This is a reprint of a post that I made on another thread. I would take a minute to read this and to heed its warning:
Let me remind all Pinecone members that they are VERY particular about not posting ANYTHING about banners, products and surveys on message boards and chat rooms. Here is a quote from an e-mail that I got from them in July:
While everyone likes to discuss whats going on in their lives, talking about your work with PineCone can quickly become a security issue. To avoid this, please limit your survey and product testing experiences to your household.
This includes posting product descriptions and images or our registration link in Internet chat rooms or on message boards. To learn more about member confidentiality, click on the attached link.
http://www.pineconeresearch.com/membership_agreement.htm
In that link is this reminder:
Some of our members have been tempted to discuss products and their experiences on chat rooms and bulletin boards on-line. While they were well-intentioned, we regard this as a security breach and cause for removal from the panel.
To avoid any potential confusion, here is a listing of types of activities that will result in removal:
* Posting of product descriptions or names on chat rooms
* Copying of product ideas
* Selling test product
* Discussing the survey or product with anyone outside your immediate household
* Allowing someone outside your household to try the product
Let me share with you a little story about what happened with ME last year. I had been a Pinecone member for about a year. Someone posted something about Pinecone on this board. I can't recall what it was - a request for a banner or perhaps it was a "open call" to current members for new members? Anyway, another Pinecone member told me to remind people about Pinecone's strictness about posting the registration link and sometimes even just DISCUSSING it.
Well, I wanted to make sure that this was stated at Pinecone itself and looked all over the place for something stating this.
When I was unable to find it, I e-mailed Karen Scott telling her that I was a moderator on a message board and I was wondering if people could even just discuss Pinecone on the boards. She simply referred me the FAQ's on the Pinecone site.
And I never received another survey.
After some months, I e-mailed Karen again and told her that I had not been receiving any surveys. She told me that my name was no longer in their database.
She said the only way to become a member again would be to find another banner.
Luckily, I was able to register again some months later. Which I did. With a new e-mail address - just to be cautious.
And I have been receiving surveys ever since.
But I just wanted to warn the rest of you to PROTECT your Pinecone membership by being VERY cautious about what you post so that you don't lose your membership in a very good program.
i just completed my first pinecone research survey, and the last page said i'd be contacted in a few WEEKS to particpate in a new one...is this accurate? will it really be that long? if you participate, how long was it before you were sent your 2nd survey? thanks for your help 
