Freelance platform Upwork massively blocks Ukrainian users. The Ministry of Digital Transformation reacted

Ukrainian freelancers have faced the problem of restricted access to their accounts on the Upwork platform. The Ministry of Digital Transformation called on the company's management to address this situation, UNN reports with reference to the Ministry of Digital Transformation.

We are receiving inquiries from Ukrainian freelancers regarding account restrictions on Upwork. Even after data verification, the platform blocks Ukrainian accounts without the possibility to appeal. So we contacted Upwork CEO Hayden Brown, asked her to analyze all cases and review the verification processes.

This situation was also commented on by the Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov. He emphasized that the Upwork platform is very important for Ukrainians.

The Ukrainian IT sector is critically important for Ukraine's economy and is a powerful player in the global market. Many Ukrainian specialists provide services through the Upwork freelance exchange, so the platform's accessibility plays an important role in the development of the Ukrainian IT market.

He added that he contacted Upwork CEO Hayden Brown due to requests about mass blockages of Ukrainian users. According to him, even after data verification, the platform restricts Ukrainian accounts without the possibility to appeal.

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Fedorov highlighted a number of reasons for this situation:

• blocking by place of registration / residence - if the user is registered in temporarily occupied territories (Crimea, parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia regions), the account is blocked, even if the person has long lived in the territory controlled by Ukraine;

• problems with geolocation due to EW operation - due to GPS failure during air raids, the system may "see" the IP as Russian or Belarusian. As a result, the account may be blocked.

• blocking without explanation - even after providing all documents (passport, diploma, IP addresses, photos of housing, bank statements), accounts are blocked due to "insufficient information."

We propose to audit all blockages and improve verification mechanisms. We expect a quick response from the company and unblocking of Ukrainian accounts.

For reference

Upwork is one of the largest freelance platforms in the world. And for thousands of Ukrainians, it has become the main source of income during the full-scale invasion.