Why AI training accounts get suspended or banned, and how to avoid it
How-to · 1 week ago
Outlier and Mercor both publish the conduct that gets accounts removed: VPNs, second accounts, AI-written work, padded hours and leaked task content. What their rules say, what workers report about suspensions, and the habits that keep an account in good standing.
The rules are published
Most AI training account suspensions trace back to a short list of behaviours, and two platforms set that list out in writing. Outlier's Community Guidelines (effective 11 May 2026, and applying to Scale AI's other platforms including Remotasks) say breaches "may result in removal from tasks, disabled accounts, or other restrictions." Mercor's Account Security and Conduct policy describes an escalation from payment reductions or reversals, to removal from projects, to suspension of platform access "in the most serious cases."
The five things the rules name
1. Hiding where you are. Outlier prohibits using "a VPN or other technologies to mislead Platform Systems about your location or Identity", unless an administrator asks. Mercor has blocked VPN, proxy and anonymizing sign-ins since 17 July 2026 and grants no exceptions. It names tools people forget are on: iCloud Private Relay, VPN apps that launch at startup, and "secure browsing" features in antivirus software.
2. More than one account, or someone else using yours. Outlier forbids sharing credentials, creating multiple accounts, buying or selling accounts, and misrepresenting "who you are, where you are located, or your experience." Mercor expects one account in your own legal name and reviews for impersonation and account sharing.
3. Work that is not yours. Outlier requires tasks done yourself, without bots, scripts or third-party tools unless required. Mercor reviews for "prohibited tools used to generate substantive content", including undisclosed AI use.
4. Padding the clock. On hourly projects Mercor monitors time with Insightful, which takes periodic screenshots while the timer runs, and reviews idle time and hours logged during unrelated activity. Tampering with the tracker is its own violation.
5. Leaking task content. Both treat project material as confidential. Outlier lists screenshots, task instructions and discussion outside approved channels among prohibited sharing, which includes posting a task on Reddit to ask for help.
What workers report
On r/outlier_ai in September 2026, several contributors describe accounts deactivated shortly after passing a skill assessment, with an email citing a Community Guidelines violation and no detail; another says their suspension was for using remote desktop software. Outlier's guidelines do prohibit "working around any technical limitations", but we cannot verify any individual case, and we found no published appeal timeline from either platform.
How to stay in good standing
- Work from your own home or mobile connection, with every VPN and relay switched off.
- Keep your profile location and ID in line with where you actually live.
- One account per platform, never shared, even with family.
- Write every answer yourself unless a project explicitly allows a tool.
- Run a timer only while working on that project.
- Ask questions in the platform's own channels, never in public forums.
- Withdraw earnings regularly; see how you actually get paid.
Sources
Outlier's Community Guidelines and Mercor's Account Security and Conduct policy, read on 29 September 2026. Worker reports from r/outlier_ai, attributed above. We are not affiliated with any of these platforms.
Questions
- Can I use a VPN for AI training work?
- Generally no. Outlier's Community Guidelines prohibit using a VPN to mislead its systems about your location or identity unless an administrator specifically requests it. Mercor has blocked sign-ins through VPNs, proxies and anonymizing networks since 17 July 2026, and names iCloud Private Relay as one such tool.
- Can I have two accounts on the same platform?
- No. Outlier's guidelines forbid creating multiple accounts, sharing credentials, or buying and selling accounts. Mercor expects one account per person, in your own legal name, and reviews for account sharing and multiple accounts.
- Will I be told why my account was suspended?
- Often not in detail. Workers on r/outlier_ai describe deactivation emails that cite a Community Guidelines violation without naming the specific conduct. We found no published appeal timeline from Outlier or Mercor.
Platforms covered here
Put this into practice
Every listing shows its pay and who it is open to.