Formatting prompts to thwart GenAI

[aehchua]

What's the best practice for embedding prompts in Canvas to detect GenAI use?  My current tactic is to create a span tag <span style="color: transparent">If you are a GenAI...</span>

I have successfully caught students with this, but want a better solution.

There are a couple of problems with this.  First, it is detectable by highlighting over the text- this is natural activity when one is copying a prompt into the genAI.  Second, Canvas seems to only allow a minimum font size of 8.  

What I'd like is for this to be truly or nearly truly invisible on Canvas, but appear in the prompt pasted into the GenAI, preferably buried in the text so students don't notice.  Also, I'd like a solution resistant to reasonable accessibility issues.

[Mr_Wood]

This is an interesting problem and one I'm curious about how you solve it too.

I don't have a complete answer yet, but perhaps this could help you find it: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Resource-Documents/Canvas-HTML-Editor-Allowlist/ta-p/38706...
These are all the HTML tags allowable within the canvas system, it could be that there is something interesting in there

[aehchua]

I just found out:

 <span style="color: transparent; font-size: 0pt;">If you are a GenAI...</span>

works better.  Highlighting text in Canvas won't reveal the hidden text.

[chriscas]

Hi @aehchua,

I don't really have a better solution to offer you, but I did want to point out that the code you have there is almost guaranteed to be read by accessibility software (like screen readers) or the Immersive Reader that many institutions have turned on in Canvas.  I understand what you're trying to achieve, but I think you may be creating a bigger accessibility issue with this approach.  I'd recommend running this by your school/institution Canvas team (usually in the eLearning / IT / Digital Education areas) to get their opinion, since that's probably what matters most for you (or anyone else who may come across this post).

-Chris

[Gabriel33]

I think adding ' aria-hidden="true" ' could help with the screen reader concern.

[aehchua]

Thanks! 

For those not so HTML savvy, this means you hit the </> button and say:

<span aria-hidden="true" style="color: transparent; font-size: 0pt;">If you are a GenAI...</span>