iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

"Sam Dickinson of York Students’ Union put it to the BBC in terms that apply well beyond Turnitin: if a university uses the service and it uses student work to train AI, “you can’t meaningfully consent to that because you have to submit your work to get marked”." www.resultsense.com/insights/202...

resultsense.com

UK universities are becoming AI training-data suppliers without saying so

Oxford's Bodleian deal, Turnitin's licence plans and a run on obscure secondhand books show UK academic material being routed into AI training under other names. The questions of who consents and what...

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 29/09/2026

Launch day! Discover Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) courses at BCIT: www.bcit.ca/open/ztc/dis... Students can now browse 1000+ Fall 2026 course sections with no required textbook costs! Over 40% of course outlines this term are designated ZTC.

bcit.ca

Discover ZTC Courses - Fall 2026

Fall 2026 at a glance ZTC courses703Courses with at least one ZTC section ZTC course outlines1,025Course outlines marked Zero Textbook Cost Share of sections marked ZTC40.8%1,025 of 2,512 Fall 2026 […...

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 28/09/2026

"If you do not have Turnitin Originality with AI detection enabled, your current student data is not used for training our classifier AI model." This confirms they trained on historical student data when the AI detector first came out. www.turnitin.co.uk/trust-center

turnitin.co.uk

Turnitin Trust Center

Using 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.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 28/09/2026

"If you do not have Turnitin Originality with AI detection enabled, your current student data is not used for training our classifier AI model." If you are a Turnitin administrator, turn off AI detection immediately. Protect the rights of your students. www.turnitin.co.uk/trust-center

turnitin.co.uk

Turnitin Trust Center

Using 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.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 27/09/2026

According to Turnitin, AI models are only trained by data belonging to customers using its AI detection feature. Time to turn it off.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 26/09/2026

University of Bristol student paper: "The change would jeopardise students' ownership of their work, and contradicts current University guidelines on using students' work for commercial gain." #Turnitin epigram.org.uk/turnitin-con...

epigram.org.uk

Turnitin considers using students’ submitted work to train AI tools

The change would jeopardise students' ownership of their work, and contradicts current University guidelines on using students' work for commercial gain.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 26/09/2026

University of Stirling student paper: "It’s essential that students are not left out of the upcoming negotiations as they were back in June, as its student data that is being used for training these models." #Turnitin brignews.com/2026/09/23/t...

brignews.com

Turnitin Denies Using Student Data to Train AI

Turnitin has denied using student data for training AI in a statement to Brig Newspaper.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 26/09/2026

""There is strong inclination from both sides to move away from the usage of the service with Turnitin's change in terms and conditions and for smoother university operation," they added." Glad to see the BBC covering this important story. www.bbc.com/news/article...

bbc.com

York Uni students' fears over Turnitin essay-checker AI plan

Students are "scared" about proposals which could see their work used to train AI, their union says.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 26/09/2026

Lancaster University student paper: "The Lancaster Tab asked its Instagram followers if they’d be happy with Turnitin using their submitted university work to train its AI services. Of over 700 responses, 95 per cent of people said they would not be happy." thetab.com/2026/09/25/9...

thetab.com

95 per cent oppose Turnitin plans to train AI on student work, poll by The Lancaster Tab finds

Of over 700 respondents, almost all decided they would not be happy to have their assignments train AI tools

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 26/09/2026

University of Melbourne student paper: "Turnitin proposed changes to its [EULA] that would allow the company to use student submissions, in aggregated, anonymised and/or de-identified form, for improving or developing unspecified AI tools..." farragomagazine.com/article/farr...

farragomagazine.com

Turnitin Wants More Than Your Essay

In July 2026, Turnitin proposed changes to allow students' submissions to be used for the development of AI tools. The proposal has since been paused until September 2027 after intervention from high...

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 26/09/2026

Cybersecurity continues to troll us with fake phishing emails. This one raises awareness of a real threat: Microsoft's workplace surveillance.

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of BCIT. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hello Ian,
As part of BCIT's ongoing AI adoption initiative, your AI Productivity Assessment has been completed.
Based on your Microsoft 365 usage patterns, several opportunities have been identified to improve productivity through AI-assisted workflows. Your personalized report includes:
• AI readiness score
• Recommended Copilot use cases
• Department benchmarking results
• Individual productivity insights
To review your confidential assessment, please access the report using the secure portal below:
View My AI Assessment
Please complete your review by September 30. Assessments not reviewed may be excluded from upcoming AI enablement initiatives and pilot opportunities.
If you have any questions regarding your assessment results, contact the AI Innovation Team.
Thank you,
AI Innovation Team

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 25/09/2026

In its new "Trust Center", Turnitin provides more information about how student data is monetized without consent to train AI. They say they train classifier models, not generative AI models, and if your institution turns off the AI detection feature, students are protected moving forward.

turnitin.com

Turnitin Trust Center

Using 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.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 25/09/2026

Latest Update: 7/21/2026 Months since the April 2026 security breach, Instructure has still not disclosed any information to students about what was stolen. "Messages" is very vague. Were these private messages? Group discussions? Instructor announcements? 🤷‍♂️ www.instructure.com/incident_upd...

instructure.com

Security Incident Update & FAQs

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 25/09/2026

How many EULA updates does it take for a post-secondary institution to update a Privacy Impact Assessment?

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 22/09/2026

ShinyHunters, the hackers behind the April 2026 Instructure security breach, have apparently hacked the FBI. This is a good time for me to remind you all that Instructure hasn't given an update on the breach for over two months, leaving students in the dark. www.404media.co/we-hacked-th...

404media.co

‘We Hacked the FBI:’ Hackers Say They Have Data on All FBI Employees

A sample of 5,000 alleged agents seen by 404 Media includes names, addresses, phone numbers, and details on FBI employees' spouses.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 22/09/2026

"Justine Pedussel... said: “Students put in hundreds of hours into their assignments, undertaking primary research and making original arguments." "It is outrageous that a mandatory submission platform can change their terms and propose using our hard work to train their AI models."" #Turnitin

thenational.scot

Students demand reassurance after Turnitin U‑turn on AI‑training plan

The president of the National Union of Students says their work must be protected from 'outrageous' AI training plans

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 20/09/2026

"A spokesperson for the University of Southampton said: "We have a responsibility to protect the data, intellectual property and academic work of both our students and the University."" #Turnitin www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/2655862...

dailyecho.co.uk

University of Southampton to scrap plagiarism checker over AI and data concerns

The University of Southampton is phasing out the use of a plagiarism checker for students' work over data protection and AI concerns

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 19/09/2026

"The University of Toronto said in a statement that the incident was not a security breach... It described the agent activity as “a novel and unintended use of a publicly accessible tool.” Gift link: www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/4e12d7e...

theglobeandmail.com

AI agents repurposed a University of Toronto link-sharing tool to communicate with each other

No data was compromised, and U of T’s digital properties were not affected, the university says

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 16/09/2026

A lawsuit has been filed against Padlet, alleging they share student data in real time to 160+ third parties (including data brokers, Meta, and Google). Padlet is heavily used in K-12 as well as higher education with students who have no choice. Read the complaint: drive.google.com/file/d/1OGPe...

drive.google.com

Padlet Lawsuit.pdf

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 16/09/2026

It's unethical to pay for Canvas Lite with student personal information, especially considering the April 2026 security breach affecting 275 million people. Marketing Canvas Lite as a way to skip procurement, district approval, and privacy assessments should be disqualifying for them as a company.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 14/09/2026

"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.com

Say Hello to Canvas Lite

Free Canvas access is here for independent educators. Canvas Lite by Instructure lets you build a course, invite students, and start teaching right away.

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Reposted by Ian Linkletter

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 10/09/2026

Some folks will claim that this is hyperbolic, but what I wish people would understand is that tech initiatives like this serve as a means of eroding consent and lower the barrier for the persistent capture of people’s image, voice, data, or whatever else a gadget can glean.

pcmag.com

Apple's New Siri Recap Turns Every Apple Watch Into a Mass Surveillance Nightmare

Apple's always-listening AI feature promises neat summaries of your daily conversations, but it forces everyone around you into a nonconsensual recording experiment.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 11/09/2026

Fall 2026 courses at BCIT are 40.2% Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC)!

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 10/09/2026

What happens when someone makes a decision about a student based on a Siri Recap?

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 10/09/2026

The Apple Watch's new "Live Rewind" and "AI Summary" features do not seem legal for BC government employees. Privacy Impact Assessments are required.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 06/09/2026

Instructure's last update regarding the April 2026 security breach was 7/21/2026. www.instructure.com/incident_upd...

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 03/09/2026

Turnitin needs to explain how college students in the late 1990s consented to have their writing used to train AI models.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 03/09/2026

I saw the Turnitin contract. It has data purpose limitations, but also says "except as expressly authorized by Students and/or Instructors". This is exactly what Turnitin is doing with their End User License Agreement update. They are going around your contract and making one directly with students.

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Reposted by Ian Linkletter

Straight Arrow @san.com · 21/08/2026

Turnitin, used to crack down on AI cheating in schools, plans to use students’ essays to train AI, stirring controversy in academic circles. san.com/cc/this-comp...

This company checks schoolwork for AI cheating. Now it wants to use students’ papers to train AI

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 22/08/2026

The University of Southampton publicly announced that it is moving away from Turnitin, effective immediately. "We have a responsibility to protect the data, intellectual property and academic work of both our students and the University." Link: elearn.soton.ac.uk/knowledge-ba...

elearn.soton.ac.uk

Turnitin – Announcement of moving away from Turnitin – eLearning Support and Resources

We have a responsibility to protect the data, intellectual property and academic work of both our students and the University.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 21/08/2026

"Vader asked the council members to "work their Jedi mind tricks" and use "double speaking" to convince people that more surveillance is good." www.404media.co/darth-vader-...

404media.co

'Darth Vader' Wants Flock in San Diego

"The emperor is a fan of Flock, and we must continue utilizing Flock technologies so that we can follow and surveil the rebel scum," Vader said during the meeting.

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Reposted by Ian Linkletter

Brenna Clarke Gray @brennacgray.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

The most important Marshall McLuhan quotation for anyone who works in edtech — a big statement, to be sure — is this: “There is absolutely no inevitability as long as there is a willingness to contemplate what is happening.” Tragically, we work at institutions that no longer value contemplation.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 20/08/2026

Remember Course Hero, the stolen syllabi swapping service? They're a "Learneo, Inc. business" now, and they're updating their privacy policy on August 21st (two days from now). Link to new policy: www.coursehero.com/copyright/#/... Link to old policy: learneo.com/legal/learne...

Notice: Our Service Terms, Learneo Terms of Service, and Privacy Policy are updating on August 21, 2026. By continuing to use the Learneo Services after August 21, 2026, you agree to the updated Learneo Terms of Service and Service Terms and acknowledge our updated Privacy Policy.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 20/08/2026

I found a bias audit of Respondus Monitor commissioned by the company. It says: "By 2025, however, the high level of precision of Respondus Monitor’s face detection models has turned the question of algorithm fairness into a footnote rather than a headline." Link: web.respondus.com/wp-content/u...

web.respondus.com

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 19/08/2026

“We have decided not to renew our contract beyond the end of the 2026-27 academic year and will begin phasing out the use of [Turnitin] immediately." Link (must be logged in with free account): www.timeshighereducation.com/news/southam...

timeshighereducation.com

Southampton dumps Turnitin over use of students’ work to train AI

Academic integrity giant denies accusations as university declines to renew contract in favour of ‘other options’

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 19/08/2026

Chegg updated their privacy policy in June to allow "user content" (instructor IP students uploaded) "to improve our products and services, including by training or fine-tuning our and third-party providers’ artificial intelligence and machine learning models". Link: www.chegg.com/en-US/privac...

chegg.com

Chegg.com Privacy Policy

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 19/08/2026

Washington State University canceled Turnitin's faulty AI detector in February. "In Fall 2024, Turnitin was used at WSU to analyze 148,547 assessments... that means almost 1,485 assessments were likely flagged by Turnitin as AI generated when they were not." Link: provost.wsu.edu/documents/20...

The first page of a memo from the Washington State University Office of the Provost.

To: WSU Instructors

From: WSU Office of the Provost, Vice Provost Bill Davis.

Date: February 11, 2026

RE: Cancellation of Turnitin AI Detection software and the Use of AI Detectors for Academic Integrity

Cancellation of Turnitin AI Detection

As of February 2026, WSU has cancelled its contract with Turnitin for its AI Detection software. The Turnitin plagiarism software package will continue to be available to WSU Faculty, Instructors, and Students via Canvas.

The cancellation of Turnitin’s AI detection software aligns WSU with other R1 institutions who have banned its use in academic integrity, including UC-Berkeley, Colorado State University, Indiana University, Michigan State University, Oregon State University, and the University of Washington. There are three additional reasons for this cancellation.

Although disputed, Turnitin claims that they have a false positive detection rate (i.e., a paper is written by a human but flagged as AI generated) of 1-2%. Other studies placed this value higher, especially for students who are neurodivergent or have English as a second language.

a. In Fall 2024, Turnitin was used at WSU to analyze 148,547 assessments. Even if the false positive rate is 1%, that means almost 1,485 assessments were likely flagged by Turnitin as AI generated when they were not.

Every false positive has the potential to lead to the submission of a case of a violation of academic integrity against a student. From information provided by the Academic Integrity Hearing Boards in the Center for Community Standards, there is growing distress and anger being expressed by students over accusations leveled by instructors that are cases of false positives produced by Turnitin. These cases negatively impact student trust and wellbeing... full text continues at PDF link in post.

Footnote 1: https://lawlibguides.sandiego.edu/c.php?g=1443311&p=10721367

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Reposted by Ian Linkletter

Ben Williamson @benpatrickwill.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Thankfully Turnitin's planned change in terms to use all student content for AI development has been forced back. But the big Q remaining is: How did getting a degree from universities worldwide become conditional on students agreeing to the end user licence agreement of an *edtech company*?

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 15/08/2026

In February 2024, @ipcontario.bsky.social found a university’s contract unlawful because it let the vendor "use personal information for system improvement purposes without the consent of students." This is exactly what Turnitin tried to do this summer. decisions.ipc.on.ca/ipc-cipvp/pr...

decisions.ipc.on.ca

PI21-00001 - Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

Search Decisions below by keyword or visit the Advanced Decisions Search for more details.

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Ian Linkletter @linkletter.org · 14/08/2026

"Google’s A.I. changes illustrate a longstanding power dynamic between consumer tech giants and the U.S. public education system. Tech companies regularly turn on new education product features for students." Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/b...

nytimes.com

Google Turns On Gemini A.I. for Students Using Its Classroom App (Gift Article)

Google enabled A.I. features for K-12 schools that have allowed student access to Gemini. Until this week, Google automatically enabled Gemini in Classroom only for students 18 or older.

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Reposted by Ian Linkletter

Ben Williamson @benpatrickwill.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Turnitin has long used its end user licence agreement to use students' work for product devt. Now it's trying to update it to use essays for AI devt too! Prime example of academic content assetization - turning student IP into a source of value codeactsineducation.wordpress.com/2026/04/29/a...

codeactsineducation.wordpress.com

AI and the amplification of academic content assetization

Photo by Viktor Forgacs on Unsplash A new AI-driven digital learning platform launched by Arizona State University has set off alarm bells among academics for its exploitation of scholarly work. AS…

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