Probe Sponsor Terms

These terms govern your use of the Probe Research platform as a research sponsor. By launching a study, an authorised workspace owner or admin accepts these terms on behalf of the workspace.

1. Parties and roles

Probe ("Probe", "we") is a product of V Ventures Group. Probe designs, fields, moderates (via AI) and analyses studies conducted through the platform. Probe is the data controller for participant personal data collected during studies.

You ("Sponsor") commission research through Probe. You provide the research brief, review study design, and receive aggregated and de-identified findings. You are not the controller of participant personal data and do not have direct access to it.

2. Scope of service

Probe conducts AI-led interviews using its own participant panel relationships (including Prolific) under Probe's accounts. Participants are recruited, screened, consented, compensated and (where relevant) supported by Probe. Sponsors receive structured insights, transcripts and aggregated metrics through the Probe app.

3. Data handling

Probe controls raw participant data, including transcripts, recordings (where applicable), screening responses, and panel identifiers. Probe shares with Sponsor only the de-identified outputs surfaced in the Probe app. Sponsor agrees not to attempt to re-identify any participant, contact any participant outside the platform, or combine Probe outputs with other datasets in a way that would identify individuals.

4. Sponsor warranties

You warrant that each study you commission:

• has a legitimate research purpose and is not disguised marketing, sales prospecting, data harvesting, or recruitment for non-research activities;
• does not target minors, clinical populations, or other vulnerable groups without ethics approval that Probe has agreed in writing;
• does not collect special-category personal data (health, political opinions, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, biometric or genetic data, trade-union membership) without an explicit, Probe-approved consent flow;
• does not deceive participants in ways that cannot be debriefed;
• does not violate applicable law or professional ethics codes.

Probe operates an automated compliance review on every study brief and may block or pause launches that conflict with the above.

5. Researcher of record

Because Probe (operated by V Ventures Group) is the researcher of record on the panel, study metadata visible to participants identifies Probe (not the Sponsor) as the entity conducting the research. Sponsors may be referenced in aggregate ("a consumer goods company") but not named as the researcher. Sponsor agrees not to provide study copy that misrepresents the researcher.

6. Payment

Sponsor pays Probe per study at the prices quoted in the app. Quoted amounts cover participant rewards, panel fees and Probe's platform fee. Refunds are issued automatically if recruitment fails. Subscription plans are billed in advance and govern the number of included responses per period.

7. Termination

Either party may terminate by cancelling the subscription or closing the workspace. Live studies will run to completion or be stopped at Probe's discretion. Sponsor remains responsible for fees accrued before termination.

8. Limitation of liability

Probe provides the platform "as is" and is not liable for indirect or consequential losses. Total liability in any twelve-month period is capped at the fees paid by Sponsor to Probe during that period.

9. Contact

Questions about these terms: legal@askprobe.com. Data protection requests: privacy@askprobe.com.

See also: Privacy notice · Participant notice.