Since they never seem to, it would appear that they're not allowed. If I were researching prices, market etc google would certainly be my first stop. It's the same with the valuing tasks etc, they'd make way more money and it's something you would be able to do in any real job.

I understand that they need to be resourceful etc but given the length of the tasks......who could rebrand a town given pretty much a day and a half? It just seems to make things very difficult for the candidates.

The internet and Google is such a crutch for everyone today, I suppose Sir A wants to see them exercise there own little brains.

So you would never use it work, especially when you have two days to complete something? I am particualrly thinking about valuing tasks, how on earth are they meant to know the value of second hand shoes, which are actually vintage when they are a trainee stockbroker or marketing manager?
Google is only a crutch if that is all one uses, I just think it would allow them time to exhibit actual business skills. They will still have plenty opportunity to exercise their brains.

I'm fairly sure I've seen them researching in that there interweb in past series

It just doesn't make good telly does it? Plus you do need a certain amount of smarts to know how and where to search

I auditioned a few years ago and was told no phone, family, OR internet!

No internet!

Let me Google that for you...

very good!

Aren't you clever......

I assume you mean no contact with family members via the internet.....I`am sure I`v seen team members using the internet for research purposes in previous series`s.

It depends on the rules of each ask. In design tasks they are sometimes allowed to use the internet. If the task involves evaluation they are only allowed to use the yellow pages.

What always confuses me is how they always seem to find a lead for everything. I know they can use the yellow pages if their looking for something specific, but sometimes im like how the hell did they find that place?

They don't - the producers do.

The irony that the first couple of results are DS- related

They certainly have used the Internet in the past and given the timescales its one of the few ways of doing the research

The reality as well is it would be almost impossible to stop them using the internet.

They are not allowed to use the internet in the house. In some tasks the rules clearly state that they cannot use the internet. For example in the 10 items task they are only allowed to use the yellow pages.

Well, it all goes to show what we know already: that the tasks (and particularly the time-frame in which they have to be accomplished) bear no relation to anything you would be asked to do in the real world of work where the internet is obviously the main tool for initial research - and a great deal more.

It would very difficult to stop them. You can get wireless internet on a mobile.

There are no publihed rules that I am aware of people seem to be inventing their own rules

An ex candidate said that their personal mobile phones are taken from them. Each team is given two mobile phones to communicate. They are also filmed all the time so it would be difficult for them to use the internet without the Camera crew seeing it.

Absolutely ridiculous they can't use the internet. What's the yellow pages but an older and much reduced form of the internet printed in a big yellow book?

And Sir Alan's company has been producing stuff to get us on the internet and get connected so I can't see what the problem is. Crazy.

I am not inventing these rules. I am getting this information from the diary of Adam Hosker and from the posts of other past candidates. These rules are sometimes clear in the voiceover at the beginning of the 10 items buying task in series 3:

At 5.56 the voiceover says:

"with only the yellow pages to help them".

Haha!
That's great!

Ha! That's hilarious. Thanks for the timesaver for future ref.

Haha. Funny that the first hit leads back to here.