictor game. Well, after I completed my survey today, the next thing that came up was a "notice" to let me know that while I was taking the survey, that my computer was checked to see if I was taking multiple surveys on my computer. I really don't know what that means.

As for Valued Opinions, I was sent an email letting me know that on May6 that they would be installing a program on my computer to monitor my browsing habits in order to find out what my interests are so they can send me surveys according to my preferences. To me, that sounds like the tracking software that Neilsen uses, which I have always refused to install. That is all I know right now. I am confused about what is going on. As I have already said, I only belong to a handful of carefully selected panels. I will not knowingly let anyone install anything on my computer. I bought and paid for it , and I will decide what is installed. Please let us know if you get anything like this from these sites.

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Same goes for me. I keep turning down Opinion Outpost because they keep trying to have me download Neilson's softwear. No thank you. That's spywear, however they want to call it. I didn't get the email either but if they do require a download, they're through. Valued Opinion has been only offering surveys $3 for a 30 minute survey. Waste of time. I haven't done a survey for them in a few months. If survey companies want honest answers and opinion, I'll give them. If they want to pay only a few bucks, there are a lot of other willing panelist who can spend the day answering them.

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Kim, I am not sure what you mean, taking several at the same time? I have been with Ipsos for almost two years, and most of the surveys I do for them last 20 to 30 minutes. I only belong to five different survey panels, and I do consider myself to be a professional survey taker. I take pride in everything I do, and do it to the best of my capability. And certainly do not scam the panels I take surveys for. Not upset, just wanted to be clear.

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Some of the surveys are timed. I have taken a survey too quickly before and the message came up and said that I hadnt spent enough time to make reasonable answers. Although after emailing the company this decision was overturned once my survey was reviewed, there definetly was a check in place to make sure people were sending in reasonable answers.

I still have yet to receive any notice from any company starting I must download software or that my online activity will be tracked. I have taken Ipsos and OO since the original post.

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Do you think Ipsos is seeing if your doing multiple survey's at a time means that they want to know if your doing just one or if your doing several at the same time.I think they time the survey's,see this way they can see if you are doing them in a reasonable time frame or not. That way they'll know if you are actually reading them and providing a honest answer instead of being a professional survey taker who is trying to scam them? Just a thought.As we think we are being scammed they have been scammed before also and have to try and watch out for their own interest.Just an opinion.I guess in the survey world we have to watch out for each others interest,and that means theirs as well as ours.

My interests go beyond some $2 survey - it's my privacy and identity as well as this $1000 machine I use for everything else. To me, this would be like a company you work for sticking a tracking device on you so they know where you are at any point in time and what you're doing (be it in the toilet or...other private things).

It's obvious this crap is flawed like the one poster that had to tell the company to review his survey after the he "answered too fast".

All of this to try to protect a couple bucks?

When survey companies actually do care about my interests and understand that, yes, people do this to make money (you know...like they are in this?)...last time I checked, most of the western world was some form of capitalism, then I'll start caring more about their interests...to a point (I will never accept spyware - I'll quit the survey "industry" first).

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Kim, I am not sure what you mean, taking several at the same time? I have been with Ipsos for almost two years, and most of the surveys I do for them last 20 to 30 minutes. I only belong to five different survey panels, and I do consider myself to be a professional survey taker. I take pride in everything I do, and do it to the best of my capability. And certainly do not scam the panels I take surveys for. Not upset, just wanted to be clear.

I'm not that literate in the correct terminology of the computer world but I'll give it a try.Lets say you receive 3 emails at the same time from 3 different survey companies.So you decide to do all 3 surveys at the same time.You know how you open a email then leave it open but simultaneously open another email and read it.Maybe they can track this to see if your giving your undivided attention or not, to their survey.

By professional survey taker I mean someone who does surveys not for the sake of giving an honest opinion or answer but someone who does them to get money from the survey companies by just marking anything in a box i.e. scammers.They are the ones with that title.I don't know what they call people who do them honestly.

For them to do this they would need to install some sort of browser plugin or install some executable program on bootup which would be by definition spyware. They could also use IPs and cookies to prevent multiple surveys from their own site although this would be hard due to 3rd parties and affiliates. For it to work properly they would have to detect multiple browsers or windows. If there are people running multiple surveys at the same time, they can easily find a way around that system, all it does is inconvenience, punish, insult, and discourage the legitimate survey takers and does little to stop the professional scripters and hackers. I only take one survey at a time and i'm pretty sure everyone here does too. I wouldn't wish two or more surveys at once on even my worst enemy... Taking one at a time is often painful and confusing enough.

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I would also like to add that you can easily find free or cheap computers and load a basic XP setup on them, plug them in and use them to install spyware and do surveys on. I once even set up a 1GHz Pentium 3 with 256MB of ram from parts I found for free. If you don't have a free way to install Windows XP you could always set up linux on it. To me it's not worth the time or power usage though.

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Well, so far so good since my original post. I am still getting Ipsos surveys regularly, as well as Valued Opinions. I am, however running a virus and spyware scan afterwards. And have found nothing wrong. I still don't know why I got those messages. But all is good right now. :)

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