As if obtaining a college education hasn’t been hard enough during this time of uncertainty, several colleges have implemented the use of ProctorU, a spyware used to watch students during tests to ensure they are not cheating on exams. While it seems like a simple solution to the issues companioned with online learning, after examining the privacy policies of the ProctorU software there are many causes for concern. To summarize, ProctorU uses technology that gives proctors access to students’ web cameras, browsers, microphones, and screens. While this seems standard, this also allows access to crucial personal information that many students enclose on their computers. ProctorU actually states in their Privacy policy that they cannot guarantee that transmissions of your information will always be secure or that unauthorized third parties will never be able to defeat the security measures taken by them or their service providers. Several universities including Duke and UC Berkeley have discontinued the use of proctoring systems due to privacy concerns. An article published by Forbes (linked below) highlights concerns from universities across the country and emphasizes the blatant violation of privacy rights that accompany the use of such proctoring services. Requiring students to download ProctorU due to the conditions of a global pandemic is an unjust solution and a personal privacy violation, especially when coupled with the stress of completing online coursework during a worldwide crises. 

https://www.proctoru.com/privacy-policy

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/seanlawson/2020/04/24/are-schools-forcing-students-to-install-spyware-that-invades-their-privacy-as-a-result-of-the-coronavirus-lockdown/amp/