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| Google bans essay writing adverts | Google bans essay writing adverts |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Google is to ban adverts for essay writing services - following claims that plagiarism is threatening the integrity of university degrees. | Google is to ban adverts for essay writing services - following claims that plagiarism is threatening the integrity of university degrees. |
| There have been complaints from universities about students being sold customised essays on the internet. | There have been complaints from universities about students being sold customised essays on the internet. |
| The advert ban from the Google search engine has been "warmly welcomed" by university authorities. | The advert ban from the Google search engine has been "warmly welcomed" by university authorities. |
| But it has angered essay writing firms which say this will unfairly punish legitimate businesses. | But it has angered essay writing firms which say this will unfairly punish legitimate businesses. |
| From next month, Google will no longer take adverts from companies which sell essays and dissertations - and the internet company has written to advertisers to tell them about the policy. | From next month, Google will no longer take adverts from companies which sell essays and dissertations - and the internet company has written to advertisers to tell them about the policy. |
| Plagiarism software | Plagiarism software |
| Google's forthcoming ban on adverts for "academic paper-writing services and the sale of pre-written essays, theses, and dissertations" means that essay websites join a blacklist of "unacceptable content" including adverts for weapons, prostitution, drugs, tobacco, fake documents and "miracle cures". | |
| The move has been applauded by universities which have struggled with the problem of students dishonestly submitting material copied from the internet. | The move has been applauded by universities which have struggled with the problem of students dishonestly submitting material copied from the internet. |
| Universities warn that plagiarism "devalues" higher education | Universities warn that plagiarism "devalues" higher education |
| "Making life harder for these cynical web 'essay mills' is a step in the right direction," says Professor Drummond Bone, president of Universities UK. | "Making life harder for these cynical web 'essay mills' is a step in the right direction," says Professor Drummond Bone, president of Universities UK. |
| "We welcome this move. Essay writing sites claim that students pay hundreds of pounds for model answers - but do not then submit these as their own work. We all know this claim is absurd." | "We welcome this move. Essay writing sites claim that students pay hundreds of pounds for model answers - but do not then submit these as their own work. We all know this claim is absurd." |
| The universities organisation says that in particular there have been difficulties with essays bought by students from companies which sell tailor-made answers, where fees can be up to £5,000 for a single piece of extended work. | The universities organisation says that in particular there have been difficulties with essays bought by students from companies which sell tailor-made answers, where fees can be up to £5,000 for a single piece of extended work. |
| There have been reports of up to 12,000 essays being sold to students in a year, says Universities UK. | There have been reports of up to 12,000 essays being sold to students in a year, says Universities UK. |
| These essays and assignments can be written by freelance academics or other students - and it is less easy for plagiarism software used by universities to detect such work. | These essays and assignments can be written by freelance academics or other students - and it is less easy for plagiarism software used by universities to detect such work. |
| Google, commenting on the change, says its advertising policies are "developed and evaluated based on multiple factors, including legal and cultural considerations plus user and customer experience". | Google, commenting on the change, says its advertising policies are "developed and evaluated based on multiple factors, including legal and cultural considerations plus user and customer experience". |
| And a spokesperson said that the advert ban was expected to be applied across Google's global network. | And a spokesperson said that the advert ban was expected to be applied across Google's global network. |
| Unfair ban? | Unfair ban? |
| But one of the UK companies fearing that it will be prevented from advertising, Essaywriter.co.uk, is angry at the threat to its business - with 80% of its customers coming through Google. | |
| Managing director Matthew Wilson says this will punish the legitimate, transparent companies, which sell essays, but which warn students that they must not be used dishonestly. | Managing director Matthew Wilson says this will punish the legitimate, transparent companies, which sell essays, but which warn students that they must not be used dishonestly. |
| Mr Wilson says that such a bespoke service, selling tailor-made essays at short notice, with prices around £70 and upwards, can be used as a guide for students wanting extra assistance. | Mr Wilson says that such a bespoke service, selling tailor-made essays at short notice, with prices around £70 and upwards, can be used as a guide for students wanting extra assistance. |
| Overseas students are frequently customers, he says - but the firm makes clear that essays should not be passed off as being written by the student. | Overseas students are frequently customers, he says - but the firm makes clear that essays should not be passed off as being written by the student. |
| And he says that such a blanket ban will not stop the search engine from generating links to rogue essay selling companies, which have been accused of scamming customers by providing poor quality material. | And he says that such a blanket ban will not stop the search engine from generating links to rogue essay selling companies, which have been accused of scamming customers by providing poor quality material. |