Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my friend join?
To avoid cowboy tradesmen from the phone bookReferrals are the best way to find a new jobQuestions are answered by reliable, familiar peopleTo help those closest when they need knowledgeTo see how (inter)connected friends & family are
Why should I join?
To avoid cowboy tradesmen from the phone bookReferrals are the best way to find a new jobQuestions are answered by reliable, familiar peopleTo help those closest when they need knowledgeTo see how (inter)connected friends & family are
Is joining free?
Yes. At this time Ask My Network does not charge a joining fee
What if my friends don't want to join?
Then they can just turn down the invitation and they won't be emailed again
What if I don't send any invitations?
Then your network of friends & family that can help you and that you can help will be very small! Ask My Network can only benefit you if members are connected to you
Is my information private?
Your privacy and security are key priorities for Ask My Network and are described in our policy
Who sees my name and email address?
Only your
1st degree connections: you
control your privacy settings
How is my email address used?
Your email address is your login name. It is
not shared with other users unless you choose to show it to them, and Ask My Network does
not spam its users or share emails with other companies (see out
privacy policy for further information)
Why collect my date of birth
Your date of birth is required because Ask My Network users must be 18 years of age or older. It is not shared with other users, though you can use your privacy settings to share your day and month (
not the year) with other members of the network. Your birthday will then be "pre-announced" to members of your network via the home page
How is the home postcode used?
Your postcode is collected in order to ensure that you are only shown suppliers and providers that are in your area - unless they are suppliers, such as solicitors or wedding services, that are not so location-specific. Your full postcode is
not revealed to others, only the first part of the postal area, and you control this through you privacy settings. Normal Ask My Network usage does
not require your full postal address such as house number etc
Why ask who my employer is?
Referrals and social contacts have been proven to be the most successful route to new work opportunities. Your employer information is therefore collected, making finding contacts in an organisation easier. You control who sees this information through your privacy settings
Why have an authorisation code?
Protecting users' privacy and ensuring the system is not abused are of paramount importance. By ensuring that users are genuinely associated with their email addresses, we can ensure no 'spoof' users enter the system
Who is "Firstname 123" ?
Users real names are only shown to members close to them as set in their
privacy settings. Their firstname + their userid is used otherwise
What is the user rating?
This is a measure of good behaviour - does the user help where they can, have they helped to grow the network, or bad behaviour - have they invited people that aren't really friends, or have other users penalised them for rude or unhelpful behaviour?
What is the methodology for the user rating?
The user rating is based on 5 equally weighted components:
How many invitations are issued (does the user try and grow the network?)What percentage of invitations are accepted (Does the user spam people or only introduce strong connections?)What is the ratio of answers given to questions asked (Does the user give freely and reciprocate well)What member-given ratings exist (Has the user been praised or penalised by other members)How many recommendations can the user provide (Does the user contribute to the network's knowledge)
How do I improve my user rating?
To achieve a 5 star score, send at least 12 invitations, ensure 90% of your invitations are accepted, answer 5 or more questions, answer more than you ask, and add at least 5 recommendations. And don't get penalised for bad behaviour!
Why are there different levels of information for different users?
Users use their privacy policies to control what level of information is shared with each degree of their network
Can total strangers contact me?
Only registered, authorised users may contact you through Ask My Network and even then only if you have shared your email address or if they are answering a question or connection you have sent them
Can I stop users from contacting me?
If a user contacts you through Ask My Network, you are able to block all future contact through the system
Can I find other members?
You may search for other members using the information you already know, for example, if you have their email address already. Ask My Network's security and privacy exists to prevent random contacts between unconnected strangers
Why does the connection type matter
The connection type indicates how two individuals are connected, and different types have different levels of reliability and "usefulness". A family member or partner may be very reliable, but a more distance acquaintance may be more useful because you are less likely to know what they know
Who will ask me for recommendations?
You will only receive requests from your friends & family within your 3 degrees
How many times will I be asked?
Depending on the number of connections you have, and the number of categories that you can assist with, you might receive perhaps 1 or more emails per month from your friends & family
Why should I recommend anyone?
Otherwise your friends & family will just rely on a telephone directory. If you can help them, they will help you in future
Who should I recommend?
Anyone that you have any experience of - even if your recommendation is that your connections don't use a particular firm
What if I recommend someone who does a bad job?
Your friends & family must still do their own homework and you can't be responsible, but at least you're reducing the risk for them
Can I trust these comments?
You can judge your network's reliability yourself and see their comments about suppliers, but you should always undertake the usual checks you would do with any new supplier
What if I need more recommendations?
The number found depends on the size of your network and their knowledge, so you can add friends & family to your network, or encourage them to add recommendations
Who sees my questions?
You control how many degrees from you will be able to see this question
What if a question or reply is rude?
You may submit feedback to Ask My Network and penalise and block a user from future questions
What can I ask?
Anything that doesn't contravene our terms and conditions. Common questions relate to jobs, services, purchases, travel, leisure activities and so on
Why ask me this question?
Your recommendations page indicates you may be able to assist, and this individual is connected to your network of friends, family & colleagues
Should I reply to this question?
It's always polite to reply, and the user will be grateful if you can help. Your network rating depends on you helping where you can, and don't forget, there may be a time when you need help
Am I liable for the answer?
Users should always do their own checks before taking recommendations, and should not regard other users as experts, but you may at least be able to provide some welcome assistance
Does answering questions affect my rating?
Positively helping others increases your network rating. If you choose to ignore them rather than replying, your rating is decreased. You can also decrease this user's rating by penalising them
How does this affect the supplier?
The more users contribute information, the more possible suppliers are identified. Over time, those supplies are rated, ensuring that users have access to a pool of high quality recommendations
How do I stop future questions?
Your recommendations page determines what you may be asked about. You can also block this particular user from asking you again. But remember, what goes around comes around!
What is the theory of Six Degrees?
The theory suggests that everyone in the World can be connected to everyone else using no more than 6 other individuals, or degrees, as links in the chain. Your immediate contacts are your 10 degree, and their friends are your 20 degree
Who is my 1st degree?
This is your immediate friends, family & colleagues that you are connected to directly
Who's in my 3 degrees?
Your immediate contacts are your 10 degree connections. Their contacts would be your 20degree contacts, and their contacts in turn would be your 30 degree. As you go beyond the 10 degree, members will be less "reliable" (because you have a weaker bond), but more "useful" (because you are less likely to know what they know)
How many people are in 3 degrees?
This depends on the size of your 1st degree, and their 1st degree and so on. If everyone has 3 unique friends, your 3 degrees would contain 39 other people. If everyone has 10 unique friends, your 3 degrees has 1,110 other people
How many degrees does Ask My Network use?
You control this, but the default is that questions are shared amongst just your 3 degrees
Is the whole world within 6 degrees?
Theoretically yes
