Extreme violation of privacy

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  • Maverick44

    Youngest old man on TGT.
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    This shit can't be legal for a state funded university to do. I'm on my last semester and I finally found ONE professor who seems to be out of her friggin mind (the school is more Conservative than most, especially in my degree's department).

    I'm required to install a program that basically locks down my computer during online quizzes so that you can't cheat and just browse the internet for your answers. (reasonable, but there's where being reasonable stops). Other classes have had programs like that and they've never been an issue.

    This one gets about as bad as you could imagine though. It requires you to have a web cam and a mic both activated so they can see and hear every thing you do. It also requires you to share your screen with them so they can see everything you do on that too. It keeps getting worse. They require you to scan a photo ID and do a full scan on the room you're in too so they can see everything around you. Those are just the highlights. I took some pics, so enjoy reading the full list of shit they're doing that they have no right to do.

    How is this not a violation of our right to privacy? I'm obviously looking for ways to resolve this issue. This is what I get for minoring in psychology...

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    toddnjoyce

    TGT Addict
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    Sep 27, 2017
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    Do you have an expectation of privacy when taking a closed book quiz in a school classroom? No where does it state you have to be in your physical residence to complete the exam, so you probably have not right to privacy. Go to the library.

    Generally speaking, the university is expected to maintain rigor in the academic process. This is a technology solution that enables that to occur.

    The questions is whether you are required to install and use the software as a condition to being able to complete the required coursework. If yes, look at the school policy on proctoring. You may find alternative acceptable methods for proctoring. And have to discuss those options and your concerns with the professor.

    Or, drop the class.
     

    Maverick44

    Youngest old man on TGT.
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    I was talking to some guys on Discord and they've already suggested a number of things. Things like doing it in the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel. I'm hairier than a gorilla, so that would not be a pleasant sight. Had one guy sent me this and tell me to have it playing on repeat while I'm taking quizzes. I case you didn't guess it from the title, it is NSFW to an extreme degree.

     

    Darkpriest667

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    9   0   0
    Jan 13, 2017
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    Jarrell TX, United States
    I see they got a whole lot smarter since I last took online quizzes when all they did was "force" the browser to full-screen.

    I got around that by having 3 systems in the room. I could get around this as well, but it would be a bit more difficult. They want to prevent people from cheating, that's stupid. I've never understood this. In the real world if you don't know an answer you look it up, but in academia we want you to memorize the answers. I find memorization to be a poor substitute for actual intelligence.
     

    Maverick44

    Youngest old man on TGT.
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Do you have an expectation of privacy when taking a closed book quiz in a school classroom? No where does it state you have to be in your physical residence to complete the exam, so you probably have not right to privacy. Go to the library.

    Generally speaking, the university is expected to maintain rigor in the academic process. This is a technology solution that enables that to occur.

    The questions is whether you are required to install and use the software as a condition to being able to complete the required coursework. If yes, look at the school policy on proctoring. You may find alternative acceptable methods for proctoring. And have to discuss those options and your concerns with the professor.

    Or, drop the class.

    Do you have a right to privacy in your own home, using your own computer? I would say yes and the courts would agree based on Supreme Court decisions in the past. I would also say that comparing it to an in class exam is not realistic as you don't have a right to privacy in public but you DO have a right to privacy at home which again has been confirmed by the courts. Furthermore, the use of this software to gather information from your computer can also be seen as an invasion of privacy for similar reasons.

    The library is not equipped with webcams and microphones, nor are any other computer labs on campus to my knowledge. It is very clearly intended that you use your own computer. I feel that it is also worth mentioning that this is NOT a common program for the University as this single professor is the only one I have seen or heard of that uses it. I have taken a large number of online courses and none have been even remotely as invasive as this one to "maintain rigor in the academic process", including FAR more important classes than this one. It is unnecessarily invasive.
     

    Maverick44

    Youngest old man on TGT.
    Rating - 100%
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    Can you uninstall this after the quiz or is it a whole semester requirement

    It's for weekly quizzes, so for the entire semester.

    Here's the kicker. The quizzes are OPEN BOOK AND OPEN NOTES. All of this is to basically prevent someone from picking up their phone and googling the answer. Picking up the book and flipping to the page is perfectly fine though. They even give you far more time than you need to do it. The program is literally useless.

    Also, the damage is already done once you use the software. Uninstalling it only prevents future invasive activity. You've already shown them your ID, your room, and bits and pieces of your computer.
     

    Kar98

    TGT Addict
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    Aug 8, 2016
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    DFW
    HA!! What if you don't own a computer? Are only people who have X amount of disposable income allowed to take classes. How very un-Progressive of that professor. :)

    Even ten years ago having a computer was 1, pretty much a necessity to attend college, and 2, actually saved you LOTS of money if you used it to steal textbooks, rather than buying the expensive printed books from the college bookstore ;)
     

    benenglish

    Just Another Boomer
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    7   0   0
    Nov 22, 2011
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    Spring
    Furthermore, the use of this software to gather information from your computer can also be seen as an invasion of privacy for similar reasons.
    Well, yes, but surely no one would install such a program on anything but a VM, meaning that the information it gathers would only be the fake info the VM feeds it. Right?

    Hmmm. A kernel of an idea occurs to me, something having to do with a green-screen curtain hung around the test-taker and the use of a 360-degree VR porn recording. :)
     
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