Examining the Examiners: Students' Privacy and Security Perceptions of Online Proctoring Services

TL;DR

This study investigates students' perceptions of privacy and security concerns related to online proctoring services used during remote exams, highlighting trade-offs and trust issues.

Contribution

It provides an analysis of user reviews and survey data to reveal student concerns and perceptions about privacy, security, and institutional trust in online proctoring.

Findings

Students are concerned about personal data sharing.

Students recognize safety versus invasiveness trade-offs.

Trust in institutions influences acceptance of proctoring.

Abstract

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, educational institutions quickly transitioned to remote learning. The problem of how to perform student assessment in an online environment has become increasingly relevant, leading many institutions and educators to turn to online proctoring services to administer remote exams. These services employ various student monitoring methods to curb cheating, including restricted ("lockdown") browser modes, video/screen monitoring, local network traffic analysis, and eye tracking. In this paper, we explore the security and privacy perceptions of the student test-takers being proctored. We analyze user reviews of proctoring services' browser extensions and subsequently perform an online survey (n=102). Our findings indicate that participants are concerned about both the amount and the personal nature of the information shared with the exam proctoring companies. However, many participants also recognize a trade-off between pandemic safety concerns and the arguably invasive means by which proctoring services ensure exam integrity. Our findings also suggest that institutional power dynamics and students' trust in their institutions may dissuade students' opposition to remote proctoring.