Google Takes a Stand Against Cheating
Earning a degree takes work. College students struggle under the yoke of the most intensive, demanding educational structure they have yet faced at the same time they are beginning to come to grips with their growing adult responsibilities. For both parents and students alike, a diploma becomes a cherished reminder and trophy for the intellectual, emotional, physical, and financial strains students have had to endure to earn their degree.
Unfortunately, the competition of college courses means that some students will be reluctant to put forth the effort—yet they still want the reward. Some students are willing to test the gray areas to get out of doing work. They pass on homework from past semesters, bend the truth to excuse missed tests or essay deadlines, and sometimes even find creative ways to cheat on exams.
As technology advances, these students come up with new ways to cheat. ABC News reported that several high schools across the U.S. have banned iPods in school because students were hiding test answers in them. Others turn to the internet for help. Some plagiarize information directly off of websites, and others pay considerable fees for prewritten essays. Each of these strategies—and any other means of cheating—undermines the work and effort put forth by honorable, truly dedicated students.
Universities have been complaining that students are cheating or plagiarizing papers by purchasing them from online essay-writing services. Google is taking the issue to heart. The high-profile company announced in May that their advertising program, Google AdWords, would no longer run ads for websites that sell prewritten essays. In the upcoming weeks, paper-writing services will join the ranks of sites that Google refuses to advertise with, which also include sites that offer counterfeit items, gambling, drugs, hacking, and weapon sales. Google has taken a stand against cheating and we applaud them.
It is encouraging to see universities and companies like Google take actions that discourage cheating. The truth of the matter is that the amount of honesty in a classroom is dictated by the students. Even in college, students need encouragement, acceptance, and a reminder of the values they learned as children to help them stand up for the right thing. I encourage you to keep reminding your student how important it is for him or her to live life with integrity. The college experience is all about preparing for adulthood. The habits our children build during the college years will likely remain with them after they graduate. When you send your child off to college with the tools he or she needs, your student’s honesty will determine the integrity of the degree he or she earns. What a great feeling it will be to hang that diploma on the wall and know it is the product of hard work, dedication, and honor.
All the best,
Deborah Fox
Deborah Fox is the founder of Fox College Funding, a nationwide company that helps families find creative ways to reduce their college costs.
Subscribe in a reader
Subscribe by Email
Leave a Reply