Papers submitted to the company since 1996 were saved in their database. If someone submits a paper containing high frequency of uncited similar phrases, it will be flagged as possible plagiarized paper. Even though Turnitin has been technically and systematically helping instructors to find similar or plagiarized sentences, it has been facing controversy over stealing and unethical storing of scanned papers to its database. Students were undoubtedly having second thoughts on submitting their research papers to Turnitin free for plagiarism check. Turnitin has made its reputation popular as a plagiarism crime stopper in the past. Recently, it has been increasingly popular as unethically stealing intellectual property rights from students.

Although about 70 to 80% of students in the post secondary institution admitted having cheated at least once, the presumption of catching cheaters could still be unjustified. Students argued this presumption creates and promotes negative learning environment. This reduces the bonding relationship between students and instructors. Furthermore, this motivates practicing rule enforcement and mechanical system of implementing penalties and surveillance. This also avoids teachers to become creative in giving assignments that are difficult to plagiarize.