Safety
Shadowing happens in the real world, at someone else's workplace. Here is what ShadowMatch does, what it does not do, and what we ask of everyone taking part.
What the platform does
- Businesses must be reviewed by our team before their opportunities can appear publicly.
- Exact address or meeting link, arrival and parking instructions, day-of contact details, and private visit forms are restricted from public browsing and are made available to the accepted student through access-controlled records and storage.
- A student's email and phone number are not returned to a business while a request is pending or after it is declined. The owning business can retrieve a contact method after accepting that request.
- Messaging stays in the app so the participants have a written coordination record.
- Users can file reports without the report automatically changing a request or opportunity.
- Authorized administrators can suspend accounts or disable opportunities after review.
Who can access private information
Private visit information is designed for the accepted participant, not for public browsing or unrelated users. Authorized platform administrators and infrastructure/service providers may also process private data when necessary to operate, secure, troubleshoot, or support the product. We do not describe these controls as making information inaccessible to every other person under all circumstances.
What business review does not cover
Our pilot review confirms basic business information. It is not a criminal background check, site inspection, insurance verification, professional-license verification, legal or regulatory compliance audit, or endorsement. Students and hosts should still use reasonable judgment and follow the rules that apply to the workplace and activity.
Practical advice for students
- Read the full opportunity details, requirements, and preparation notes before applying.
- After acceptance, review the exact arrival details and any required form before the visit.
- Tell someone you trust where you are going and when you expect to be back.
- Keep coordination in the app when practical so there is a written record.
- Cancel and report a concern if the opportunity or communication no longer feels appropriate.
Practical advice for hosts
- State real requirements, minimum age, dress code, capacity, and restricted areas up front.
- Use accepted-only fields for exact addresses, entrance instructions, and day-of contacts.
- Attach a pre-visit form or waiver if your workplace requires one.
- Name an appropriate day-of contact and supervise visitors according to your workplace rules.
- Pause an opportunity rather than deleting it once request history exists.
Age during the pilot
Self-service student accounts are limited to people aged 18 and over for now. Broader student access should wait until an appropriate guardian-consent process is designed and implemented. A business's host minimum-age setting is a separate preference for its own opportunities.
Reporting a problem
Signed-in participants can use "Report an issue" from request-related areas. Anyone can reach the team through the Contact & Support form. Reports go to an admin review queue and do not automatically cancel a request, remove an opportunity, or suspend a user.
If someone is in immediate danger, use the emergency services appropriate to the situation and location rather than relying on an in-app report.