Test Taker Privacy and Data Security

Understanding What We Do, Why We Do It, and How We Protect You

Grades, Diplomas, Degrees, Certifications, and More... All Within Reach

Understanding why proctoring online exams is important

Whether you're a student, a job applicant, or a professional seeking licensure, it may seem like an inconvenience to have your online exam sessions proctored by a third party like Proctor360.  But there is an important reason why the critical exams you take online need some form of remote proctoring.  It all comes down to credibility, integrity, and equity.

The Internet has given us an amazing ability to reach across great distances and across borders and even beyond personal circumstances.  And that is truly a wonderful thing.  But it's changed how we learn and demonstrate knowledge through assessments. 

exam on laptop at home

Learning and Advancement Accessible Anywhere

Now that courses and exams can be delivered online to virtually anyone anywhere with a moderate Internet connection, many more people have access to education, degrees, and professional advancement.  The freedom the Internet provides has revolutionized how we learn, how we work, and how we test-- opening up endless possibilities to people for whom these things were once out of reach due to geography, economics, and available time.  But how do we compare grades, diplomas, and certifications that were earned in traditional "in-person" settings with those obtained online remotely?  How do we know remote test takers follow the same rules and regulations as those who take their exams in a classroom or a test center?

Fairness and Equity Through Remote Proctoring

By using technology to monitor test takers when they take exams remotely, institutions can have confidence that grades, degrees, and certifications earned online have equal value to those earned by taking exams in a classroom or at a test center.  Proctor360 has developed more advanced solutions for proctoring online exam sessions that foster an even greater degree of trust that the results of those exams are just as valid.  This protects you and the exam results you work hard to achieve online, because there is proof that your exam session was conducted in a fair and equitable manner.

This page is not intended to either add to or contradict any part of our formal Privacy Policy, but rather to explain, in simple terms, what data we collect from our test takers and how we use and process that data.  Our strong commitment to transparency and trust is at the heart of our relationships with all our customer schools and institutions.  We believe that our secure remote proctoring solutions help protect the integrity of online learning and testing for each and every one of them.

Proctor360 Icon

Understanding The Data We Collect To Proctor Your Exams

Safeguarding Your Trust and Protecting Your Privacy With Total Transparency

It's natural to have questions and concerns regarding the data used in online exam proctoring. Proctor360 firmly believes that openness and transparency about data collection and usage are fundamental to maintaining the integrity of online tests. The information on this page will help you better understand what information is captured and recorded and how it is used.  It is important to note that the institution that offers the exam you take makes the rules for the exam and prescribes what data we should collect and record as we proctor their test takers' exam sessions.

What Data We Use During An Exam

  • Your Full Name and Email Address when you register to take an exam
  • A photo of you that is submitted during the exam check-in process.  This photo is used for verification of your identity and to ensure that you are the only one who takes the test throughout the entire session.
  • Optionally, a picture of your Photo ID.  Most schools and organizations require this so that our proctors can compare the name and photo on your ID card with the photo you submitted and the name of the test taker who is registered for the exam.  Some organizations choose to have us skip the ID check.
  • A video recording of all your screen activity on your computer during your exam session.  You enable this connection during the check-in process and you disconnect this when you close your exam session after you complete the exam.  We monitor and record this in order to ensure that no prohibited resources are accessed while you're taking your test.
  • A video recording of you and your testing space via your webcam during your exam session.  You enable this connection during the check-in process and you disconnect this when you close your exam session after you complete the exam.  We monitor and record this to ensure that your testing space is free of prohibited materials and that other people are not present during the session.
  • Optionally, a short video recording of your testing space by scanning the room slowly with your webcam, showing the walls, ceiling, and desktop during the check-in process.  Some organizations require this to ensure that no prohibited materials or resources are present.
  • Optionally, a 360-degree video recording of your entire testing space via our 360 Total View headset.  This is only for certain exams that your institution believes need this level of validation that the exam session was truly conducted and monitored to same degree as if it was taken in person at a test center.
  • Optionally, a video recording of an additional angle of your testing space via the camera on your mobile phone.  Some organizations choose this for additional assurance that the exam was taken properly.
  • An audio recording via your computer's microphone during your exam session.  This is monitored and recorded to ensure that no one speaks to you during your exam or communicates with you about the test.  Your school or institution provides instructions to our proctors about the kinds of sounds and voices which are prohibited during your test.
  • Text transcripts of any communication between you and the proctor monitoring your session.
  • Recordings of any audio communication between you and the proctor monitoring your session.
  • Screenshots of any potential incidents detected during AI Auto Proctored exams.  The AI monitors the video from the cameras connected to your session and is trained to detect potential incidents of misconduct.  The AI will never interrupt your exam session regardless of whether it detects a potential incident.  It will only save a screenshot of what was detected along with a timestamp.  Your organization or school may review these after your exam is complete, and they alone make any final determination about what the AI has detected.

What Data We Do NOT Use During An Exam

  • Fingerprints, retina scans, and other complex biometric identifiers
  • Your facial geometry.  During AI Auto Proctored exams, the AI compares the face from the webcam photo you submit during the check-in process to the person's face who is taking the exam to determine that is only you present during the exam session.  Beyond this comparison process throughout the exam session, the AI does not create a record of your facial geometry.  The AI does not make associations between your face and your identity in any way.  It simply compares the faces it detects live via your webcam with the face photo you submit during check-in.
  • Eye Movements During AI Auto Proctored exams.  We do not feel that AI can determine with sufficient certainty that your eye movements alone can prove misconduct.  During live proctored exams, if your proctor notices that you are frequently looking away from your exam, they may intervene and ask you to show your surroundings to them with your webcam in order to verify that you are not looking at any prohibited resources.  As your webcam is recording you while you take your exam, however, there is a video record of your eye movements and any other motions you make during the exam session.  Test Takers are required to remain in full view of their webcam throughout their session.
  • Data of any kind derived from your exam session recordings for the purpose of "teaching" our AI.  The AI that monitors your session during AI Auto Proctored exams does not retain any data about you or anything else that is recorded during the session.
  • Sensitive personal information about you. Proctor360 will never ask you for your Social Security number or other similar personal details.  The information on the photo ID you submit during check-in is saved with your exam session only to authenticate your identity and your school or organization determines the type of photo id that is acceptable for this process.  It should never be a social security card or any other form of identification that includes sensitive personal information.
  • Financial or Payment information of any kind.  Proctor360's platform is capable of collecting payment from Test Takers during the registration process if it is required to take the exam; however, these payment transactions are processed by PayPal directly and no credit card, debit card, or similar information is ever captured or stored during these transactions by Proctor360's system.
  • Any personal health related information.  Proctor360 will never request information from you pertaining to your health.  Any personal or sensitive information, documents, or materials should be cleared from your testing space prior to your exam.  Because you are being recorded during the exam session, incidental recording of items and information that are within view of the webcam is possible, and it is the test taker's responsibility to use a testing space that is appropriate to take a proctored exam and clear all materials from the space prior to the start of the exam.
Proctor360 Icon

Our Pledge To All Test Takers

Data Protection and Security Of The Highest Standards

Proctor360 adheres to the highest standard of customer data security with SOC 2 compliant policies, controls, and continuous monitoring to ensure that the data we collect and store for our customers is safe.  SOC 2 is globally recognized as one of the most stringent standards for information security compliance. Developed by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), this certification involves an in-depth audit by a third-party auditor, scrutinizing a service company's internal controls pertaining to information security.

In this ever-evolving digital landscape, rest assured that Proctor360 is steadfast in its commitment to protecting your data and upholding the highest standards of information security. In keeping with that commitment, we've launched our Trust Center where interested parties can view all the controls currently monitored by Secureframe for compliance and access our audit reports.

Our customer data is not for sale.

Proctor360's singular goal is to build tools and technology that can protect the integrity of online exams for schools, colleges, organizations, and institutions that want to reach a wider audience of candidates by delivering exams remotely.  We do not sell or license any customer data or any derivative thereof to third parties.

Proctor360 Icon

Compliance With FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

FERPA is a Federal law that protects personally identifiable information in students’ education records from unauthorized disclosure. It affords parents the right to access their child's education records, the right to seek to have the records amended, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the education records. When a student turns 18 or enters a postsecondary institution at any age, the rights under FERPA transfer from the parents to the student (“eligible student”). The FERPA statute is found at 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, and the FERPA regulations are found at 34 CFR Part 99.

How is Proctor360 governed by FERPA?

Proctor360 acts as a contracted third-party service provider for schools and institutions that may be subject to FERPA regulation.  In order to provide remote proctoring for these organizations' student exams online, certain information must be shared with and/or maintained by Proctor360:

  • Student Name
  • Student Email Address
  • Student ID number
  • Exam Session Recordings & Related Data

This information is stored in each school's unique account which can only be accessed by the school's authorized staff-members or Proctor360 personnel.  Proctor360 does not voluntarily share or disclose this information with any other party or agency without being compelled by a court of valid jurisdiction. 

When schools and districts outsource institutional services or functions, FERPA permits the disclosure of PII (Personally Identifiable Information) from education records to contractors, consultants, volunteers, or other third parties (like Proctor360) under a "School Official Exception" provided that the outside party

  1. performs an institutional service or function for which the agency or institution would otherwise use employees;
  2. has been determined to meet the criteria set forth in the school’s or district’s annual notification of FERPA rights for being a school official with a legitimate educational interest in the education records;
  3. is under the direct control of the agency or institution with respect to the use and maintenance of education records; and
  4. uses education records only for authorized purposes and may not re-disclose PII from education records to other parties, unless the provider has specific authorization from the school or district to do so and it is otherwise permitted by FERPA. (See 34 CFR § 99.31(a)(1)(i)).

In short, your school is in charge of the data we maintain, and outside parties must contact them and receive consent before Proctor360 will provide anyone else to access it.  If Proctor360 is compelled by a court to disclose any data directly without contacting your school, we would first conduct a legal review and immediately notify them while following the appropriate compliance procedures that may be relevant to the particular situation.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, when Personally Identifiable Information from relevant education records is disclosed to Proctor360, FERPA still governs its use, and the school or district is responsible for its protection.

By limiting access to your student data to authorized members of your school's staff, directing all review and disclosure requests to them, and enforcing SOC 2 data security controls for all the data we maintain (as described earlier on this page), Proctor360 maintains compliance with FERPA regulations.

Proctor360 Icon

Frequently Asked Questions

How is my test session data stored?

Who owns the test session data and recordings for my exam?

How long do you store past exam session data?

Does your AI save data generated from my test sessions to improve or "train" in any way?

Do I have to agree with Proctor360's Privacy Policy in order to take my exam?

Proctor360 is a proud member of organizations dedicated to online learning and testing excellence.