I have been a contributor with Appen for nearly a decade (since approximately 2017). For years, I was a reliable worker, but my recent experience has been a masterclass in how to alienate long-term contractors through technical incompetence and "shadowbanning."
My nightmare began in early 2025 when my account was suddenly placed "under review" for no apparent reason. For over six months, I was stuck in a ridiculous catch-22: Appen sent me emails demanding I complete an Identity Verification Retest to stay on projects, but their own system blocked me from taking the test because my account was "under review." I reached out to support multiple times, only to receive generic, automated responses that completely ignored the specific technical block I was reporting.
After months of silence and insistence on my part—including a follow-up in October 2025—my account was "magically" unrestricted on December 5th, 2025. The email I received was incredibly condescending, essentially saying, "The notice is gone, but remember, if you don't see work, it has nothing to do with your verification status."
The timing is too convenient to be a coincidence. Before that "fix," I could log in and see about 10 projects I could apply for (even if I couldn't work them yet). The moment I was "unrestricted," my project dashboard dropped to zero. It has remained at zero for months, despite me checking weekly.
It is clear to me that after nearly 10 years, I have been shadowbanned. Instead of being honest, they wasted months of my time with a fake verification hurdle only to pull the rug out once it was "solved." If you are looking for stable work or a company that values long-term contributors, stay far away from Appen. They will gaslight you rather than fix their own system.
Claim your business profile now and gain access to all features and respond to customer reviews.
Appen’s global network of specialists and in-country virtual teams, assures that products perform in every market, to drive brand growth and gain competitive advantage.