The University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) disabled its Honorlock anti-cheating software after three students with darker skin reported that the system failed to recognise their skin tones, frequently interrupting their exams and creating an inequitable testing environment. 

During the shift to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, UW-Madison implemented Honorlock, an AI-driven proctoring tool, to monitor students remotely during exams. A core feature of the software was the "Exam Pause," which automatically froze a student's test if the webcam could no longer detect their facial features.

By early 2021, students, supported by a petition from over 120 faculty and staff, reported that the software’s facial detection was significantly less effective for those with darker skin tones. 

Specifically, they complained that the tool frequently failed to "see" Black and Brown students, triggering the Exam Pause feature even when they were looking directly at the screen. In addition, affected students were forced to stop their exams, adjust lighting, or wait for the system to re-recognize them, often while their exam timer continued to run.

The university officially disabled the "Exam Pause" feature on March 11, 2021, following focus groups and surveys that confirmed these incidents.

Honorlock disputed the issue was related to skin tone, suggesting the students were looking down or away from the webcam during their exam. 

Honorlock is an automated proctoring solution designed to help schools and universities monitor exams live using AI technologies. It lets college administrators customise online exams and generate analytics, and students to verify their identity and take tests using a Google Chrome plugin. 

Timeline ⏰

• Summer 2020. UW-Madison officially begins using Honorlock to facilitate remote testing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 3,000 exams are proctored using the software during the summer session alone.

• September 2020. The university's Division of Information Technology (DoIT) and news outlets release explainers titled "What the online proctor does and doesn't do" to address burgeoning student anxiety and privacy concerns.

• Late 2020. Internal reports from students of color begin to surface, alleging that the "Exam Pause" feature frequently triggers for students with darker skin tones despite them remaining in frame

• Early March 2021. A petition signed by more than 120 faculty, staff, and academic advisers is presented to the university administration. It highlights the "unnecessary added burden" on disadvantaged students and calls for the software to be removed.

• March 11, 2021. Following student focus groups and feedback surveys, UW-Madison officially disables the "Exam Pause" feature. The university acknowledges that the software had failed to recognize the faces of several students of color.

• March 2021. Honorlock publicly disputes the allegations of racial bias, stating their data does not show skin-tone-related failures and suggesting the pauses were caused by students looking away from cameras.

• April 5, 2021. National media and student papers report on the incident and Honorlock's public position, framing it as a significant institutional acknowledgment of algorithmic bias.

• October 2021. The university renews its contract with Honorlock

Research, advocacy 🧮

• Amanda Kemper. Ban Honorlock at UW-Madison

• Electronic Frontier Foundation (2020). Students Are Pushing Back Against Proctoring Surveillance Apps

News, commentary, analysis 🗞️

• https://apnews.com/article/technology-madison-wisconsin-education-software-90a41fa6fa5348d837efbbd3be3a88f3

• https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/university/3-uw-madison-students-say-online-exam-software-didnt-detect-their-darker-skin/article_891b3e5a-a9e3-5529-8859-e20908dee0b6.html

• https://www.nbc26.com/news/state/uw-madison-disables-proctoring-software-amid-complaints

• https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2021/04/06/proctoring-tool-failed-recognize-dark-skin-students-say

• https://www.govtech.com/education/higher-ed/anti-cheating-software-drawing-criticism-at-universities.html

• https://www.govtech.com/education/higher-ed/uw-madison-renews-contract-with-controversial-exam-software

• https://badgerherald.com/news/2021/10/26/uw-renews-contract-with-honorlock-despite-student-dissent/nts