The transcribers say they let off steam on Rev`s forum — „to discuss why humanity is going to deep, dark places,“ according to one freelancer — but they`re limited in what they can say about their experiences because they`ve signed confidentiality agreements. Revvers use the same forum to notify each other of problematic customers. some, „who download content with a lot of sex, as well as plots that could lead to scandals in case of leakage,“ one person noted. Several Rev freelancers told OneZero that they were concerned about the company`s security and requested anonymity for fear of violating Rev.`s non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements. Rev notes in its FAQ that it is not HIPAA compliant, a federal law that protects patients` health information. Freelancers sign a confidentiality agreement that OneZero has reviewed that prohibits them from contacting clients or talking about their work outside of Rev. The company also shows Revvers a monthly pop-up window that OneZero has also checked, in which they must enter: „I accept the confidentiality agreement … “ to continue. The box indicates that a violation of these conditions may expose a freelancer to legal action. Rev`s website also states that the company encrypts all of its customers` records and that „a supercomputer would take 13.75 billion years to break that encryption and compromise our security.“ Until a security policy change last year, Revvers could also request and download files, then „cancel“ them and send them back to the queue. In October 2018, Rev sent an email to freelancers saying it was removing the ability to upload files „due to recent breaches of our confidentiality agreement and general efforts to strengthen our efforts to protect our customers` data and privacy.“ These violations have not been publicly disclosed. Freelancers say it`s their responsibility to review the recordings, but Rev`s job queue encourages them to quickly request new projects.
Since they`re only paid for what they transcribe, not for browsing files, a freelancer says, „Why should I spend more than the bare minimum to find something?“ Those who take longer than the allotted time to preview files can be penalized with lower retention rates. Rev has never announced a customer data leak, and its FAQ states that customers can request that their files be permanently deleted. However, other transcription platforms – such as the medical transcription service MEDantex, which inadvertently exposed the patient records of thousands of doctors last year – have suffered violations. But the disturbing content sometimes uploaded by these customers is contrary to Rev`s own terms of use, which discourage customers from submitting material that is „illegal, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortious, excessively violent, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, pornographic, defamatory, invasive of someone else`s privacy, hateful racist, ethnic or otherwise offensive.“ „I came across files that I thought were pretty typical, and 20 minutes after the hour, it`s about the details of someone`s sexual assault. Revvers described other distressing sequences: Title IX investigations, anti-LGBTQ and racist statements, and a therapy session that investigated someone`s harassment. One freelancer said he came across „many files“ in which the researchers promised to anonymize their interviews with study participants, but did not do so before publishing them on Rev. Another said they transcribed police interrogations of an alleged child murderer, complicit in a fatal stabbing and a conversation about child trafficking into sexual slavery. That such material may appear on Rev`s platform is not unexpected. The Rev blog suggests that law enforcement, doctors, and lawyers use Rev for dictation or interviews, and his name has appeared in quotation marks in police documents, court records, and patient studies. Li Zilles, the freelancer who first spoke on Twitter about Rev`s shares, has since created an alternative website for ethically healthy transcriptions. Zilles described it to OneZero as „a cooperative platform that would be enabling rather than exploitative.“ Freelancers say that because investigators and lawyers use Rev, it`s not uncommon for transcribers to hear brutal, unedited testimony. Since medical professionals are also rev customers, they say things like bloody surgical procedures have popped up on the platform.
None of the files are downloaded with warnings, which means that reviewers who don`t want to hear or see this material can`t easily check the jobs before opening the files. „Over the course of millions of projects, problems have been rare,“ a Rev spokesperson told OneZero when contacted about it. „We respond quickly and decisively to any reports of violations.“ The spokesperson added that due to the nature of Rev`s business, „Revvers has access to customer information when they transcribe the media files provided,“ and the company trusts its freelancers to be discreet. Freelancers contacted by OneZero say they have been working on recordings containing personal information and trade secrets. In addition to listing credentials for clients who Rev says help transcribers with spelling and attribution, some files receive subject icons like an ambulance or courthouse. Transcribers may also prefer topics and clients and filter future jobs based on their preferences. Rev adds that he is responsible for anyone who interacts with a file. Rev did not comment on the authenticity of these claims when asked about them by OneZero.
A spokesman said revvers are free to choose which files they are working on. Since Rev touts his legal and medical utility, his clients can expect him to have a stricter screening policy. .