Lockdown Browser

Lockdown Browser

Basic Information
Release Year	2016
Product Type	Software, Web browser
In Production	yes
Official Website	https://web.respondus.com/he/lockdownbrowser/

Lockdown Browser, or LockDown Browser, is a custom web browser that locks down a student's computer for examination purposes, marketed as a tool to "Prevent cheating during online exams." It's often integrated with Learning Management Systems, such as Canvas, Schoology, etc.^[1] The first version was released in 2016^[2], and it grew in relevance during and after the Covid-19 Lock-downs^[3].

Lockdown Browser integrates with Respondus Monitor. The former is mainly responsible for preventing students from accessing their computers other functionalities during exams, and the latter is mainly responsible for monitoring the students during examinations. The access restrictions include disabling of the browser toolbar, Windows features (such as print screen, accessing the computer's tool bar), the ability to exit the application, the ability to power off the computer, keyboard functions, and more.^[1]

According the Respondus's Privacy Policy^[4], LockDown Browser accesses many private information depending on institutional policies, such as using facial recognition, "internet and network activity information," screen captures, and etc. Researchers like Balash et al. call softwares like Lockdown Browser to be "invasive monitoring tools" and surveyed privacy concerns amongst students^[5]. Further, in Ogletree v. Cleveland State University^[6], the U.S. District Court concluded the following:

Based on consideration of these factors, individually and collectively, the Court concludes that Mr. Ogletree’s privacy interest in his home outweighs Cleveland State’s interests in scanning his room. Accordingly, the Court determines that Cleveland State’s practice of conducting room scans is unreasonable under the Fourth Amendment.

In response to the ruling, Respondus gave the following statement^[7] as it updated its own privacy policy and terms of use:

Respondus has taken several steps to help universities strengthen their online testing policies. First, it has added the following paragraph to the boilerplate text that universities often use for their portion of the Student Terms of Use for Respondus Monitor.

If your institution or instructor permits you to use Respondus Monitor at a non-university location, you agree to select a location that meets any and all university guidelines. If the location you choose is a home or personal environment, you agree to allow your activity and surrounding workspace to be recorded by video and audio and then analyzed by the Respondus Monitor system.

Similar text has been added to the Terms of Use section that is between Respondus and the student:

If you are using Respondus Monitor at your home or in a personal area, you agree to allow your activity and surrounding workspace area to be recorded by video and audio and then to be analyzed by the Respondus Monitor system.

Others criticize that the LockDown Browser creates stress for students and fails to create academic integrity amongst privacy issues.^{[8][9][10][11][12][13][14]}

In terms of freedom, aside from browser restrictions, the decision for students to opt out of LockDown Browser lies not with Respondus but varies between institutions. The following is the Opt-Out policy from Respondus Monitor's student Terms of Use:^[15]

d. OPT-OUT. If you cease to agree with these Terms, or the privacy and security policy below at some point in the future, you may opt-out by contacting your Institution. However, opting-out may affect how you will need to complete your course, and your Institution makes no representations regarding how it will affect your relevant course or any ramifications from opt-out (e.g., you may not be able to complete the requirements of such course). As such, we encourage you to speak with your instructor before opting out.

Respondus primarily markets LockDown Browser towards educational institutions as their direct customers.^[16] The end users for LockDown Browser are the students, and the surrounding monitoring tools are primarily used by test proctors, whether they be hired proctors, instructors, teaching assistants, or otherwise. However, this had led to the concern that end users are not involved in the decision process in software that may negatively impact their computer (see incident).

...

As of writing, no news source had covered these incidents; only technical forums, institutional IT help, and posts from Respondus Support Team had mentioned LockDown Browser damaging student's computer throughout the years. Due to these issues, LockDown Browser had been informally criticized as "malware." Some of the damages and issues include:

• Registry File tampering and disabling of Task Manager on Windows across restarts.^{[17][18][19][20][21]}
• Inability to power-off one's computer; Computer freezing requiring hard computer restart.^{[22][23][24][25][26]}
• Requiring the disabling of anti-virus software, firewall software, and other components of Windows Defender to install or use LockDown Browser.^[27][28]

Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) requires any private companies collecting biometric data from people to obtain informed written consent first, and the lawsuit claim that Respondus violated BIPA through Respondus Monitor, though Respondus denies the allegations. In the settlement for Veiga, et al. v. Respondus Inc., Respondus agreed to resolve the class action lawsuit with 6.25 Million USD; anyone who took an exam with Respondus Monitor while in Illinois between Nov. 11, 2015, and June 2, 2023 is affected.^[29][30][31]

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