Plagiarism-Detection Software Becomes Political Tool

High-profile figures face scrutiny as universities defend their review processes

Plagiarism-detection software has become a political weapon, with high-profile figures such as Claudine Gay, former Harvard president, and Neri Oxman, former MIT professor, facing accusations of plagiarism.
Harvard University has defended its review of plagiarism allegations against Claudine Gay, stating that her 'conduct was not reckless nor intentional,' and did not constitute 'research misconduct.'
Bill Ackman, hedge fund manager and husband of Neri Oxman, has announced plans to review the published work of all of MIT’s faculty, its president, Sally Kornbluth, and the university’s board members, as well as the staff at Business Insider and possibly faculties at other major universities.
Turnitin, the world’s largest provider of academic integrity software, is being used by media organizations and political groups to scrutinize the work of academics, a use case the company did not originally design for.
Despite the increasing use of plagiarism-detection software for political ends, many educators and academics believe the technology should be used to support instructors and enforce proper citation guidelines, rather than as a means of punishment.