ABSTRACT
“Online proctoring” companies saw in coronavirus shutdowns a chance to capitalize on a major reshaping of education, selling schools a high-tech blend of webcam-watching workers and eye-tracking software designed to catch students cheating on their exams. Students argue that the testing systems have made them afraid to click too much or rest their eyes for fear they'll be branded as cheats. The companies, with names like ProctorU, Respondus and Honorlock, advertise a wide range of cheater-nabbing tech that can lock down students' Web browsers, track their computer activity or connect their microphones and webcams to large call centers of “proctors” paid to watch the students take their tests. Fear of setting off the systems' alarms has led students to contort themselves in unsettling ways. The proctoring companies have argued they're a champion for student success and privacy, but many students aren't convinced.
