The New York City Department of Education has a new web filtering policy for employees. It will expand the use of its web filtering software, currently covering instructional computers, to cover all DOE computers, including those located in school administrative offices and in all central sites.This software, called Websense, will transparently monitor all internet traffic and will automatically block content that is inappropriate, such as adult sites and those containing known security risks. Internal Department of Education websites, as well as internet sites that do not fall into the above categories, will not be affected by the filtering process.
If employees feel a particular website has been mis-categorized and/or is needed to perform job-related functions, they may contact the help desk at (718) 935-5100 to request an exception. When attempting to access a page that has been categorized as inappropriate, users will be re-directed to a block page like the one posted here.
I like way you use up-to-the-minute up-dates. I found your site on an online course I'm taking. Very cool use of technology.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Dana (NC)
It makes sense that they would block sites with known security risks, but why block porn sites? Is it because they do not want children to be able to access them? It seems like those who want will find a way. What is the real purpose?
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be moving NYCDOE schools in the wrong direction, doesn't it? I had hoped that we might have some more nuanced filter that would allow teachers to override blocking when sites were needed for pedagogical purposes. I wonder, too, what effect this will have in situations where principals find it necessary to view students' Facebook accounts (in the case of cyber-bullying, for instance). Will prinicpals have to call for special permission? I'm a bit disheartened by this latest move as the whole tone of it seems at odds with the city's NYC21C initiative. -TLL
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