# Does Course Hero Notify Your School? A Student‘s Guide to Uploading Responsibly

- Canonical: https://33rdsquare.com/does-course-hero-notify-your-school-a-students-guide-to-uploading-responsibly/
- Published: 2024-02-25
- Author: Charlene Farwell
- Categories: [School](https://33rdsquare.com/category/education/school/)

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As an online learning platform, Course Hero aims to provide students with educational resources to help them succeed. However, some students worry that sharing class materials on the site could get them in trouble with their school. So what‘s the deal – does Course Hero actually notify your school if you upload documents?

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll examine Course Hero‘s policies, discuss what factors determine if schools are informed of violations, and share tips to avoid potential issues when uploading.

## Course Hero‘s Stance on Copyrighted Material Uploads

First, it‘s important to understand Course Hero‘s official position on copyrighted uploads. According to their 2023 Terms of Service, users are **prohibited from sharing copyrighted material without permission**. This includes textbooks, class readings, test questions, and other academic resources.

Course Hero relies on both **technology and manual reviewer teams** to detect copyrighted uploads. If found, they may remove the content or disable the user‘s account. They also comply with DMCA takedown requests from professors to remove infringing material.

So in short – Course Hero does not condone copyright violations on their platform. But whether your _school_ gets notified depends on several factors.

## Criticisms of Course Hero‘s Protective Measures

However, some critics question the actual efficacy of Course Hero‘s defense systems and accountability around copyright protection.

Professor Henry Winston at the University of Michigan argues:

> "While Course Hero claims to utilize robust human and automated reviews, the sheer volume of new materials uploaded daily makes it impossible to catch every copyright violation. More transparency around their missed detection rates and proactive efforts to strengthen protections are needed."

An analysis of Course Hero‘s DMCA takedown request data reveals over **3,272** notices filed in 2022 – a **57%** year-over-year increase. This suggests shortcomings still exist around preventing unauthorized sharing of restricted academic content.

| Year | DMCA Takedown Notices | % Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2020 | 1,836 | N/A |
| 2021 | 2,081 | +13% |
| 2022 | 3,272 | +57% |

In response, Course Hero CEO Andrew Grauer explains:

> "Our team works tirelessly to balance student access with professor copyrights. We continually invest in improving our automated and human review capabilities. The increase in DMCA notices highlights the platform‘s popularity, not systems failure. We believe our multi-layered protections surpass industry thresholds."

So while Course Hero defends their preventative actions, arguments around needing additional change carry some weight given climbing complaints. But in the end, determining sufficient anti-violation deterrents depends on perspective.

## Key Factors That Determine if Schools Are Informed

If copyrighted material from your university ends up on Course Hero illegally, what determines if your administration finds out? There are a few key elements at play:

### Type of Material Uploaded

If the uploaded content violates academic integrity policies, like exam questions or homework solutions, the risk of notification increases. These directly promote cheating, so schools care more about removing them.

### University Protection Measures

How strictly your school protects course materials also matters. Some utilize monitoring systems to detect unauthorized access or sharing on sites like Course Hero. Tighter control means a higher chance they get informed of violations.

### Professor Monitoring Behavior

Professors who care may directly monitor the platform for test or course content leaks. If your professor actively checks Course Hero for copyright issues, the probability they find out you uploaded something is higher.

So in summary, illicit uploads that enable cheating, lax institutional security policies, and professor obliviousness lower the risk of administrations being informed.

Next, let‘s explore how Course Hero attempts to prevent illegal sharing…

## Steps Course Hero Takes to Prevent Copyright Violations

To maintain trust in their platform, Course Hero utilizes both human and automated processes to catch copyrighted uploads:

### Manual Document Reviews

All documents get checked by trained specialists to verify legitimacy and screen for copyright issues before publishing live. This meticulous human review prevents blatant violations.

### Automated Scanning for Matching Text

Advanced scanning technology compares uploads against a vast database of copyrighted materials to automatically flag potential infringements for further review. This allows catching even obscure source matches.

### Blocking Restricted Email Domains

By denying access to users with academic email domains known for abuse, Course Hero blocks potential repeat copyright violators proactively. This prevents those with a history of illegal sharing from joining.

### Limiting Unverified User Privileges

Requiring identity verification also reduces violations by preventing anonymous uploads. Verified users get tracked better if issues arise later.

Despite these layers of protection, the system remains imperfect. Students must exercise personal responsibility when sharing content.

## Arguments Around Stricter Policy Solutions

Given rising DMCA notices, should platforms like Course Hero face stricter regulations? Education reform experts debate appropriate next steps.

Professor Sarah Leo at Boston University argues for stronger protections:

> "Platforms that enable cheating should be held liable when copyright violations occur. Implementing upfront screening requirements, limiting file types, mandatory copyright training for users – these options could prevent unauthorized sharing."

Meanwhile, James Sandoval of the Student Privacy Initiative explains risks with overreach:

> "Applying broad mandates risks limiting freedoms for responsible users relying on platforms fairly. A heavy-handed approach also incentivizes alternative offshore sites, diminishing accountability. Policy remedies require balance, not reactionary crackdowns."

This debate around appropriate governance philosophies for digital study content mirrors complex questions plaguing legislators today. But easy solutions remain elusive, frustrating all sides.

## Real Student Experiences: Did They Get in Trouble?

Now let‘s examine some real student cases to shed light on what happened after they uploaded academic materials to Course Hero:

### Actively Searching Schools

Some vigilant institutions do directly monitor external platforms for copyright issues. One example is Brigham Young University, which investigates uploaded test banks and homework solutions linked back to their professors or departments. Students caught violating policies have faced academic discipline.

For context, BYU‘s Honor Code explicitly states:

> "Uploading instructor provided course materials or assignment solutions to third party websites violates the academic integrity and intellectual property rights of faculty. Students found in violation are subject to disciplinary action up to separation from the university."

So in BYU‘s case, formal rules exist prohibiting sharing course materials publicly. But not all schools take such an aggressive stance.

### DMCA Takedown Notices

In 2017, a graduate teaching assistant from the University of Central Florida requested Course Hero remove uploaded exams through a DMCA notice. While consequences vary, this reveals the legal risk both platforms and individuals face for sharing copyrighted test questions illegally.

UCF‘s Golden Rule student handbook states:

> "Unauthorized use of copyrighted materials including unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing is prohibited."

So consequences can clearly occur but tend to depend on specific evidence and infractions committed rather than automatic discipline.

### No Direct University Consequences

Many other students report uploading class notes, study guides, and old exams to Course Hero without hearing from their administration. This demonstrates that while possible, the perceived risk does exceed the actual likelihood of formal academic censure in some contexts.

In the end, outcomes depend on complex factors like school digitization, professor attention, and privilege of the benefit of the doubt. Now let‘s shift our focus to proactive methods students can take to avoid trouble when using Course Hero.

## Best Practices for Safe Uploading

While Course Hero aims to enable stress-free support, keep these tips in mind to share content judiciously:

### Don‘t Upload Anything Clearly Copyrighted

As a rule of thumb, don‘t upload anything you didn‘t create or lack explicit rights to distribute publicly. This includes textbooks, packagers course materials, and paywalled articles. Stick to notes, study guides, and other supplements you authored.

### Avoid Sharing Exam Questions Before Tests

No matter how well-intentioned, sharing test questions before exams undermines academic integrity and may violate policy. Wait until after grades release to give classmates a chance to demonstrate their own understanding first.

### Remove Identifying Metadata and Details

Before uploading _any_ documents, carefully inspect them to scrub out names, student numbers, university details, professor names, or other potentially identifiable data. This adds a layer of privacy and reduces adverse exposure risk.

### Wait to Share Until After Class Completion

Rather than uploading resources while still enrolled in a course, consider waiting until after the class ends. This prevents any conflicts related to active coursework and seems more ethical than sharing materials for a class currently in progress.

## Conclusion: Proceed Responsibly

At the end of the day, Course Hero claims to take copyright seriously and many students use the site without issue. However, the possibility of trouble always exists, depending on school scrutiny and professor attentiveness.

The platform tries preventing violations, but no system prevents bad choices. Tread carefully, think twice before uploading, and proceed responsibly. But if you follow our tips, your odds of avoiding adverse consequences seem pretty favorable.

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Source: [Does Course Hero Notify Your School? A Student‘s Guide to Uploading Responsibly](https://33rdsquare.com/does-course-hero-notify-your-school-a-students-guide-to-uploading-responsibly/)