College Board Bars Smart Glasses Over Cheating Concerns

The College Board has implemented a ban on smart glasses for students taking the SATs, effective this spring. This decision stems from significant concerns that these devices can be used for cheating.

Smart glasses pose a unique threat due to their integration with advanced AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. These technologies can quickly provide answers, circumventing the need for students to recall information independently. Furthermore, the discreet nature of smart glasses, often equipped with voice assistants and cameras, makes them potent tools for academic dishonesty.

Unlike mobile phones, which require overt actions to access, smart glasses offer a more covert method of cheating. Features like voice commands and built-in cameras that can capture and analyze test content, or even facilitate video calls for external assistance, present serious challenges to exam security. The subtle operational controls, such as thumb swipes on certain models, further enhance their stealth capabilities.

The College Board's preemptive action highlights the growing challenge of technological advancements in maintaining academic integrity. The effectiveness of this ban, however, remains a subject of discussion, particularly regarding the ability of administrators to distinguish smart glasses from conventional eyewear.