True Human Mark is exploring a certification service for short written work. This interview is designed to understand real experiences, evidence availability, business consequences, privacy boundaries, and purchasing behavior. Your responses will be used to refine our initial writer/newsletter verification standard, evidence requirements, reviewer process, privacy rules, and business model. No responses will be published individually.
1. Which of the following best describes your work? (Select all that apply)
Independent writer / author
Subject-matter expert / professional writer
Copywriter / freelance writer
Other: ___________________________
2. How long have you been publishing original written work?
3. Where do you primarily publish? (Select all that apply)
Substack or similar newsletter platform
Other: ___________________________
4. How often do you publish?
5. When was the last time someone questioned whether your work was human-authored or AI-generated?
6. Who questioned your authorship? (Select all that apply)
Colleague / professional contact
Other: ___________________________
7. Briefly describe the context in which your authorship was questioned.
8. What were the consequences? (Select all that apply)
No meaningful consequence
I had to explain my process
I had to provide evidence
Work was rejected or questioned
Payment or contract was affected
My reputation or credibility was affected
A client/editor required additional assurances
Other: ___________________________
9. What evidence of human authorship do you currently have available? (Select all that apply)
Microsoft Word version history
Google Docs version history
Email or assignment correspondence
Publication account records
I had little or no useful evidence
Other: ___________________________
10. If a trusted third party asked to review your evidence to verify authorship, would you share it?
11. Is there any evidence you would refuse to share, even with a trusted third party? If so, why?
12. If you were to seek verification, what would you most want verified?
A single article / essay / newsletter issue
A specific work and version
All work during a defined period
My identity/creator profile generally
13. If period-based, what period would be most useful? (Select up to 3)
14. What would you most want a verification to confirm? (Select up to 3)
The work was primarily human-authored
My research/reporting was human-led
My editing and final decisions were human-led
AI use was disclosed accurately
The specific work/version was reviewed
The work was not primarily generated by AI
Other: ___________________________
15. Which tools do you currently use in your writing process? (Select all that apply)
Microsoft Word / Google Docs features
Generative AI for brainstorming
Generative AI for outlining
Generative AI for drafting
Generative AI for editing or rewriting
Generative AI for research assistance
Other: ___________________________
16. What AI uses do you consider acceptable in primarily human-authored work? Please describe.
17. Would you be comfortable with your AI use being publicly displayed as part of a verification?
Yes, but only at a high level
Only if I can review the wording first
18. What important decisions could a verified human-authorship badge influence? (Select all that apply)
Whether I apply for or accept an assignment
Whether a publisher accepts my work
Whether a client hires me
Whether a brand works with me
Whether I can demonstrate originality to readers
Whether I can justify my pricing
Whether I use AI assistance
It would not change an important decision
Other: ___________________________
19. Who would financially benefit if your work carried a verified human-authorship badge? (Select all that apply)
Other: ___________________________
20. Complete this sentence: "A verified human-authorship badge would be most valuable to me if it meant that…"
21. What would make you distrust a verification organization? (Select up to 5)
Unclear certification standards
Reliance on AI detection alone
Lack of qualified reviewers
The organization profits from failing applicants
No meaningful appeal process
Publishing private evidence
Keeping evidence indefinitely
Changing standards without notice
Political or ideological bias
Certification that can be purchased without real review
Lack of transparency about decisions
Other: ___________________________
22. What safeguards would make you trust a verification organization? (Select all that apply)
Named evidence requirements
Trained independent reviewers
Second review for disputed/high-risk cases
Right to respond before an adverse decision
Appeal reviewed by a different person
Unique verification ID / QR code
Clear privacy and deletion policy
Aggregate reporting on decisions
Disclosure of reviewer conflicts
Other: ___________________________
23. What information would you be comfortable having displayed publicly on a verification page? (Select all that apply)
Organization/publication name
Specific version/date reviewed
Categories of evidence reviewed
AI uses disclosed/permitted
General limitations of the verification
None beyond the badge itself
Other: ___________________________
24. Is there any information that should never be publicly displayed, even with your consent? Please describe.
25. What turnaround time would you expect for a standard verification?
More than a week is acceptable
26. How much time would you be willing to spend gathering and submitting evidence?
More than 2 hours if the value is high
I would not provide evidence
27. Which verification format would you prefer?
One-time verification per work
Batch verification for several works
Subscription covering a defined period
Annual creator verification
28. What would you pay for a single-work verification?
More than $100 if clearly commercially valuable
29. What would you pay for a period-based subscription?
More than $100/month if commercially valuable
I would prefer per-work pricing
30. Would you pay for verification, or would you only use it if it were free or required by a client? Please explain.
31. If your application were denied, what process would you expect? (Select all that apply)
Receive a written explanation
See which evidence requirement was not met
Have an opportunity to provide additional evidence
Have an opportunity to correct factual errors
Automatically receive a second review
No additional process should be necessary
Other: ___________________________
32. Who should handle an appeal?
A senior reviewer who did not make the original decision
An independent review panel
A combination depending on the case
33. Complete this sentence: "An appeal process would feel fair to me if…"
34. If credible evidence emerged after certification that a work was AI-generated, what should happen? (Select all that apply)
Request clarification from the creator
Temporarily suspend the verification
Publish a status change with an explanation
Nothing unless fraud is proven
Other: ___________________________
35. Overall, how useful would a verified human-authorship badge be to you as a writer or publisher? (Required)
36. What is the single biggest problem this service would need to solve for you to use it?
37. What is the single biggest reason you might not use it?
38. Any additional thoughts, concerns, or suggestions?
Email address (optional — only used to send you a copy of aggregate findings)