Proctoring Systems, In General Terms

How Examity Monitors Online Exams, Explained

Examity monitors an online exam through some combination of identity authentication, a room and workstation sweep, session recording, software flagging, and human review - the exact combination depends on which of its four proctoring levels your school or certification program selected. Everything below is the general process, exactly as Examity and its parent company Meazure Learning publish it.

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What is Examity?

Examity is an online proctoring provider for college, employer, and certification exams, founded in 2013. Its platform offers a variety of proctoring styles, from automated through to live, for hundreds of education and certification providers. Since September 1, 2023, Examity has been part of Meazure Learning, the assessment company built around the ProctorU platform, which announced the acquisition on September 6, 2023.

Examity groups its offerings into two solution families. Automated Solutions use software to monitor and record the exam, with humans reviewing afterward. Live Solutions put a trained proctor into the session in real time - either only at check-in or for the entire exam.

Which level applies to you is not the candidate's choice. The exam owner picks a proctoring level per exam, and Examity states it tailors every solution to fit the needs of the organization and its test-takers.

The four proctoring levels

Examity's platform has four proctoring levels. Their current names date from a 2022 rename that kept the features of each option the same: Automated (previously Auto Standard), Automated + Audit (previously Auto Premium), Live Authentication + Audit (previously Live Standard), and Live Proctoring (previously Live Premium).

In plain terms, the four levels work like this. Automated is record-and-review: software monitors the session and the recording goes to the dashboard. Automated + Audit adds a formal human audit before that material is released. Live Authentication + Audit brings in a live proctor for check-in, then relies on recording, software monitoring, and human review afterward. Live Proctoring keeps a live proctor present for the whole session.

The ladder is one of human involvement. Examity positions Live Proctoring as the most secure choice for high-stakes exams, critical certifications, and pre-employment screenings, and presents the four options as a way for each organization to pick the level of security and test-taker support that fits its exams.

Automated and Automated + Audit

The Automated level begins before the test does, with comprehensive auto ID authentication that the test administrator can fully configure. Once authentication is complete, you begin the exam, and Examity's auto ID proctoring technology monitors the test from start to finish.

What the software side does is published only in general terms: it captures audio, motion, and systemic changes during the testing session, identifying aberrant or abnormal behaviors. At the end of each proctoring session, a full video of the exam, along with time-stamped comments, is posted to the Examity dashboard for review by the test administrator.

Automated + Audit keeps the same customizable authentication stages and auto ID proctoring, then adds a formal human audit: an Examity reviewer examines the authentication, the exam session, and any flags the software raised before the video and time-stamped comments are released to the dashboard. Examity is explicit that AI and auto ID proctoring are not synonymous - it states that it uses AI to complement its software and support model, not to replace review.

Live Authentication + Audit and Live Proctoring

Both live levels open the same way: live ID authentication plus a 360-degree sweep of the room and workstation, a check Examity describes as ensuring any unauthorized materials are removed before testing can proceed.

In Live Authentication + Audit, the proctor leaves the session once check-in is complete. The exam is still recorded from start to finish, software monitors the exam for any unusual activity, and when you finish, an Examity proctor and auditor review both the authentication process and the proctoring session before the recording and data are released to the dashboard.

In Live Proctoring, the proctor oversees the entire session from authentication to test completion, on top of the same pre-test authentication and post-test audit. Published feature names for this level include live low-ratio proctoring, real-time on-screen support, and immediate exam intervention - the proctor can proactively address suspicious behavior or answer a technical question in real time.

The color-coded flag system

Every Examity proctoring session is annotated with color-coded flags and time-stamped comments, which are made available for review at the conclusion of the exam. There are four flag colors, and each one means something specific.

Green flags mean no violations: two green flags on a session mean your identity and exam area were successfully verified and no exam violations occurred. Yellow flags mark a rule violation where cheating is unlikely - Examity's published examples are a small child wandering into the room, a bathroom break, or a phone ringing in the background. Red flags mean cheating behavior has been observed and immediate instructor review is recommended; Examity's published example categories include internet searches, exam screenshots, and collaboration with others, and a red-flag incident triggers an email from client success managers to instructors detailing what happened, with a direct link to the session. Blue flags appear only for technical issues - a webcam freezing, exam pages being lost, or poor audio quality - and are recorded so instructors are aware even when the exam was not affected.

The most important governance fact is what a flag is not. Examity states that just because something is flagged does not mean it is automatically considered an exam violation: reporting data, including flags, is always provided to the test administrator, who reviews the data to determine whether an exam rule was broken. Violations are always determined by the administrator, not the proctoring solution.

Check-in, proctor access, and support

Examity's published test-taker FAQ puts profile setup at less than five minutes. You then schedule your exam, and on test day a proctor authenticates your identity before the exam begins. One timing fact matters for planning: the roughly five-minute authentication process does not cut into your exam time, because the exam timer does not start until you have begun the test. Proctors are randomly assigned to exams, Examity states that it does not switch proctors - the same proctor who authenticates you stays with you for the duration - and each proctor has been interviewed by a member of the senior management team.

The remote-access rules are published and specific. If a proctor needs to access your computer screen, for example to troubleshoot a technical issue, they always request permission first. Access is limited to the mouse and keyboard, you can revoke it at any time, and any granted access is automatically disabled at the end of the proctoring session. For some exams, a proctor will request access to enter the exam password - a step Examity describes as keeping the password and exam content secure - and once the password is entered, complete control returns to you.

If something goes wrong before or during the exam, Examity's published support promise is availability all day, every day: technical support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, by online chat, email, and phone.

Recording retention and privacy

Examity publishes standard retention windows for session data. Typically, exam data is available to program administrators for 60 days and then destroyed. If a red flag is raised on a session, the exam data is available for 1 year. Some programs set unique retention policies that are longer or shorter than the standard, so Examity recommends confirming the exact timeframe with your program administrator.

Its stated privacy position is minimization: Examity says it captures only the minimum amount of data needed, holds onto that data for the shortest time possible, and complies with global privacy regulations.

One practical note for placement-test candidates: Examity is an approved online proctoring provider for the ACCUPLACER, TSI, and TSIA exams, so those exams follow Examity's published requirements and scheduling flow.

If the Sitting Itself Is the Problem

Understanding Examity's published checks is one thing; sitting a monitored, recorded exam is another. Exam Assist exists for exactly that gap - we handle online exam sittings end to end, and the service fee is due only after your agreed result posts. Send your exam, your window, and your deadline, and you will get an honest feasibility answer first.

If you want the wider picture first, our guides to how online proctoring works and the comparison of online proctoring software explain how Examity's level-based model differs from single-mode tools, our ProctorU monitoring overview covers the sibling platform Examity now sits alongside at Meazure Learning, and our what-to-expect walkthrough covers check-in day step by step.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Examity watch you during the exam? +
It depends on the proctoring level your exam owner selected. In Automated levels, software monitors and records the session and humans review the recording afterward. In Live Authentication + Audit, a live proctor is present for check-in only, after which the session is recorded and reviewed. In Live Proctoring, a live proctor oversees the entire session from authentication to completion.
What is the Examity room scan? +
At the live proctoring levels, check-in includes a 360-degree sweep of the room and workstation using your webcam. Examity describes its purpose as ensuring any unauthorized materials are removed before testing can proceed.
What do Examity's flag colors mean? +
Green means no violations - identity and exam area verified. Yellow means a rule was broken but cheating is unlikely, such as a child wandering into the room or a bathroom break. Red means cheating behavior has been observed and instructor review is recommended. Blue marks technical issues only, such as a frozen webcam or poor audio.
Does an Examity flag automatically count as cheating? +
No. Examity states that a flag is not automatically an exam violation. Reporting data, including flags, is always provided to the test administrator, who reviews it and determines whether an exam rule was broken - violations are always determined by the administrator, not the proctoring solution.
Can an Examity proctor access your computer? +
Only with your permission. Examity's published rules say proctors always request access first, access is limited to the mouse and keyboard, you can revoke it at any time, and it is automatically disabled when the session ends. For some exams a proctor enters the exam password this way, then returns complete control to you.
How long does Examity keep your exam video? +
Typically, exam data is available to program administrators for 60 days and then destroyed. If a red flag is raised, the data is kept available for 1 year. Some programs set longer or shorter retention policies, so confirm with your program administrator.
Is Examity still in business? +
Yes, as part of Meazure Learning. Meazure Learning's acquisition of Examity was completed on September 1, 2023 and announced on September 6, 2023, and Examity's proctoring platform - with its four levels from automated to live - continues under the combined company.

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