Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
TL;DR
We’re adding email verification to our UNISA student community to fight off scams, trolls, cheaters, and bots. You might have to verify your account depending on your activities. If you don’t, your account will be blocked. Don’t worry; your email information is stored securely and is only used for this verification process (and will be sent to UNISA in the case of cheaters).
Why We’re Doing This
Hey, fellow UNISA students! First off, you should know that our community has been up against some challenges. We’re talking about:
- Ads unrelated to studying
- Bots sharing inappropriate content
- Scammers pretending to be tutors
- Trolls stirring up drama
- Cheaters damaging our reputation
- People sneaking past bans
The Mechanics of UNISA Email Verification
Let’s get into it. Every Telegram account has a unique ID that stays the same, even if you switch your username. So, to confirm you’re a genuine UNISA student, we ask you to give your UNISA email to a bot. After that, we send you a unique code. You’ll enter this code on a website to verify you have access to that email. Email verification processes are explained in detail on Wikipedia: Account Verification.
What This Means For You
Now, we’re not diving in all at once. We’re introducing this email check bit by bit. Over time, everyone will need to go through it. And to keep things smooth, we’ve set up some triggers to decide when to ask you to verify:
- Usernames with certain buzzwords like ‘forex’, ‘prof’, ‘lecturer’
- Messages in Arabic, Chinese, or Hebrew
- Joining a lot of groups in one semester
- Sending links that just don’t look right
- Sending files (from 04 September 2023)
- Sending pictures (from 05 September 2023)
- All new members of the following group: LJU4801 (from 05 September 2023)
- Joining new groups (from 07 September 2023)
So, if you get flagged for verification, you’ll have minimum 48 hours to complete it. If you miss that window, you’re out of all your groups. Verification will then re-allow you to enter the groups. (Might take up to 24 hours in some cases).
On the other hand, if you verify on time, you wont notice any difference and can participate as usual.
How Your Email Data is Secure in the UNISA Verification Process
Lastly, you should know that we’re committed to protecting your personal information. We promise not to flood your inbox. The only email you’ll receive from us will contain that unique verification code. Your email details are securely stored in a protected database, inaccessible even to our admin team.
Import Note: we will inform UNISA if someone is cheating on our platform. In this report, we will forward the unique user id, linked email address and any additional relevant proof to UNISA.
Importantly, all data handling is conducted in strict accordance with our privacy policy. By undergoing the UNISA email verification process, you’re agreeing to our privacy policy, so please make sure to read it thoroughly.
How do I Verify?
Lets get into it! You will find everything you need on the How Do I Verify? page.
Happy Studying!