Question 1

How is the reviewer's identity hidden?

Accepted Answer

Reviewer identity is locked at the database layer through Row-Level Security policies, not just the UI. Only Vouch admins (the founders) can see who left a review, and only for moderation. The aggregate score and category breakdown displayed publicly mathematically can't reveal which reviewer left which rating once a profile crosses the 3-review threshold.

Question 2

What is k-anonymity?

Accepted Answer

K-anonymity means a record can't be uniquely identified within a group of at least k similar records. Vouch uses k=3: a profile's aggregate score is hidden until it has 3+ reviews. Below the threshold, even the reviewee can't see scores. The math, not the UI, is what makes the privacy real.

Question 3

Can a reviewee figure out who left a review?

Accepted Answer

No. Reviews lock for 7 days before publishing, so timing doesn't reveal the source. They release simultaneously after the lock window. The aggregate hides individual ratings. Free-text fields are visible, if you mention identifying details there, you can self-reveal, so we recommend keeping free-text generic.

Question 4

What happens to my data if I delete my account?

Accepted Answer

Account deletion is not yet self-serve, request it through our contact page to delete. On deletion, your reviewer identifier is replaced with an unrecoverable hash. Reviews you wrote stay visible (the aggregate would be inaccurate without them) but the link back to you is gone. Your profile and personal data are purged within 30 days.

Question 5

How do you prevent fake reviews?

Accepted Answer

Reviews are only generated from completed campaigns inside Vouch, both parties must have collaborated through the platform to be eligible. There's no public review form. No drive-by reviews, no review farms, no friend networks. Cloudflare Turnstile blocks automated signup attempts at every gate.

Question 6

Can a brand pay creators for 5-star reviews?

Accepted Answer

Buying a positive review violates the terms of service. We can't prevent a one-off side deal, but Vouch's structure makes it harder: reviews are anonymous, locked, and aggregate-only after 3, so a brand can't verify which creator gave them a 5. The economics of paid reviews break down when you can't confirm delivery.

Question 7

What if I think a review is unfair retaliation?

Accepted Answer

Flag it. Flags go to a moderation queue. Admins can remove a review, and patterns of bad-faith flagging are tracked on the flagger's record. The flag mechanism ships in Phase 2; admin moderation tooling is live as of the private beta.

Question 8

Are users verified?

Accepted Answer

Email verification is required at signup. Brands sign up with corporate email so reviewees have minimal evidence the brand is a real business. Phase 2 adds platform-handle verification for creators (linking their Instagram / TikTok / YouTube handle to their Vouch profile).

Question 9

What's the 7-day lock about?

Accepted Answer

After both sides submit (or one side submits and the other declines), reviews enter a 7-day lock window. They publish anonymously, all at once, after the window closes. This prevents either side from reading the other's review and editing in retaliation. No edits, no influence, no second-guessing.

Question 10

Can I edit a review after submitting?

Accepted Answer

No. Once submitted, reviews are immutable. The 7-day lock window protects honest feedback; allowing edits would let reviewers walk back negative ratings under social pressure.

Question 11

What are the 5 review categories?

Accepted Answer

Brands rate creators on Communication, Brief Accuracy, Content Quality, Audience Fit, and Professionalism. Creators rate brands on Communication, Brief Clarity, Payment Timeliness, Creative Respect, and Professionalism. Each category is a 1-5 score with optional free-text feedback.

Question 12

When do scores become public?

Accepted Answer

An aggregate score and category breakdown become visible once a profile crosses the k-anonymity threshold of 3+ published reviews. Below the threshold, the profile lists on Discover but shows 'pending' instead of a score. The reviewee themselves cannot see their score below threshold either.

Question 13

Do low scores show up, or only good ones?

Accepted Answer

Every published review counts, whatever the score. There is no positivity filter, no option to hide a bad review, and no way to remove one you disagree with. Once a profile reaches 3 reviews, the aggregate reflects all of them. That is the entire point: a score only means something if it could have been low. The 3-review minimum exists to protect reviewer anonymity, not to protect anyone's rating.

Question 14

Can I delete or hide a review I don't like?

Accepted Answer

No. Reviews cannot be edited or deleted by either party, and scores cannot be curated. If you believe a review is fake, retaliatory, or breaks the terms, you can flag it for admin review, which is a moderation path with a real threshold, not an appeals process for a score you'd rather not have.

Question 15

What does the free tier include?

Accepted Answer

5 reviews posted per month, 5 reviews viewed per month, a basic profile, k-anonymity protection, and Discover access. No credit card. No commitment. Upgrade when the volume justifies it.

Question 16

Can I cancel anytime?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Subscriptions are month-to-month. Cancel from your account settings and your plan reverts to the free tier at the end of the current billing period. Your data and reviews stay where they are.

Question 17

Is Vouch in beta?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Vouch is in private beta. Early users help us shape the product. Some features are still in build-out (self-serve account deletion, annual billing, advanced moderation tooling). Public launch is the next milestone.

Question 18

When does public launch happen?

Accepted Answer

Public launch ships once the core review flow is hardened, account deletion is self-serve, and counsel-reviewed legal terms are in place. We don't have a public date yet, subscribe via the footer email capture for updates.

Honest answers.

Anonymity & privacy

Trust & verification

How reviews work

Pricing & beta