Ian Linkletter

Ian Linkletter

@linkletter.org

Emerging Technology & Open Education Librarian. My work focuses on protecting students from the harms of academic surveillance. I defend freedom of expression, access to information, algorithmic transparency, privacy, and fair dealing rights.

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Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

"When we first built our classifier model, it was trained with pre-ChatGPT student writing. The training dataset includes a representative sample of data across geographies and subject areas." Student data from 1998 to 2022 was used to train AI models without consent. www.turnitin.com/trust-center

turnitin.comTurnitin Trust CenterUsing AI responsibly in our products and protecting customers’ data is a priority at Turnitin. Learn more about how Turnitin approaches AI within its products and protects customer and student data.
Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

From 2023 "We are being very deliberate in releasing a detector that is highly accurate and trained on the largest dataset of academic writing. It is essential that our detector and any others limit false positives that may impact student engagement or motivation.” www.turnitin.com/press/turnit...

turnitin.comTurnitin announces AI writing detector & resource centerTurnitin announces an AI writing detector and a resource center for educators. Learn about our latest tools designed to support teaching and learning.
Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

"The University also referenced its current data protection agreement with the platform, offering reassurance that “no Glasgow student work can be used by Turnitin to train AI, now or in the future”." What about the past? That's the big (so far) untold story. glasgowguardian.co.uk/2026/10/17/u...

glasgowguardian.co.ukUniversity of Glasgow Assures Students No Submitted Work Will Be Used To Train AI. - Glasgow GuardianThe University responds to concerns regarding Turnitin’s usage of student assessment to train AI models. On 14 July, Turnitin was […]

Ian Linkletter reposted

Trinity News
@trinitynews.bsky.social

University of Southampton phasing out use of Turnitin following concerns over students’ work being used to train AI models The University of Southampton has announced that it will “immediately” begin the phasing out of its use of Turnitin following changes to the software “that would have allowed…

trinitynews.ieUniversity of Southampton phasing out use of Turnitin following concerns over students’ work being used to train AI modelsThe University of Southampton has announced that it will “immediately” begin the phasing out of its use of Turnitin following changes to the software “that would have allowed it to use student submission to train AI services”. In a statement released shortly before the beginning of its academic year, the university said: “We have a responsibility to protect the data, intellectual property and academic work of both our students and the University” and noted that, although Turnitin had postponed any changes, the firm still intends to “revisit implementing these updates next year”.
Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

Canadian Teachers' Federation concerned National AI Literacy Initiative puts adoption before safety educationnewscanada.com/article/educ...

educationnewscanada.comCanadian Teachers' Federation - Canadian Teachers' Federation concerned National AI Literacy Initiative puts adoption before safetyOn September 9th, the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, Evan Solomon, unveiled Canada's National AI Literacy Initiative, delivered in partnership with the Alberta Machine. . ...
Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

Turnitin is now losing American customers over its AI training plans. "A major factor in this decision was that student papers will be used to train Turnitin's AI." helpdesk.arcadia.edu/hc/en-us/art...

helpdesk.arcadia.edu10/15/2026 - Update: Turnitin AI Writing DetectionGood afternoon,Under the advice of OGC, our contract with TurnItIn AI detection was not renewed due to updated terms in the TurnItIn AI contract. The service was suspended in June 2026.A major fact...
Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

Etherpad is an open-source tool for real-time collaborative document writing and editing. It provides instant editing access to anyone with the link. It's a privacy protecting technology, as there are no accounts to create, no email addresses being collected, and no surveillance trackers.

Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

I've used Etherpad for over a decade, including to support online learning at UBC's Faculty of Education, to share learning resources with BCcampus, and now in library workshops at BCIT. It's very handy and belongs in every educational technologist's toolkit.

Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

Before any CEOs get ideas about "unlisted" links, this document was published by Instructure in the Canvas Community. Found on Google.

Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

In addition to being unethical, Instructure is putting instructors at risk by offering Proctorio training to Canvas users. Any instructor who shares a link, video, or screenshot from this course would probably get sued by Proctorio, just like I was. community.instructure.com/en/discussio...

community.instructure.comWelcome Proctorio to the On-Demand Training Services Portal! - Instructure CommunityIntroduction The On-Demand Training Team is pleased to announce the release of a new partnership training course, Proctorio: Intelligent Assessment Integrity. The course was added to the On-Demand Tra...
Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

Free!* *with facial recognition

Ian Linkletter@linkletter.org

"Canvas Lite gives you real, no-cost access to the Canvas platform, without waiting on IT setup or district approval. Build a course, invite students, and start teaching on the same platform schools, colleges, and universities around the world rely on every day." www.instructure.com/resources/bl...

instructure.comSay Hello to Canvas LiteFree Canvas access is here for independent educators. Canvas Lite by Instructure lets you build a course, invite students, and start teaching right away.
Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

Avoid using Canvas Lite, Instructure's free offering of Canvas. It requires you to scan your face to teach. The facial recognition is operated by Veriff, an identity verification company that was breached 10 months ago. Instructure was breached 6 months ago. www.instructure.com/policies/can...

instructure.comCanvas Lite Terms and Conditions | PolicyExplore Instructure's Lite Terms and Conditions. Learn how we collect and use your information in our Privacy Policies.
Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

Canvas Lite is the replacement for Free for Teachers, which was shut down without notice in May after Instructure realized the April 2026 security breach was partially caused by it. A lawsuit has been filed by teachers who lost all their work. www.courtlistener.com/docket/73605...

courtlistener.comVallera v. Instructure, Inc., 2:26-cv-00652 - CourtListener.comDocket for Vallera v. Instructure, Inc., 2:26-cv-00652 — Brought to you by Free Law Project, a non-profit dedicated to creating high quality open legal information.
Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

3 UK universities have now discontinued Turnitin as a result of their plans (past, present, and future) to train AI models using student data. At BCIT, I am making sure Turnitin is on the agenda. You should too. www.timeshighereducation.com/news/more-un... (must be logged in with free account)

timeshighereducation.comMore universities end Turnitin contracts as concerns mountNewcastle and Westminster join Southampton in decision not to renew deal with plagiarism checker amid questions over how once-ubiquitous service is adapting to AI age
Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

"Aberdeen is “reviewing” its use of Turnitin, while Aberystwyth University, which is contracted with the company until July next year, has told students if they are uncomfortable about the service they can use virtual learning environment Blackboard for submission and marking tools."

Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

The entire BC public post-secondary sector relies on this PIA. BCNET provides Turnitin as a shared service and oversees the master provincial contract (which I have). My FOI confirmed that BCNET did not notify institutions of Turnitin's proposed EULA changes before they were to go into effect.

Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

"This is about consent to use students’ work for commercial purposes. Students can’t meaningfully consent to their work being processed to train AI or develop services when Turnitin’s processing is a mandatory part of progressing through university." wonkhe.com/blogs/a-supp...

wonkhe.comA supplier shouldn’t be able to rewrite who owns students’ essaysSam Dickinson looks at Turnitin’s paused plan to put student essays to work on AI – and finds that neither anonymisation nor university regulations answer the copyright question

Ian Linkletter reposted

Ben Williamson
@benpatrickwill.bsky.social

The turn against Turnitin in UK HE is gaining momentum, with Cambridge U the latest to cancel its contract over its proposal to use student essays to train AI. I imagine more unis will now follow. TII will surely be going into crisis management now. Good piece on it here wonkhe.com/blogs/a-supp...

wonkhe.comA supplier shouldn’t be able to rewrite who owns students’ essaysSam Dickinson looks at Turnitin’s paused plan to put student essays to work on AI – and finds that neither anonymisation nor university regulations answer the copyright question
Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

"Our forensic review of the data involved in this incident is now complete." "Thank you for your patience and for the trust you've continued to place in us." "You've shown us real grace through all of this, and we're grateful to be part of this community." Students are being kept in the dark.

Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

Introducing Instructure's Surveillance Top 10, featuring Proctorio, Honorlock, YuJa, Turnitin, Piazza, McGraw Hill, Microsoft, Google, Perusall, and Pearson. This is a parody post.

Ian Linkletter
@linkletter.org

Instructure named Honorlock and Proctorio as part of the "Edtech Top 40". The problem with this is that Honorlock and Proctorio are not ed tech. Ed tech serves a pedagogical purpose. Proctoring is surveillance technology, not educational technology. www.instructure.com/resources/re...

instructure.comEdTech Top 40: Inside the U.S. higher education digital learning stackExplore Instructure’s first EdTech Top 40 for higher education and see what nearly 19.5 million users reveal about the evolving digital learning stack.