Many court reporters still rely on Facebook groups to hire scopists and proofreaders. It’s familiar, it’s free, and it seems fast. But it also comes with serious risks.
If you want to hire scopists and proofreaders online and ensure quality, professionalism, and accountability, it may be time to leave Facebook behind. Let’s compare Facebook groups to Stenovate and show why a platform dedicated to safe hiring and efficient collaboration makes all the difference.
Facebook vs. Stenovate: Comparison for Hiring Transcript Professionals
| Feature | Facebook Groups | Stenovate |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings & Reviews | ❌ Not available | ✅ Built-in, tied to completed work |
| Identity Verification | ❌ None | ✅ Government ID badge on profiles |
| Location Transparency | ❌ Optional and editable | ✅ IP-based country, not editable |
| Accountability | ❌ Easy to ghost, no recourse | ✅ Reporting tools and support |
| Platform Purpose | ❌ Social networking | ✅ Purpose-built for transcript work |
| Cost to Join | ✅ Free (low barrier) | ✅ Paid, higher-quality talent pool |
| Oversight & Support | ❌ Limited to group admins | ✅ Proactive moderation |
Why Facebook Groups Fall Short — And How Stenovate Fixes It
- Ratings & Reviews – In Facebook threads, you are hiring blind unless you do extensive due diligence. You cannot see a candidate’s performance history or how past reporters rated them, so every hire requires extra calls, reference checks, and risk. On Stenovate, reviews are available directly on members’ profiles on the platform, giving you immediate context about reliability, quality, and communication style before you assign a job. (Plus, people who receive poor reviews tend to usher themselves out…quickly.)
- Identity Verification – Facebook does not confirm the identity of its users, which makes it easy for fake or duplicate profiles to be created. Stenovate uses government ID verification powered by Stripe to issue a badge on each member’s profile, helping you avoid misrepresentation and establish trust quickly.
- Location Transparency – Self-reported locations in Facebook can be edited or hidden, so there’s no way to know if someone is misrepresenting where they’re located. Stenovate shows an IP-based country that cannot be edited, so you know where collaborators are logging in from when you make the hire.
- Accountability & Recourse – When a Facebook hire misses a deadline or disappears, group admins have limited tools and limited insight. Stenovate combines reporting workflows, warnings, and platform enforcement with a support team that investigates patterns and removes repeat offenders, which reduces your risk on current and future work.
- Built for the Job – Facebook is great for conversation, not for managing transcript work. Files, deadlines, and updates get scattered across file-sharing platforms, Messenger/DMs/emails, and notes/spreadsheets. Stenovate is purpose-built for transcript collaboration, so assigning work, sharing files, and tracking milestones all live in one place.
- Signal vs. Noise in the Talent Pool – Smart scammers can join a Facebook group, which creates volume (large pool) but not necessarily quality work or professionalism. Stenovate’s paid membership attracts serious scopists and proofreaders who are invested in their reputation and their business, making it faster to shortlist the right people.
- Real Oversight & Support – Facebook groups rely on volunteer admins who only see what users choose to share. Stenovate provides platform-level monitoring of new members and issue reports, plus a support team that can act on backend signals to protect the community.
In short: Facebook is a gamble. Stenovate is how professionals hire with confidence, protect their clients, and get the job done right.
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Already part of Stenovate? Take two minutes to earn your Verified Identity badge. Just head to your profile, click the orange Verify My Identity button, and follow the quick steps. Thank you for helping keep our community safe, professional, and trustworthy.
