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May 23, 2007 11:44 AM PDT

No more googling for your college term paper

by Elinor Mills
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Apparently, Google is quite the valuable research tool for college students.

The problem of students buying prewritten theses on the Internet that they then submit under their name in their classes is so prevalent that Google is banning ads on its search site for such paper-writing services. The BBC reports that Google is blocking search ads for essay-writing services because higher-education institutions have complained that plagiarism is "threatening the integrity of university degrees."

A Google spokeswoman confirmed the report and said that the ban will go into effect in the coming weeks. "Google AdWords policy will soon disallow ad texts and sites that promote academic paper-writing services and the sale of pre-written essays, theses, and dissertations," she wrote in an e-mail response to questions. "This change was based on several factors, including user and customer experience."

Essay-writing services now join the list of other banned Google ad topics, including drugs, alcohol, weapons, prostitution, tobacco, gambling, prescription drugs, fireworks, fake documents and "miracle cures," according to Google's AdWords content policy.

Elinor Mills covers Internet security and privacy. She joined CNET News in 2005 after working as a foreign correspondent for Reuters in Portugal and writing for The Industry Standard, the IDG News Service, and the Associated Press. E-mail Elinor.
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Organizing the World's information...
by VegasOnline May 23, 2007 12:36 PM PDT
Then keeping it from you.

Censorship is no good. I hope G doesn't take this to an extreme.
Reply to this comment
Um...
by Aaron J. M. May 23, 2007 1:54 PM PDT
So removing sites that help students cheat is censorship now?

All of those sites that sell papers are basically scams anyway.
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