Canadian librarian Ian Linkletter has reached a settlement with ed-tech firm Proctorio after a five-year legal battle over sharing public YouTube videos that exposed the company’s remote-proctoring AI. The lawsuit, which began when Proctorio claimed Linkletter shared private videos containing confidential information, was resolved without any financial exchange. Linkletter, who invested his life savings and received support from GoFundMe contributors and a pro bono law firm, stated that the settlement ended his legal fight and allowed him to reclaim his freedom of expression. Proctorio confirmed that the injunction restricting Linkletter from posting the company’s help center or instructional materials remains in place.
Linkletter’s case began when he posted public YouTube videos that detailed how Proctorio’s remote-proctoring AI functions. Proctorio filed a lawsuit and obtained a temporary injunction, claiming that the videos contained private information. However, the videos were public but marked as ‘unlisted,’ leading to their removal. Despite this, Linkletter was required to delete two tweets containing screenshots of the material, though he did not have to remove the seven initial tweets. The legal battle spanned five years, during which Linkletter faced significant financial and personal challenges, including the loss of his life savings and reliance on community support for funding his defense.
As the legal proceedings continued, the case intersected with the Canadian Protection of Public Participation Act, a law intended to shield public expression. Linkletter’s blog highlighted the financial burden of the litigation, noting that he invested his life savings ‘ten times over.’ He also received support from about 900 GoFundMe contributors and the Association of Administrative and Professional Staff at UBC, which together raised tens of thousands of dollars. The legal battle concluded with Proctorio’s settlement, which solidified the injunction against Linkletter but did not restrict his freedom of expression. Linkletter stated that he remains a critical voice for Proctorio, vowing to continue discussing the company’s impact on students.
Proctorio, an ed-tech firm known for its remote-proctoring services, has faced increasing scrutiny over its practices. Linkletter’s actions, while controversial, prompted a broader discussion about the balance between corporate confidentiality and public scrutiny. The resolution of the case, which avoided any financial exchange, marks the end of a long-standing legal dispute. However, the implications of the case extend beyond Linkletter and Proctorio, raising questions about freedom of expression and the boundaries of corporate intellectual property in the digital age.