iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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

"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

It wasn't us, it was one of the many journalists we gave the data to!

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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

Canvas Lite isn't free. Instructors pay for it with their students' personal information and privacy.

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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

Exactly. No public updates about the incident since 7/21/2026.

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

"Zero procurement and zero red tape" so long as you verify your identity "using a government-issued ID and a selfie, through our verification partner, Veriff." Do not trust Instructure with this information. They have yet to come clean about what was stolen in April, and now they want more info?

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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.

321053495

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

“Turnitin is sitting on a gold mine,” Linkletter said... “They’re sitting on a huge database of pre-ChatGPT works and they seem to have taken the legal point of view that they’re entitled to use these works essentially for any purpose they want.” "

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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

Gradescope is also being discontinued. From Southampton's Leaving Turnitin FAQ: "Yes, Gradescope is owned by Turnitin so it will be subject to the same terms. If you are using Gradescope please contact ServiceLine for further advice." Link: elearn.soton.ac.uk/knowledge-ba...

elearn.soton.ac.uk

Leaving Turnitin – FAQs – eLearning Support and Resources

Staff Guide: Frequently asking questions about the University’s decision to leave Turnitin for AY 2026/27

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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

Thank you, Charles. All my work is devoted to protecting students.

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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

It now says: "We may use all of the data we collect (including your personal data) to train our algorithms, AI models and AI products and for Services using machine learning to develop, improve and provide the Services." Are you an educator? Are your materials on Course Hero?

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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

They almost got there! They almost discovered the racism. But that was not the assignment. Instead it's just a matter of "controlling for dark lighting" so there is "normal lighting".

Screenshot from previous link: Skin tone
Fig. 5 shows FPR across Fitzpatrick scale skin tones. When videos
have normal lighting, no skin tone has a higher FPR than all others.
However, Skin tone 6 has a statistically significant increase in FPR
when there is dark lighting. If dark lighting is not controlled for, this
result also occurs with all videos of participants with Skin tone 6.
These results are consistent with analysis performed on production
data from Respondus Monitor. Example frames from erroneous
events can be found in Fig. 6. These examples help illustrate the lack
of contrast when a video has dark lighting which can present a
challenge for face detection systems.

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