[unisog] Content Monitoring and/or Filtering

[Stephen John Smoogen]

Peter Van Epp wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 13, 2007 at 03:49:08PM -0500, Ian Lazerwitz wrote:
>> Folks -
>>
>>  
>>
>> Just curious if anyone out there is doing any form of web content monitoring
>> or filtering at their universities.  
>>
>>  
>>
>> My CIO is interested to see if it is being done at higher ed institution?  
>>
>> What you are using to do it?  
>>
>> What was the reaction?
>>
>> What is done with the information when you have it?
>>
>>  
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>>  
>>
>> Ian Lazerwitz
>>
>> Information Security Officer
>>
>> Pace University
>>
> 
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> 
> 	You likely want to consult your lawyer to find out if the AOL case
> in the 90s got over turned on appeal (if it did I haven't heard of it). If 
> not, then if you filter content you take editorial responsibility for it and 
> are liable or whatever it says (even if you don't know what it said because
> your process is automated). You may not want to do that ...
> 

The lawyer is important, but I think there are crafted exceptions in the
case where you are filtering because the content would open you up to
legal proceedings (Child Pornography, Unsafe Workplace lawsuits,
copyright infringement, etc.) It also deals with how the filtering is
done... a clean stop of content is treated differently than a replacing
the word 'color' with 'colour' on a screen because it offends someone.


-- 
Stephen Smoogen -- ITS/Linux Administrator
  MSC02 1520 1 University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM  87131-0001
  Phone: (505) 277-8219  Email: smooge at unm.edu
 How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed
 in a naughty world. = Shakespeare. "The Merchant of Venice"