Commercial cheating services in Georgia are now prohibited.
Rewritten Article:
Say goodbye to cheating your way through school in Georgia. Governor Brian Kemp just signed Senate Bill 213 into law, making it a no-go for anyone to get paid for providing "substantially completed" academic work that could pass off as a student's assignment.
This new law covers K-12 students from public, private, and homeschools, all college students, as well as folks taking courses or seeking certifications for career licenses or credentials in Georgia. That means if you're making a buck off selling answers, essays, or other academic work, you're violating the law.
The law is a game-changer, as it applies to individuals, businesses, and organizations alike. If they're profiting from the academic fraud they're peddling, they're breaking the law. It's a practice often dressed up as tutoring or "homework help," but make no mistake, it's contract cheating – and it's a multibillion-dollar global business wrecking havoc on education integrity.
Many countries, such as Ireland, Australia, and the UK, have banned contract cheating, yet in the US, it's been a grey area until now. Georgia is one of only 19 states taking a stand against this academic deceit. And even in places where it's illegal, enforcement has been lax. The power to enforce this new Georgia law lies with the state attorney general, Chris Carr – it remains to be seen if he'll take a tough stance against such practices.
But here's the kicker: Newly formed group, the Credential Integrity Action Alliance, has been driving this change. This powerful alliance includes education institutions like Western Governors University and University of Maryland, Global Campus, as well as leading education companies such as Pearson VUE, Wiley, CompTIA, Proctorio, and Turnitin.
Rachel Schoenig, CEO of Cornerstone Strategies and Board Member of the CIAA, explained, "The members of CIAA have come together to fight against commercial cheating services, which harm our education system and undermine academic integrity." Michael Clifton, an executive director at the CIAA and vice president at Cornerstone Strategies, added, "These services erode education, workforce readiness, and the integrity of professional licensure."
The CIAA's laws are more comprehensive than existing laws in other countries and states, according to Schoenig. They protect not only higher education but also credentialing and licensure assessments that support workforce readiness and protect the public's health and safety. "Existing laws in the US are not sufficient to address cheating providers," explained Schoenig. "These companies have found ways around the archaic laws with deceptive marketing tactics and fine print."
CIAA's goal is to raise awareness of the damage caused by these services, put an end to their deceptive practices, and change laws. This is a much-needed move as these services prey on vulnerable individuals, compromise the workforce, and even attempt to extort and blackmail users later. They exist solely for profit at the expense of the American public.
While Georgia may be the first to enact a modern approach to tackling contract cheating, it won't be the last. The CIAA is already working on passing similar laws across other states. It's about time we put a stop to this academic fraud that's been thriving in plain sight. With the CIAA and laws like the one in Georgia, maybe we're finally taking a step in the right direction.
- The Credential Integrity Action Alliance, a newly formed group comprising education institutions and companies, is advocating for policy and legislation in education-and-self-development to tackle the issue of contract cheating, which they argue undermines academic integrity and harms the education system.
- In line with this, the general news of Georgia's new law against contract cheating has come as a significant step in politics towards ensuring the learning process remains fair, honest, and free from outside interference for K-12 students, college students, and those seeking career licenses or credentials.
