No writing process evidence. Here's everything you can do — with or without our tool.
Verified cases from public reporting. These are real students.
Chinese international student. Faculty compared her answers to ChatGPT output and found them "similar." She was expelled, her visa was cancelled, and she was stranded in Africa. Filed a $1.3 million lawsuit against the university.
"A death penalty."
Submitted a personal essay about her own cancer diagnosis. The AI detector flagged it as machine-written. Her professor referred it for academic integrity review. She eventually left the university.
"How could AI make any of that up?"
A professor submitted student essays into ChatGPT and asked "did you write this?" — it said yes. He failed the entire class. Of 49 students flagged, 38 were later found innocent. The method had no statistical basis.
"ChatGPT doesn't know what it wrote."
His midterm exam was flagged by an AI detector. He experienced severe panic attacks while navigating the academic integrity process — despite having done his own work. Eventually cleared, but the damage to his mental health was lasting.
"I wish my professor had just talked to me first."
Flagged multiple times across different assignments — all her own work. Her case sparked a 1,500+ signature student petition demanding the university halt AI detection tools pending further review.
"It's mentally exhausting because I know this is my work."
A graduate student from Spain, Creo now intentionally introduces typos and grammatical errors into his writing to avoid triggering AI detectors — a direct inversion of academic integrity enforcement goals.
"If we write properly, we get accused of being AI."
"The AI writing indicator should not be used as the sole basis for an academic integrity charge."— Turnitin's own guidance, 2023
Whether you're in the middle of an accusation or want to prevent one — here's everything.
What exists right now, what it proves, and where it falls short.
| Tool | What It Does | Evidence Strength | Key Limitation | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Docs Version History | Shows all edits with timestamps | Strong | Can be accessed and manipulated after submission | Built-in |
| Draftback | Replays typing process as a video | Strong | After-the-fact only; professor may choose to ignore it | Chrome Web Store |
| WritingTrace | Forensic keystroke replay with GIF export | Strong | No tamper-proofing; relies on your own device | Chrome Web Store |
| OBS Studio | Full screen recording during writing | Very Strong | Manual setup required; produces very large files | obsproject.com |
| Email drafts to yourself | Timestamped proof of intermediate drafts | Moderate | Only shows stages, not continuous writing process | Free — any email |
If you're accused right now, work through this list in order.
Know your options before you need them.
Free legal network for public university students. Handles First Amendment and due process violations. Can write letters to universities on your behalf.
thefire.orgMost large universities offer free legal consultation to enrolled students. Find yours in the student affairs or dean of students office directory.
Richard Asselta (NJ) · Andrew Miltenberg (NYC) · Joseph Lento (nationwide) · Susan Stone (Cleveland). These attorneys have represented students in AI accusation cases.
If the accusation has a discriminatory dimension — for example, disproportionate enforcement against ESL or international students — you may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education.
ed.gov/ocr| Resource | What They Can Do | Key Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ombudsman Office | Confidential, impartial mediator between student and faculty | Completely confidential — speaking to the ombudsman cannot be used against you |
| Dean of Students | Explains your rights, connects you to campus resources, may intervene | Not confidential, but often student-advocate in orientation |
| Writing Center Records | Proof you sought tutoring help — appointment logs and session notes | Request these in writing; they may require a formal records request |
| Academic Appeals | Formal process to challenge grade or integrity decision | Typical window is 5 to 15 business days — do not wait |
Every tool has a gap. Only one closes all of them.
| Feature | Google Docs | Draftback | WritingTrace | Screen Recording | I Didn't Use AI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto-records without setup | ✓ (if using Docs) | ✗ After-the-fact | ✗ After-the-fact | ✗ Manual start | ✓ Automatic |
| Tamper-proof | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ SHA-256 chain |
| Server-verified by independent party | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ Independent |
| Forensic behavioral metrics | ✗ | ✗ | Basic | ✗ | ✓ 27 metrics |
| Keystroke-level event recording | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Full screen | ✓ Auto on events |
| Always free | ✓ | $100/yr | ✓ (100 docs) | ✓ | ✓ Always free |
| Your essay content stays private | Accessible to Google | Accessible | On-device only | Recorded in full | ✓ Never accessed |
Students are organizing. These communities share defense strategies, case updates, and support.
Install once. Write normally. Evidence builds silently.
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