Rich US college students buying papers from poor writers abroad [View all]
If only we could kick out these rich, lazy American students and enroll some talented immigrants from Kenya instead. Our country would be a lot better off.
Cheating, Inc.: How Writing Papers for American College Students Has Become a Lucrative Profession Overseas
Cheating in college is nothing new, but the internet now makes it possible on a global, industrial scale. Sleek websites with names like Ace-MyHomework and EssayShark have sprung up that allow people in developing countries to bid on and complete American homework assignments.
Although such businesses have existed for more than a decade, experts say demand has grown in recent years as the sites have become more sophisticated, with customer service hotlines and money-back guarantees. The result? Millions of essays ordered annually in a vast, worldwide industry that provides enough income for some writers to make it a full-time job.
The essay-for-hire industry has expanded significantly in developing countries with many English speakers, fast internet connections and more college graduates than jobs, especially Kenya, India and Ukraine. A Facebook group for academic writers in Kenya has over 50,000 members.
After a month of training, Ms. Mbugua began producing essays about everything from whether humans should colonize space (it is not worth the struggle, she wrote) to euthanasia (it amounts to taking the place of God, she wrote). During her best month, she earned $320, more money than she had ever made in her life. The New York Times is identifying Ms. Mbugua by only part of her name because she feared that the attention would prevent her from getting future work.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/07/us/college-cheating-papers.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage