The Markup reports: When Kurt Wilson, a computer science student at the University of Central Florida, heard that his university was using a controversial online proctoring tool called Honorlock, he immediately wanted to learn more. The company, whose business has boomed during the pandemic, promises to ensure that remote students don’t cheat on exams through AI-powered software used by students that “monitors each student’s exam session and alerts a live, US-based test proctor if it detects any potential problems.” The software can scan students’ faces to verify their identity, track specific phrases that their computer microphone captures, and even promises to search for and remove test questions that leak online.
One feature from Honorlock especially piqued Wilson’s interest. The company, according to its materials, provides a way to track cheating students through what Honorlock calls “seed sites” or others call “honeypots” — fake websites that remotely tattle on students who