Verification
Not all endorsements are equal. Verification determines the credibility weight of every signal on the platform — ensuring the most trusted solutions rise to the top.
The Core Principle
Every merit signal on Human Cloud — kudos, reviews, and business cases — can be either verified or unverified. Verified merit scores significantly higher because it carries proof that the endorsement is real and the person giving it is who they say they are.
The person is confirmed as employed by a company, or the customer has confirmed the work happened. Scores higher.
The merit still counts, but without confirmation it carries a lower credibility weight in the HC Score.
What “Verified” Means
Verification means different things depending on the type of merit being given. Here’s the breakdown:
| Merit Type | What “Verified” Means |
|---|---|
| Kudos | The person giving the kudos is confirmed as employed by a company — they are a real buyer |
| Reviews | The reviewer is confirmed as employed by a company and is the person who gave or is giving the review |
| Business Cases | The customer confirms the work actually happened — the engagement is real, not self-reported |
How Buyer-Submitted Merit Gets Verified
When a buyer gives a kudos or writes a review, verification happens through email identity:
Company Email Account
If the user has an account with a company email (not Gmail, ProtonMail, etc.), their merit is automatically verified.
Company Email at Submission
If the user provides a company email when submitting their kudos or review, it’s marked as verified.
The logic is simple: a company email proves you’re a real buyer at a real company. This is the minimum threshold for verification on buyer-submitted merit.
How Business Cases Get Verified
Business cases are claims made by solutions about work they’ve completed. Until a customer confirms it, the business case is labeled “Self-Reported”. Two paths lead to verification:
Path 1: Customer Confirmation
Verification is Initiated
The solution requests verification, an auto-prompt triggers when they publish, or the customer discovers it and verifies unprompted.
Customer Receives Email
A unique verification link is sent. No account is required to confirm.
Customer Confirms
One click to confirm the business case is real. Logged-in customers can also verify directly in-app.
Business Case is Verified
The “Self-Reported” label is removed and the merit receives its full credibility weight in the HC Score.
Path 2: Evidence Submission
Solutions can also submit documentary evidence to prove a business case is real:
Submitted evidence is reviewed by the HC team. In the future, AI-assisted review will extract key information and flag uncertain cases.
How Verification Impacts Scoring
Verification directly affects how much weight a merit signal carries in the HC Score. Here’s how verified vs. unverified merit compares:
| Merit Activity | Points |
|---|---|
| Thumbs up (unverified) | +1 |
| Thumbs up + review (unverified) | +1 |
| Business case (self-reported) | +1 |
| Verified thumbs up | +3 |
| Thumbs up + review + verified | +5 |
| Business case + verified | +5 |
| Business case + thumbs up/review + verified | +7 |
Verified merit also gets multiplied by source credibility factors — the size of the endorsing organization, role level of the person giving merit, and whether they’re a confirmed buyer. A verified thumbs up from an enterprise VP can be worth 10x+ an unverified thumbs up.
Source Credibility
Beyond the verified/unverified distinction, the HC Score weighs who is giving the merit. A recommendation from Microsoft’s VP of HR carries more weight than one from a 5-person startup.
Organization Size
Larger organizations = harder to earn endorsement = more credible.
Role Level
Senior leaders making strategic decisions carry more weight.
Industry Expertise
Endorsements from the same industry are more relevant.
Confirmed Buyer
Someone who actually used the solution gets a credibility boost.
Example: How Multipliers Compound
Base: Verified thumbs up = +3 points
From: Microsoft (Enterprise) = 2.0x
Role: VP of HR = 1.3x
Buyer: Confirmed engagement = 1.5x
Final Score = 3 x 2.0 x 1.3 x 1.5 = 11.7 points
Anonymization
All merit on Human Cloud can be given anonymously or by name — the choice belongs to the person giving merit.
Named
The reviewer’s name and company are visible. This carries the highest trust signal because accountability is public.
Anonymous
The reviewer’s identity is hidden, but verification status still applies. Anonymous verified merit still scores higher than anonymous unverified.
Learn More About Scoring
Verification is one piece of the HC Score. See how all the inputs come together to rank solutions.
HC Score Methodology