A Typestamp proof is a record of a writing session. It proves that someone made the effort to produce written content with Typestamp. The effort can be of two kinds:
Even though cheating is technically feasible, it violates the terms and conditions of Typestamp and may result in permanent bans from the platform. To deter cheating, we aim to make it economically unviable.
While manual writing is more valuable than cheating, both things signal the person engaged seriously with the content of the proof.
Here are some factors to check for to tell apart cheating from manual typing.
A low keystroke count relative to the final character count is a sign that the writer pasted part of the content and is worth digging deeper. Some pasting is reasonable though, like long links, or supporting content like quotes.
This is the time during which keystrokes were actually being produced, excluding any periods where the writer paused the session. Compare this to the keystroke count and character count to get a sense of writing pace.
The full event log, accessible via the audit link on the proof page, shows every keystroke with its exact timestamp. Look for a natural rhythm: bursts of typing, brief pauses between sentences, backspaces followed by corrections. This is what deliberate writing looks like. A completely uniform cadence is a sign of automated input.
Pasting is allowed, but watch out for huge chunks of content pasted - those indicate a low degree of effort.
The writer can pause and resume the session. Pauses are recorded in the event log and excluded from the active duration. Multiple pauses are normal for longer pieces. What matters is that the keystrokes surrounding each pause follow the same natural rhythm as the rest of the session.
If the proof is tied to a reference, it means the session was started through a link created for a specific purpose. This prevents the proof from being reused in a different context - a cover letter written for one job cannot be submitted as a proof for another. The reference label is displayed at the top of the proof.
A proof does not guarantee that the writer is who they say they are, or that the content is accurate or original. It records that someone sat down and typed this text out or that they went the extra mile to game the system. This effort signals that the writer engaged with the task seriously, rather than copypasting content or generating it with AI.