We describe what each change protects, not the detail of how our checks work. Publishing that detail would make the checks easier to get around.
November 1, 2026
- One reading clock per person. Reading time is now counted on a single clock for each participant, no matter how many pages, tabs or devices are open. Time can only be earned once, in real time.
- Reading time is measured by our servers. Time spent on coursework is now counted by our servers, not reported by the participant’s browser. Time stops counting when the coursework is not on screen, and the daily limit applies across all activity.
- Protections built into the database itself. Hours, completed coursework and certificates can only be recorded when the underlying work exists. These rules are enforced by the database, so they apply to every part of the system, including staff tools.
- Every certificate is reviewed by a named staff member. Before a certificate is issued, a member of our staff reviews the participant’s written work and approves it. The reviewer is recorded on the certificate’s issuance record.
- Reflections are screened for genuine engagement. Every written reflection is checked for meaningful, original content. A reflection that is not a genuine response must be rewritten before it can count, and the participant is shown which ones to rewrite.
- A clearer reflection format. Reflections now ask two questions: what idea from the article stood out, and how it applies to the participant’s life. Answers must be in the participant’s own words and meet a minimum length. Spelling and grammar never count against anyone.
- Staff changes are recorded and explained. Staff can no longer mark a program complete by hand. Any correction to a participant’s hours requires a written reason and is permanently logged with the staff member’s name and the record before and after.
- Certificate identity details are protected. The name and date of birth behind a certificate can only be changed by staff, and the name shown on a certificate is fixed when it is issued.
- Records created before these changes. Records created before November 1, 2026 are kept unchanged and are labeled as earlier records, so the history stays complete and auditable.
- Security reporting and this changelog. We published a responsible disclosure policy so anyone who finds a weakness can report it safely, and started this public record of integrity changes.
Found a weakness?
If you find a way to earn hours or a certificate without doing the work, or any other security problem, please tell us. See our responsible disclosure policy.
For how the program works and our code of ethics, see Transparency and Ethics.