The free guide to paid expert work on AI projects

1. The short version

• The work is real and specialised: experts write test questions and reference answers, grade and compare AI answers, and write marking criteria for their field ^{source 6·, grade A, source 9·, grade A, source 18·, grade B, source 19·, grade B}.
• Getting in usually means a profile or CV, identity verification and one or more skills assessments ^{source 1·, grade A, source 3·, grade A, source 5·, grade A, source 6·, grade A}. On some platforms it also means a short interview run by an AI ^{source 1·, grade A, source 3·, grade A, source 5·, grade A, source 6·, grade A}.
• Nothing is promised once you are in. Platforms say projects vary and may not match your field, and that there are no fixed hours ^{source 3·, grade A, source 5·, grade A, source 6·, grade A}. Projects can end or change at short notice ^{source 13·, grade B}.
• You are normally an independent contractor, which means you handle your own tax, contributions and records ^{source 5·, grade A, source 7·, grade A}.
• Your professional duties, your employment contract and your visa still apply to this work ^{source 56·, grade A, source 86·, grade A, source 68·, grade A}.
• Legitimate platforms do not charge you to join. Being asked to pay in order to get paid is a classic scam pattern ^{source 3·, grade A, source 25·, grade A, source 26·, grade A}.

12. Who this isn't for

• You need fixed hours or a steady salary: platforms say there are no fixed hours and projects vary ^{source 5·, grade A, source 6·, grade A}.
• You can't work remotely with a quiet, reliable setup ^{source 1·, grade A, source 2·, grade A}.
• You don't have professional experience in the field the role asks for: screening is selective and skills can be checked ^{source 5·, grade A, source 9·, grade A}.
• You're looking for a quick win: nothing here promises work, interviews or pay.
• You can't keep client or patient information out of your work ^{source 56·, grade A, source 89·, grade A}.
• Your visa doesn't allow self-employment ^{source 68·, grade A, source 71·, grade A}.
• Your employment contract or professional rules forbid outside work of this kind ^{source 86·, grade A, source 88·, grade A}.
• You claim means-tested benefits and can't take on monthly income reporting (UK Universal Credit) ^{source 67·, grade A}.
• You don't want to risk exposure to disturbing material on safety projects ^{source 90·, grade B, source 91·, grade B}.

13. Before you apply: checklist

Print the checklist

Checked 25 October 2026. Tick each line.

Is it real?

• You reached the platform through its own website, not a link in a text, WhatsApp message or social post.^{source 26·, grade A, source 58·, grade A}
• Nobody has asked you to pay anything: fees, kits, training, equipment or deposits.^{source 3·, grade A, source 25·, grade A, source 26·, grade A}
• You searched the company with "scam", "review" and "complaint" and read reviews from several sources.^{source 3·, grade A, source 25·, grade A}
• You are not buying, renting or sharing an account.^{source 15·, grade B}

Is it right for you?

• You read the "who this isn't for" list above.
• Your visa allows self-employment.^{source 5·, grade A, source 68·, grade A, source 71·, grade A, source 76·, grade A}
• Your employment contract (exclusivity, non-compete, IP) and your professional rules allow this work.^{source 86·, grade A, source 88·, grade A, source 85·, grade A}
• You can do it without using client, patient or employer information.^{source 56·, grade A, source 89·, grade A}
• You will work only from the country you declared.^{source 5·, grade A, source 14·, grade B}

Are you set up?

• Quiet room, stable connection, camera at face height with light in front.^{source 2·, grade A}
• Headphones or an external microphone tested.^{source 2·, grade A}
• A supported browser; VPN and ad blockers off for the interview.^{source 1·, grade A, source 2·, grade A}
• A computer that can run a time-tracking app if the platform requires one.^{source 92·, grade A}
• A valid, physical, unexpired government photo ID, and a phone from your country of residence if asked.^{source 3·, grade A, source 5·, grade A}
• You know your time zone's offset from UTC. (Our view)

Do you know the terms?

• You read the contractor agreement and project terms: what is paid, what is not (onboarding, meetings, technical issues), time caps, and how disputes work.^{source 8·, grade A, source 14·, grade B}
• You read the IP, confidentiality and "work for others" clauses.^{source 83·, grade A}
• You know when and how you are paid, and what the payment provider charges.^{source 5·, grade A, source 7·, grade A}
• You read the privacy notice: what is recorded, how long it is kept, whether it trains AI, how to get a copy.^{source 1·, grade A, source 51·, grade A, source 53·, grade A}
• You know any posted pay range is "up to", dated, and not a promise.^{source 27·, grade A, source 29·, grade A}
• You worked through section 6 with your own numbers. (Our view)

Are you ready for tax and admin?

• UK: you know whether you must register for Self Assessment (5 October), your Class 4 position and the VAT threshold.^{source 32·, grade A, source 62·, grade A, source 63·, grade A}
• US: you know about self-employment tax, quarterly estimated tax, and that income counts even without a 1099.^{source 37·, grade A, source 69·, grade A, source 70·, grade A}
• Spain: you register (Modelo 036 and RETA) before you start, and know whether Modelo 130 applies.^{source 41·, grade A, source 77·, grade A, source 80·, grade A}
• Canada: you know the instalment rule and the GST/HST small-supplier threshold.^{source 72·, grade A, source 73·, grade A}
• You keep your own log of tasks, hours, submissions and payments. (Our view)
• You have asked an adviser about your own situation.

2. What the work is

AI developers improve their models partly with human judgement. In the method described in a widely cited 2022 research paper, people wrote example answers showing the behaviour wanted. They then ranked several model answers from best to worst. Those rankings were used to train the model further ^{source 18·, grade B}. This is often called reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF).

Expert work applies the same idea to questions only a professional can judge. Public examples:

• Writing tasks and reference answers. A 2025 benchmark paper built its tasks from the real work of industry professionals with an average of 14 years' experience, across 44 occupations ^{source 20·, grade B}. Another benchmark gathered 2,500 hard questions written by subject-matter experts across dozens of subjects ^{source 21·, grade B}.
• Writing marking criteria (rubrics). In a 2025 health benchmark, 262 physicians wrote conversation-specific rubrics used to score AI answers, 48,562 criteria in all ^{source 19·, grade B}.
• Evaluating and refining AI answers. One platform lists five task types: creating, evaluating, refining, reviewing and annotating, including justifying your assessment in writing ^{source 6·, grade A}.
• Field-specific review. Another platform's examples are reviewing code for accuracy and testing AI systems for safety ("red teaming") ^{source 9·, grade A}. They also include giving professional insight in law, healthcare, finance and other fields ^{source 9·, grade A}.
• Specialist labelling. Press reporting describes a radiologist labelling heart scans, and recruiters seeking lawyers, software engineers and condensed-matter physics experts ^{source 12·, grade B}.

One platform's expert pages list its fields ^{source 10·, grade A}. They are finance and economics, software engineering, STEM research, law and public policy, medicine and healthcare, and arts and media ^{source 10·, grade A}.

What it is like in practice. Experts often work sporadically ^{source 12·, grade B}. One radiologist interviewed takes on at most two projects a year, while other data workers move between platforms looking for work most days ^{source 12·, grade B}. Some professionals interviewed worry that supplying their expertise could lower the value of their profession ^{source 12·, grade B}. Our view: that is a fair question to weigh before you start.

Safety testing can be hard on people. A 2025 research paper argues that red-teaming work can cause mental health harms and proposes individual and organisational safeguards ^{source 90·, grade B}. In a 2025 lawsuit, contractors alleged exposure to disturbing prompts without adequate protection ^{source 91·, grade B}. The company disputed the claims and said it gives advance notice of sensitive work, lets people opt out at any time and offers wellness programmes ^{source 91·, grade B}. Our view: before joining a safety project, ask what topics it covers and whether you can opt out.

3. How vetting usually works

Platforms differ, but the public pages describe the same building blocks.

One platform says approval usually comes within a few days of its starter assessment ^{source 3·, grade A}. Another says start dates vary and that you will be contacted by email when projects are ready ^{source 4·, grade A}.

Misrepresenting your skills has consequences. One platform states it can lead to a permanent ban ^{source 9·, grade A}.

How AI-led interviews work (in public terms)

An AI-led interview is a conversation with software that asks questions and records your answers. What the public pages and reporting say:

• Length. One platform says most of its AI interviews take about 20 minutes, some shorter or longer ^{source 1·, grade A}. Reporting on AI interviewers in general describes calls of up to about 25 minutes ^{source 16·, grade B}.
• Format. Camera and microphone on, with your full face visible; some interviews add a whiteboard or full-screen sharing; English unless stated otherwise ^{source 1·, grade A}. Reporting describes AI interviewers that work from a set list of questions and generate follow-up questions from your answers ^{source 17·, grade B}.
• What they assess. One platform says technical interviews involve "deep discussion of prior experience", while others test language or reasoning skills ^{source 1·, grade A}. Reporting describes questions about your career and your CV ^{source 16·, grade B}.
• Timing. One platform says you do not have to take the interview immediately ^{source 2·, grade A}.
• Practice. One platform offers a free, unlimited practice interview that is not shared with companies ^{source 1·, grade A}.
• Retakes. The same platform allows a limited number of retakes and asks you to keep them for technical problems ^{source 1·, grade A}. It resets your application when you retake and shows hiring managers how many you used ^{source 1·, grade A}.
• AI tools during the interview. The same platform allows grammar and wording checks but not using AI chatbots to write your answers ^{source 1·, grade A}.
• Glitches happen. Reporting cites candidates whose AI interviewer repeated questions; some candidates found the format less stressful than a human interview, others found it impersonal ^{source 16·, grade B}. People in public forums also report trouble being understood with some accents (D-grade voice, not a measured fact) ^{source 60·, grade D}.
• Transparency. A researcher quoted by Rest of World said she had seen no technical reports on how such tools were validated or how bias was reduced ^{source 17·, grade B}.

Fidera does not coach anyone to game an interview. What we can do is help you show real expertise clearly.

Showing genuine expertise clearly

Our view, from the public descriptions above:

• Talk about work you actually did. If the interview is a "deep discussion of prior experience" ^{source 1·, grade A}, know your own CV well enough to explain any line of it. That is the most useful preparation.
• Show your reasoning, not just the answer. Much expert work asks you to justify an assessment in writing ^{source 6·, grade A}. Saying how you reached a judgement, which facts mattered and what would change your mind shows the same skill aloud.
• Say when you are unsure, and why. Expert work is built on reference answers and marking criteria ^{source 19·, grade B, source 20·, grade B}. That makes being accurate about the limits of what you know part of the skill.
• Keep your claims exact. Licences and qualifications can be checked against registers ^{source 9·, grade A}.
• Use textbook or invented examples, never a real client or patient. Section 8 explains the professional rules ^{source 56·, grade A, source 89·, grade A}.
• Answer in your own words. Platforms set rules on AI tools ^{source 1·, grade A}, and one contractor's pay dispute turned on an accusation of AI use ^{source 14·, grade B}.
• If the AI mishears you, ask it to repeat or clarify, as one platform suggests; long silences may make the AI interject ^{source 2·, grade A}.

4. Setting up for interviews and remote work

Space and sound. Use a quiet, distraction-free room and a stable connection ^{source 1·, grade A, source 2·, grade A}. One platform recommends headphones and an external microphone, and having pen, paper and, where relevant, a calculator nearby ^{source 2·, grade A}.

Camera and light. Sit so your whole face is in frame and face a window or lamp ^{source 2·, grade A}. Put the device on a desk so the camera stays steady ^{source 2·, grade A}.

Browser and device. One platform recommends the latest Chrome, supports Edge and Safari, and does not support Firefox or mobile browsers for its interview ^{source 1·, grade A}. If the AI stops responding, it suggests turning off your VPN and ad blockers ^{source 2·, grade A}.

Connection. One video-interview vendor publishes minimum upload speeds of 100 kbps (350 kbps recommended) for recorded interviews ^{source 11·, grade A}. For live ones it gives 300 kbps each way (500 recommended) ^{source 11·, grade A}. Our view: treat these as a floor, not a target, and test your line at the time of day you plan to work.

Time-tracking software. One platform requires a desktop time-tracking app on nearly every contract ^{source 92·, grade A}. It records time on hourly contracts and verifies work on task-based ones, and it does not run on Chromebooks, iPads or phones ^{source 92·, grade A}. Our view: read what any such app captures, and install it on a device or user profile that holds no client or employer material.

Time zones. Work is often asynchronous ^{source 3·, grade A, source 6·, grade A}. One platform says its projects run around the clock with no minimum hours or daily login ^{source 3·, grade A}. Another says there are no fixed hours ^{source 6·, grade A}. Deadlines and pay periods may run on UTC: one platform's weekly pay period ends at midnight UTC on Monday ^{source 5·, grade A}. Our view: note your offset from UTC before you commit to a deadline.

Location rules. Some projects are limited to certain countries. Business Insider reported a contractor told they had broken platform rules that included working from a non-US location ^{source 14·, grade B}. A platform has removed contractors for VPN use and duplicate accounts ^{source 15·, grade B}. Our view: work only from where you said you would.

Identity verification. Expect a physical, unexpired government photo ID (front and back) and a selfie, usually handled inside your account by a third-party verification company ^{source 3·, grade A}. One platform says verification never costs anything and that it will never ask you for money ^{source 3·, grade A}.

5. Contractor realities

Status

Platforms describe expert workers as independent contractors or freelancers, not employees ^{source 5·, grade A, source 7·, grade A}. The label alone does not settle the question in law:

• UK. HMRC's online tool (CEST) gives HMRC's view of whether a role is employed or self-employed for tax ^{source 30·, grade A}. It is anonymous, and it does not decide employment rights ^{source 30·, grade A}.
• US. Under federal wage law, agreeing in writing to be an independent contractor does not by itself make you one ^{source 39·, grade A}. The Department of Labor looks at factors such as control, permanence and your chance of profit or loss ^{source 39·, grade A}. A February 2026 proposal to change the rule had not been finalised on the date we checked ^{source 40·, grade A}.
• EU. The Platform Work Directive, in force since 1 December 2024, presumes an employment relationship where facts show direction and control ^{source 46·, grade A}. This leaves the platform to prove otherwise ^{source 46·, grade A}. Member states must apply it by 2 December 2026 at the latest ^{source 46·, grade A}. National laws to apply it were still being prepared in some countries in 2026 ^{source 47·, grade C}.
• Spain. A self-employed person who gets at least 75% of their income from a single client can fall under the "economically dependent" (TRADE) status ^{source 81·, grade A}. That status has its own conditions and a written, registered contract (section 7) ^{source 81·, grade A}.

Please check your own situation with an adviser.

How pay works, in general terms

We give no pay figures in this guide. What the public pages say about the mechanics:

• Accepted work only. Pay can depend on work passing a quality review rather than on hours logged ^{source 7·, grade A}. One platform requires each task to be completed and submitted before it is paid ^{source 8·, grade A}.
• Time caps. Where a task has a time cap, pay can be limited to the maximum time allowed ^{source 8·, grade A}.
• Unpaid time exists. One platform does not pay onboarding unless the project says so, nor optional meetings, community chat time or time lost to technical issues ^{source 8·, grade A}. A 2022 Oxford Internet Institute survey of online platform workers found an average of over 8.5 unpaid hours a week ^{source 22·, grade B}. Most often that time was spent looking for work ^{source 22·, grade B}. It also found that about 30% had completed a task without being paid ^{source 22·, grade B}.
• Schedules. Examples: weekly payments ^{source 5·, grade A}; twice a month for accepted tasks ^{source 7·, grade A}; or within a few days of requesting a withdrawal ^{source 3·, grade A}.
• Providers and fees. Payment services depend on your country, and the payment provider may charge its own fees ^{source 7·, grade A}.

Holdbacks and disputes. Pay can be withheld when a platform says its rules were broken. Business Insider reported contractors whose accounts were suspended without warning and who were told their work was not eligible for payment, with "no appeal process" ^{source 14·, grade B}. Two contractors had sued ^{source 14·, grade B}. The ILO notes that platform terms of service are often set unilaterally by the platform ^{source 23·, grade A}. Our view: read the contractor agreement and project terms before you start, and keep your own log of tasks, hours and submissions.

Projects end. Business Insider reported contractors told a large project was ending over "project scope changes" shortly after being told it would run to year-end ^{source 13·, grade B}. They were then offered similar work at a lower rate ^{source 13·, grade B}. The company disputed the reporting and said its projects are described as temporary ^{source 13·, grade B}. People in public forums describe sudden removals with one-line messages (D-grade voice) ^{source 59·, grade D}.

What good practice looks like. An industry body's guidelines for this kind of work say workers should be paid at least a living wage ^{source 24·, grade B}. They say workers should also be paid for time spent reading instructions and training, and given clear ways to ask questions and contest rejected work ^{source 24·, grade B}. Our view: these are useful questions to ask a platform.

6. Worked example: from a posted rate to what you keep per hour

Illustration, not typical pay. The numbers below are invented round numbers chosen to make the arithmetic easy to follow. They are not a rate any platform pays, not a forecast and not a promise; the 30% set-aside is a placeholder, not a tax rate. Currency doesn't matter: read "units".

In this made-up case, a posted 100 becomes about 48 per hour actually worked, before any equipment costs. Your own numbers will differ: the point is the method, not the result.

Our view: keep a simple log for your first few weeks (paid hours, unpaid hours, fees, payments received). Then work out your own rate per hour worked. Your tax adviser can tell you what share to set aside where you live.

7. Taxes, contributions and invoicing by region

This is general information, not tax advice. Each block ends with the same advice: check with an accountant or tax adviser where you live.

United Kingdom (tax year 2026–27 unless stated)

• Registering. You must register for Self Assessment as a sole trader if you earn more than £1,000 from self-employment in a tax year ^{source 31·, grade A}. The tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April ^{source 31·, grade A}. You must also keep records and file returns ^{source 31·, grade A}. The trading allowance is a tax exemption of up to £1,000 a year ^{source 65·, grade A}. Above that, you can deduct the allowance instead of your actual expenses ^{source 65·, grade A}.
• Deadlines. For the 2025–26 tax year, tell HMRC by 5 October 2026 that you need to file, with a possible penalty if later ^{source 32·, grade A}. The online return and the payment are due by 31 January 2027 ^{source 64·, grade A}. There is a second payment date of 31 July if you make payments towards your bill ^{source 64·, grade A}.
• National Insurance. Class 4 is due on profits over £12,570: 6% up to £50,270 and 2% above. Class 2 is no longer payable if your profits are £7,105 or more (it is treated as paid to protect your record) ^{source 62·, grade A}. Below that you can choose to pay voluntary Class 2 at £3.65 a week ^{source 62·, grade A}.
• Making Tax Digital for Income Tax applies from April 2026 to qualifying income over £50,000 ^{source 34·, grade A}. It extends to income over £30,000 from April 2027 and over £20,000 from April 2028 ^{source 34·, grade A}.
• VAT. You must register if your taxable turnover over the last 12 months goes over £90,000 ^{source 63·, grade A}. You must also register if you expect it to within the next 30 days ^{source 63·, grade A}. For business-to-business services, the place of supply is generally where the customer belongs ^{source 66·, grade A}. No UK VAT is chargeable when that is outside the UK ^{source 66·, grade A}. Special rules can override this, so check how your services count towards the threshold.
• Invoices need a unique number, your name and contact details, and the customer's name and address ^{source 33·, grade A}. They also need a description, the supply and invoice dates, the amounts and the total ^{source 33·, grade A}.
• If you claim Universal Credit, you must report your business income and expenses each month, even when you had none ^{source 67·, grade A}.
• Check with an accountant or tax adviser.

United States (federal)

• Self-employment tax. Independent contractors are generally self-employed ^{source 35·, grade A}. Self-employment tax is 15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare ^{source 70·, grade A}. It applies once your net self-employment earnings are $400 or more ^{source 70·, grade A}. You can deduct the employer-equivalent portion when working out adjusted gross income ^{source 70·, grade A}.
• Quarterly estimated tax. You generally must pay estimated tax if you expect to owe $1,000 or more when you file ^{source 69·, grade A, source 35·, grade A}. The year has four payment periods, each with its own due date (Form 1040-ES) ^{source 69·, grade A, source 35·, grade A}. Most people avoid the underpayment penalty by paying at least 90% of this year's tax or all of last year's, whichever is smaller ^{source 69·, grade A}.
• Forms. Payers report payments to contractors on Form 1099-NEC when they total $2,000 or more for payments made after 31 December 2025 ($600 before) ^{source 36·, grade A}. Gig income must be reported even if no form is issued, in whatever form it was paid ^{source 37·, grade A}.
• Living outside the US? If a US payer asks, Form W-8BEN certifies your foreign status; you give it to the payer, not the IRS ^{source 38·, grade A}.
• State taxes are not covered here. Check with a tax professional.

Spain (EU)

• Registering as autónomo. File the tax registration (censo, Modelo 036) before the activity starts ^{source 41·, grade A}. Register with Social Security in the self-employed scheme (RETA) before you start, up to 60 calendar days ahead ^{source 77·, grade A}.
• Social Security contributions are based on expected net income, chosen when registering through Import@ss and changeable up to six times a year ^{source 42·, grade A}. The Social Security site describes a reduced flat rate for the first 12 months for 2023–2025, so check what applies when you register ^{source 42·, grade A}.
• IRPF withholding (retención). The general withholding rate on professional income is 15% ^{source 78·, grade A}. It is 7% for new professionals in their first year of activity and the two following years (AEAT table updated 30 April 2026) ^{source 78·, grade A}. Withholding is applied by payers who are obliged to withhold, such as businesses, professionals and entities ^{source 79·, grade A}. These include non-residents operating in Spain through a permanent establishment ^{source 79·, grade A}.
• Quarterly payments (Modelo 130). Professionals in direct assessment pay 20% of their positive net income each quarter (filed 1–20 April, July and October, and 1–30 January) ^{source 80·, grade A}. They do not pay it if at least 70% of their professional income in the previous year was subject to withholding ^{source 80·, grade A}.
• TRADE status. You are economically dependent (TRADE) if you work habitually, personally and mainly for one client ^{source 81·, grade A}. That client must provide at least 75% of your income from work and economic activities ^{source 81·, grade A}. You must also have no employees or subcontractors (limited exceptions), your own means and organisation, and pay based on results ^{source 81·, grade A}. The contract must be in writing, registered with the public office, and state the dependence, which can apply to one client only ^{source 81·, grade A}.
• VAT on services abroad. Services to a business client established outside Spain are not subject to Spanish VAT ^{source 43·, grade A}. If the client is in another EU country, the operation is declared on Modelo 349 ^{source 43·, grade A}.
• Invoices must carry a series and number, date, both parties' names and addresses, your NIF and a description ^{source 44·, grade A}. They must also carry the mention "inversión del sujeto pasivo" where the client accounts for the VAT ^{source 44·, grade A}.
• Verifactu (invoicing software rules). Taxpayers who invoice with billing software must have it adapted before 1 January 2027 if they pay corporation tax ^{source 82·, grade A}. Everyone else must have it adapted before 1 July 2027 ^{source 82·, grade A}. That means those who don't pay corporation tax, such as autónomos (AEAT note dated 13 October 2026) ^{source 82·, grade A}.
• Check with a gestor or tax adviser.

Across the EU

• When you supply a service to a business in another member state, VAT does not appear on your invoice ^{source 45·, grade A}. The client accounts for it ^{source 45·, grade A}. Each country's own registration and contribution rules apply. Check locally.

Canada (federal)

• Reporting. Self-employed people report business income on Form T2125 ^{source 48·, grade A}.
• CPP and EI. Self-employed workers pay both the employer and employee portions of CPP contributions, on Schedule 8 of the T1 return ^{source 75·, grade A}. They do not pay EI premiums unless they opt into the EI programme ^{source 75·, grade A}.
• Instalments. For 2026 you must pay by instalments if your net tax owing is more than $3,000 ($1,800 in Quebec) ^{source 73·, grade A}. That must be the case in 2026 and in either 2025 or 2024 ^{source 73·, grade A}. Most individuals' 2026 instalments are due on 15 March, 15 June, 15 September and 15 December ^{source 74·, grade A}.
• GST/HST. You are a small supplier, and don't have to register, while you stay at or under $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters ^{source 72·, grade A}. If you go over $30,000 in a single quarter, you must register from the supply that took you over ^{source 72·, grade A}.
• Quebec has its own rules on several points. Check with an accountant.

Everywhere: one platform states that contributors must declare their earnings and meet tax obligations in their own country of residence ^{source 7·, grade A}.

8. Confidentiality, IP, visas and your day job

Client, patient and employer confidentiality

• UK solicitors must keep the affairs of current and former clients confidential unless the law requires or permits disclosure, or the client consents ^{source 56·, grade A}.
• US lawyers: a May 2024 American Bar Association ethics opinion says the confidentiality rule bars posting questions or comments about a representation ^{source 89·, grade A, source 57·, grade C}. That holds without the client's informed consent, even in hypothetical or abstract form, where a reader could infer the client or the situation ^{source 89·, grade A, source 57·, grade C}. It says the same principles apply in other settings ^{source 89·, grade A, source 57·, grade C}.
• Patients: health data is "special category" data under UK data protection law ^{source 55·, grade A}. Our view: use textbook or invented cases only.
• Platform confidentiality: one platform's public user agreement treats information you obtain while working as confidential ^{source 83·, grade A}. This lasts during your account and for five years after it is deleted ^{source 83·, grade A}.
• Your employer's information: in the UK, a contract can include a non-disclosure covenant that stops staff sharing confidential information after they leave ^{source 86·, grade A}. Our view: never use an employer's templates, code, precedents or data in a task.

Who owns what you produce (IP)

• Platform terms: one platform's public user agreement transfers the rights in your task results to the platform at no charge ^{source 83·, grade A}. It gives the platform an exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free licence where a transfer isn't possible ^{source 83·, grade A}. It also lets the platform use your results without naming you ^{source 83·, grade A}. Our view: expect similar clauses elsewhere and read them.
• UK default: an employer is generally the first owner of copyright in work an employee makes in the course of employment ^{source 85·, grade A}. A freelancer working under a contract for services usually keeps copyright unless agreed otherwise in writing ^{source 85·, grade A}.
• US default: a work is "made for hire", and owned by the hiring party, when an employee makes it within the scope of employment ^{source 84·, grade A}. This also applies when certain commissioned works (the list includes a test and answer material for a test) are covered by a signed written agreement ^{source 84·, grade A}. Otherwise the creator is ordinarily the author ^{source 84·, grade A}.
• Our view: if your day job covers the same field, check whether your employment contract claims work you do in your own time.

Working on a visa

Check your immigration status allows self-employment before you apply. One platform says your visa must permit work and that meeting the legal requirements is your responsibility ^{source 5·, grade A}.

• UK: Student visa holders cannot be self-employed ^{source 68·, grade A}. Other UK visas have their own conditions.
• US: F-1 students may not work off campus in their first academic year ^{source 71·, grade A}. After that, off-campus work must be authorised in advance (for example CPT or OPT) ^{source 71·, grade A}. Other visas have their own conditions.
• Canada: eligible study permit holders can work off campus up to 24 hours a week during academic sessions ^{source 76·, grade A}. Self-employed students must track their own hours and prove they meet their permit conditions ^{source 76·, grade A}. Remote work for an employer outside Canada doesn't count towards the 24 hours, as long as permit conditions are still met ^{source 76·, grade A}.
• Check with an immigration adviser or your school's international office.

Your day job: moonlighting and non-compete clauses

• UK: an employment contract can include an exclusivity clause that stops you working for another employer ^{source 86·, grade A}. Such clauses are banned for zero-hours workers and for those whose average weekly income is at or below the lower earnings limit (£129 a week) ^{source 86·, grade A}. Restrictive covenants such as non-competes cover what you can do after leaving ^{source 86·, grade A}.
• US: in September 2025 the FTC dropped its appeals and accepted the court ruling that set aside its non-compete rule ^{source 87·, grade A}. Our view: that leaves your contract and local law to decide; read both.
• Spain: an employee may not work for other employers where that is unfair competition, or where full-time dedication has been agreed with express compensation ^{source 88·, grade A}. A post-employment non-compete can last at most two years for technical staff and six months for others ^{source 88·, grade A}. It needs a real business interest and adequate compensation ^{source 88·, grade A}.
• Platforms differ: one platform's agreement says it does not restrict your right to work for others ^{source 83·, grade A}. Our view: check each platform's terms and your employer's policy, and ask for written approval where needed.

9. Legit platform or scam?

Scammers copy the language of this work. The US Federal Trade Commission reported about 20,000 "task scam" reports in the first half of 2024, against about 5,000 in all of 2023 ^{source 26·, grade A}.

Red flags

• You are asked to pay: for the job, training, a starter kit, equipment or a "security check". Honest employers do not ask you to pay to get a job ^{source 25·, grade A, source 58·, grade A}. One platform's own FAQ lists starter-kit purchases and promises of sure income as red flags ^{source 3·, grade A}.
• An unexpected text or WhatsApp message offering online work with few details ^{source 26·, grade A}.
• Simple tasks such as rating products in an app that shows commissions. Then a deposit of your own money before you can get your earnings, often in cryptocurrency ^{source 26·, grade A}. The FTC's advice: never pay anyone to get paid ^{source 26·, grade A}.
• A cheque you are asked to deposit and partly send back ^{source 25·, grade A}.
• Requests for bank details, National Insurance number or date of birth before they are relevant ^{source 58·, grade A}.
• Offers to sell or rent you a "verified" account. Reselling accounts is barred by the companies, buyers report being defrauded, and both sides risk leaked personal data ^{source 15·, grade B}.

Checks that help

• Find the company's website and contact details yourself rather than using those in a message ^{source 58·, grade A}.
• Search the company's name with "scam", "review" or "complaint" ^{source 25·, grade A}, and read reviews from several sources, not only the company's own testimonials ^{source 3·, grade A}.
• Expect identity checks to happen inside your account on the platform's own site ^{source 3·, grade A}.
• Report scams: in the US at ReportFraud.ftc.gov ^{source 25·, grade A, source 26·, grade A}; in the UK, the government advises the free SAFERjobs service for doubts about a job advert ^{source 58·, grade A}.

10. Privacy: what you share and what you can ask

What you hand over. A CV and profile ^{source 4·, grade A}, ID images and a selfie ^{source 3·, grade A}, and for AI interviews, video and audio recordings plus an AI-generated transcript ^{source 1·, grade A}.

What one platform says it does with interview data. It keeps recordings and transcripts to evaluate your application and recommend your profile ^{source 1·, grade A}. It says it does not sell interview data or use it to train AI models, and does not let candidates download recordings ^{source 1·, grade A}. Our view: look for each of these points in any platform's privacy notice.

Face data is sensitive. Under UK data protection law, biometric data used to identify someone is "special category" data ^{source 55·, grade A}. A plain photo becomes biometric data only after specific technical processing ^{source 55·, grade A}.

What regulators expect of AI hiring tools. After auditing AI recruitment tools in 2024, the UK regulator (ICO) found some collected far more personal information than needed and kept it indefinitely ^{source 51·, grade A}. It also found that some inferred gender and ethnicity from names ^{source 51·, grade A}. It said candidates should get clear privacy information, including how long data is kept ^{source 51·, grade A}. In 2026 it said organisations should tell candidates when automated decisions are used and how they work ^{source 52·, grade A}. It said organisations should also tell candidates how to challenge those decisions and ask a person to look again ^{source 52·, grade A}.

Your rights, by region

• UK: you can ask an organisation for copies of your personal information; it usually has one month to respond ^{source 53·, grade A}.
• EU: you have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated means ^{source 54·, grade A}. There are exceptions, such as a contract or your explicit consent ^{source 54·, grade A}. Even then you can ask for a person to step in, give your view and contest the decision ^{source 54·, grade A}.
• Illinois (US): employers that use AI to analyse recorded video interviews for Illinois-based positions must tell you ^{source 49·, grade A}. They must explain how the AI works and what it evaluates, and get your consent first ^{source 49·, grade A}. They must also delete the videos within 30 days if you ask ^{source 50·, grade A}. Our view: whether this covers a contractor role is a question for a lawyer.

11. What "up to" means

"Up to" describes the top of a range; it says nothing about what is typical. A study for the FTC found that many consumers believe they will achieve the maximum in an "up to" claim ^{source 27·, grade A}. The FTC's position is that advertisers should be able to show consumers are likely to reach it ^{source 27·, grade A}. The UK advertising regulator says "up to" claims should reflect the true overall picture, with a significant proportion at the maximum ^{source 29·, grade A}. In 2025 the FTC sent refunds to people ^{source 28·, grade A}. It had alleged that a company's ads for remote work paying "up to" an hourly rate broke the law ^{source 28·, grade A}. The order bars earnings claims the company cannot substantiate ^{source 28·, grade A}. Section 6 shows why even a real posted rate shrinks once unpaid time, fees and tax are counted.

Our rule: when Fidera shows a posted range, it is what the platform listed on the date we checked, not a promise to you.

How we checked, and sources

We read 92 public sources on 25 October 2026. These were AI training platforms' own help, FAQ and terms pages (several platforms) and regulators. They also covered tax authorities and legislation in the UK, US, EU, Spain and Canada, research papers and reputable journalism. Two public forum threads were used only to understand what people report. We did not use anything from a member area, contractor work or any non-public page, and we quote no forum users. Reddit was not read because its robots.txt disallows automated access ^{source 61·, grade A}.

The numbered list below names each publisher, with a link to the page we read, the date we read it and its grade. Two platforms appear only as letters (C and D), and a few links are not shown, under our rules on naming companies.

1. Mercor, help page on its AI interview (opens in a new tab)undated · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
2. Mercor, help page on preparing for the AI interview (opens in a new tab)undated · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
3. DataAnnotation, FAQ (opens in a new tab)undated, © 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
4. AI training platform C, help article on onboarding (link not shown)8 Apr 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
5. AI training platform D, FAQ (link not shown)23 Oct 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
6. Mindrift, "how it works" page (opens in a new tab)undated · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
7. Mindrift, article on how it pays contributors (opens in a new tab)3 Sep 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
8. Handshake, help article on earning (opens in a new tab)undated, © 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
9. Prolific, help article on subject-matter experts (opens in a new tab)29 Jun 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
10. Turing, expert network page (opens in a new tab)undated · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
11. HireVue, technical specifications (opens in a new tab)v2.0, effective 1 Feb 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
12. Bloomberg Law, article on professionals in AI training work (opens in a new tab)16 Oct 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade B
13. Business Insider, article on a project ending and rates cut (link not shown)12 Nov 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade B
14. Business Insider, article on suspended accounts and withheld pay (link not shown)4 Mar 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade B
15. Business Insider, article on resale of AI training accounts (opens in a new tab)1 Dec 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade B
16. Fortune, article on AI job interviewers (opens in a new tab)3 Aug 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade B
17. Rest of World, "The AI job interviewer will see you now" (opens in a new tab)24 Jul 2024 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade B
18. Ouyang et al., arXiv, "Training language models to follow instructions with human feedback" (opens in a new tab)4 Mar 2022 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade B
19. arXiv, "HealthBench" (opens in a new tab)13 May 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade B
20. arXiv, "GDPval" (opens in a new tab)5 Oct 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade B
21. arXiv, "Humanity's Last Exam" (opens in a new tab)24 Jan 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade B
22. Oxford Internet Institute, Fairwork cloudwork study (opens in a new tab)24 Aug 2022 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade B
23. ILO, World Employment and Social Outlook 2021 news release (opens in a new tab)23 Feb 2021 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
24. Partnership on AI, responsible data enrichment sourcing library (opens in a new tab)guidelines 2022 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade B
25. US FTC, "Job scams" (opens in a new tab)Mar 2023 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
26. US FTC, Data Spotlight on task scams (opens in a new tab)12 Dec 2024 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
27. US FTC, report on "up to" claims (opens in a new tab)29 Jun 2012 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
28. US FTC, refunds over a gig work company's earnings claims (opens in a new tab)26 Aug 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
29. UK ASA, "Savings claims and the ad rules" (opens in a new tab)22 Oct 2020 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
30. GOV.UK / HMRC, Check employment status for tax (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
31. GOV.UK, Set up as a sole trader (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
32. GOV.UK, Register for Self Assessment (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
33. GOV.UK, Invoices: what they must include (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
34. GOV.UK, Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (opens in a new tab)26 Mar 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
35. IRS, Self-employed individuals tax center (opens in a new tab)27 Sep 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
36. IRS, Form 1099-NEC and independent contractors (opens in a new tab)16 Oct 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
37. IRS, Gig economy tax center (opens in a new tab)9 Jul 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
38. IRS, About Form W-8BEN (opens in a new tab)2 Oct 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
39. US Department of Labor, Fact Sheet 13 (opens in a new tab)rev. Mar 2024 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
40. US Department of Labor, 2026 proposed rule page (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
41. Agencia Tributaria, Modelo 036 registration guide (opens in a new tab)26 Mar 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
42. Seguridad Social, contribution system for the self-employed (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
43. Agencia Tributaria, VAT on services abroad (opens in a new tab)13 Oct 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
44. BOE, Royal Decree 1619/2012 on invoicing, art. 6 (opens in a new tab)consolidated · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
45. Your Europe (EU), charging VAT and invoicing rules (opens in a new tab)checked 11 May 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
46. European Parliament Legislative Observatory, Platform Work Directive summary (opens in a new tab)11 Nov 2024 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
47. CMS law firm, note on the Platform Work Directive (opens in a new tab)5 Mar 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade C
48. Canada Revenue Agency, sole proprietorships (opens in a new tab)31 Aug 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
49. Illinois statute, 820 ILCS 42/5, AI Video Interview Act (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
50. Illinois statute, 820 ILCS 42/15 (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
51. UK ICO, AI recruitment tools audit news (opens in a new tab)6 Nov 2024 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
52. UK ICO, automated decisions in hiring (opens in a new tab)31 Mar 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
53. UK ICO, getting copies of your information (opens in a new tab)17 Apr 2024 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
54. European Commission, automated individual decision-making (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
55. UK ICO, what is special category data (opens in a new tab)9 Apr 2024 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
56. UK SRA, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, 6.3 (opens in a new tab)in effect from 11 Apr 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
57. California Lawyers Association, commentary on ABA Formal Opinion 511 (opens in a new tab)31 May 2024 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade C
58. GOV.UK / DWP, recruitment fraud advice (opens in a new tab)25 Jul 2017 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
59. Hacker News, thread on removals from an AI training project, themes only (opens in a new tab)7 Jan 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade D
60. Hacker News, thread on AI interviewers, themes only (opens in a new tab)4 Aug 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade D
61. Reddit, reddit.com robots.txt (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
62. GOV.UK, Self-employed National Insurance rates, 2026 to 2027 (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
63. GOV.UK, VAT registration: when to register (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
64. GOV.UK, Self Assessment tax returns: deadlines (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
65. GOV.UK / HMRC, Tax-free allowances on property and trading income (opens in a new tab)8 May 2019 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
66. HMRC, Place of supply of services, VAT Notice 741A (opens in a new tab)29 Sep 2022 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
67. GOV.UK / DWP, Universal Credit and self-employment quick guide (opens in a new tab)28 Jul 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
68. GOV.UK, Student visa: what you can and cannot do (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
69. IRS, Estimated taxes (opens in a new tab)25 Sep 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
70. IRS, Self-employment tax (opens in a new tab)27 Jun 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
71. USCIS, Students and employment (opens in a new tab)20 Nov 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
72. Canada Revenue Agency, when to register for and charge the GST/HST (opens in a new tab)16 Jun 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
73. Canada Revenue Agency, who has to pay instalments (opens in a new tab)20 Jan 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
74. Canada Revenue Agency, instalment payment due dates (opens in a new tab)20 Jan 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
75. Canada Revenue Agency, CPP and EI for employees and self-employed workers (opens in a new tab)28 Jul 2022 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
76. IRCC, work off campus as an international student (opens in a new tab)15 Apr 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
77. Seguridad Social, affiliation deadlines (RETA) (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
78. Agencia Tributaria, IRPF withholding rates table (opens in a new tab)updated 30 Apr 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
79. Agencia Tributaria, who must withhold (opens in a new tab)18 Mar 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
80. Agencia Tributaria, Modelo 130 instructions (opens in a new tab)11 Sep 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
81. BOE, Law 20/2007 on self-employed work, arts. 11–12 (opens in a new tab)consolidated · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
82. Agencia Tributaria, note on the Verifactu deadline extension (opens in a new tab)13 Oct 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
83. Mindrift, public user agreement (opens in a new tab)effective 8 Jan 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
84. US Copyright Office, Circular 30: Works Made for Hire (opens in a new tab)read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
85. GOV.UK / IPO, Ownership of copyright works (opens in a new tab)19 Aug 2014 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
86. Acas, terms restricting a worker's actions (opens in a new tab)1 Jul 2026 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
87. US FTC, accedes to vacatur of the Non-Compete Clause Rule (opens in a new tab)5 Sep 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
88. BOE, Workers' Statute, art. 21 (opens in a new tab)consolidated · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
89. American Bar Association, Formal Opinion 511 (opens in a new tab)8 May 2024 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A
90. Pendse et al., arXiv, "When Testing AI Tests Us" (opens in a new tab)29 Apr 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade B
91. The Register, report on a lawsuit over disturbing AI training content (link not shown)24 Jan 2025 · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade B
92. Mercor, help page on its required time-tracking app (opens in a new tab)undated · read 25 Oct 2026 · grade A