Our mission
The Viewer Safety Lab helps people decide whether an anonymous Instagram viewer is safe to use. We publish evidence-based scores so a visitor can see, before they click, which services work, which request a login, which track them, and which should be avoided.
We are a research project, not a viewer, a reseller, or a marketing site. Our only product is the assessment.
Independence
- Scores are produced by the documented testing methodology and reflect observable behavior.
- No viewer owns, operates, or controls the Index or its rankings.
- Testing is performed the same way for every service, whether or not we have any commercial relationship with it.
- Editorial decisions (what we test, how we score, what we publish) are made independently of any funding source.
How we're funded
To keep the project running, some links to third-party services may be affiliate links, meaning we could earn a commission if you sign up. This is the full extent of our commercial relationships, and it is disclosed. See the full affiliate disclosure.
No pay-for-ranking
- A service cannot purchase a higher score or a better rank.
- Paid placements, sponsorships, and advertising, if ever introduced, would be clearly labeled and would not affect test results.
- We do not accept gifts, payment, or incentives in exchange for a favorable review.
Conflicts of interest
If we ever have a material relationship with a service we test, financial or otherwise, that relationship is disclosed on the relevant review and report. Where a conflict could reasonably affect judgment, the assessment is reviewed by someone without that conflict.
Operators & corrections
- Operators may submit corrections and supporting evidence, but they cannot edit reviews or scores directly.
- A substantiated correction triggers a retest, and the result is updated from the new evidence.
- Material changes a service makes (adding a login, removing trackers) also trigger an out-of-cycle retest.
See the Corrections Policy for how to request a change and what happens next.
Historical scores
We keep past scores visible. The current rankings always show the latest cycle, while the monthly reports preserve how a service stood at the time. This makes it possible to see whether a viewer is improving or getting worse, and it keeps us accountable to our own past assessments.
Contact
Questions about this policy, a specific review, or a potential conflict can be raised through the submission form or the corrections process. We read every submission, though we cannot guarantee inclusion or a specific outcome.