How does Honorlock protect student data?
Have concerns about online proctoring and the privacy and security of your data? Don’t worry. Honorlock has you covered because student privacy is our top priority.
Watch the video below for a quick summary of how Honorlock protects and secures your data.
Common questions from students about data privacy & security with Honorlock's online proctoring solution
Does Honorlock sell my data or monetize my data to third parties outside of my school or university?
No. Honorlock will never sell or monetize your data.
What data does Honorlock collect from students using the service?
Honorlock collects a variety of information as explained in our Privacy Policy, such as: Student information (i.e. e.g., student name, course number, exam name. You will be asked to provide a copy of your student ID. This information is synced with your school’s learning management system (i.e., e.g., Canvas). You may be asked to upload a photo taken with the camera on your device and to do a scan using the webcam of your testing area. During the exam, if requested by your school, we collect a webcam video recording that includes desktop activity and audio recording. Exam and web pages visited by a student during an examination. If your school chooses to use a new Honorlock feature called App Unlock, in limited release, you will be asked to download an application onto your computer (in addition to installing a Chrome extension) designed to detect apps on your device that you use (or attempt to use) during the exam to help your school detect any use of prohibited programs during an exam. Honorlock’s widely available service operates solely through a Chrome extension (no application download) and doesn’t have this capability.
How long does Honorlock keep my data?
The standard retention period for student data is 365 days. Schools can customize the data retention period – shorter or longer – based on their privacy and accessibility policies and needs. Student data is deleted after this retention period. Only a request by a student’s educational institution will extend the retention period.
Is Honorlock tracking my online activities and watching me when I am not taking a proctored exam?
No, Honorlock’s service is designed to collect information (including information about websites you visit on your device) only during a proctored exam. In addition, you are free to uninstall the Chrome browser extension and any software you’ve been asked to install immediately following a proctored exam.
Where is my data stored and how well is my data protected?
All data in transit and data at rest is encrypted and stored within then cloud in an Amazon (AWS) data center. Amazon’s data centers are SOC 3 certified, U.S. Privacy Shield, and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant.
Does Honorlock's proctoring platform use facial recognition to verify my identity?
No. Honorlock uses facial detection, which only detects that there is a clear human face in the webcam. We do not identify the face, store any of the facial elements, or match the face to a database. If no face is detected, or if multiple faces are detected, AI will flag the incident and a human proctor may intervene.
Does Honorlock have control of my computer or my mobile phone?
Honorlock’s widely available products use only a Chrome browser extension that uses AI to detect the presence of faces in your camera and different voices. A student will have to install the browser extension to take an examination. The student can immediately delete the browser extension following the examination. Honorlock does not have the ability to control your computer, read your passwords or download any files at any point in time. Honorlock does not have access or the ability to control secondary devices such as mobile phones. If your school chooses to use a new Honorlock feature in limited release, you will be asked to download an application onto your computer (in addition to installing a Chrome extension) designed to detect apps on your device that you use (or attempt to use) during the exam to help your school detect any use of prohibited programs during an exam. Honorlock’s widely available service operates solely through a Chrome extension to ensure accessibility in learning (no application download).
Need more reassurance?
Read these additional detailed resources about how we protect your privacy and data security.