FOI request for internet search data policy at public institutions (universities)
Dear Heriot-Watt University,
I am writing as a research volunteer at the Open Rights Group. We are conducting a study to better understand filtering and blocking of websites on the public estate, to understand what content and sites are inaccessible and why. I am writing to ask about this in relation to Universities. We are following up our previous FOI requests with a refined list of questions to make the answers uniform and suitable for analysis. With this in mind, please answer the questions as directly as possible.
We would like to know, in relation to your publicly accessible Internet networks, or Internet networks for your clients:
1. The categories of content blocked or filtered, e.g.:
(a) Security or Malware
(b) Content types, eg adult, alcohol etc
2. Statistics relating to the requests blocked or filtered, eg how many site requests filtered or blocked per category
3. Monitoring requirements you have for users, eg if you record or may record their Internet usage
Thanks for taking the time to read this and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours faithfully,
Pascal Crowe (Open Rights Group)
Dear Applicant
Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (the "Act")
Thank you for your email. We acknowledge your request. As we are currently
experiencing a high volume of information requests, we look to respond
within the statutory deadline, taking into account any Scottish Bank
Holidays.
As a Scottish Public Authority, we will be processing your request through
the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, the details of which can
be found at the link below.
Please visit the pages below to see if the information you require is in
the public domain.
[2]https://www.hw.ac.uk/services/heritage-i...
Scottish Information Commissioner Guidelines
Further information about timescales for responding to requests for
information and your rights under the Act can be found on the Scottish
Information Commissioner's website:
[3]http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourR...
or by contacting the Scottish Information Commissioner's Office at the
following address:
Scottish Information Commissioner,
Kinburn Castle,
Doubledykes Road, St Andrews,
Fife KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Fax: 01334 464611
E-mail: [4][email address]
Website: [5]www.itspublicknowledge.info
FOISA Team
Heriot-Watt University
Governance and Legal Services
Edinburgh Campus
Riccarton
Edinburgh EH14 4AS
Dear Applicant
Thank you for your information request dated the 20th February 2018
regarding Blocked internet content. Your request was handled under
Scottish legislation: the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Our responses are in red below for ease of reference:
Q1 - The categories of content blocked or filtered:
• Violence/Hate/Racism
• Intimate Apparel/Swimsuit
• Nudism
• Pornography
• Weapons
• Adult/Mature Content
• Cult/Occult
• Drugs/Illegal Drugs
• Illegal Skills/Questionable Skills
• Sex Education
• Gambling
• Hacking/Proxy Avoidance Systems
• Internet Watch Foundation CAIC
• Malware
• Radicalization and Extremism
Q2 – We do not hold the statistical information and so this is exempt
under Section 17 of the Scottish Act.
Q3 - We may record internet usage (forms part of our conditions of use)
and, in fact, our system does keep records for a small time period (less
than a week) but we only actively monitor if a request to do so has been
raised.
Your right to seek review of our decision
If you are not satisfied with our response or our reasoning set-out above,
you have forty working days from todays date in which to request a review
of our decision. Any request should be put in writing and should be sent
to Ann Jones, Head of Heritage and Information Governance, at the address
detailed at the bottom of this email. The request should:
(a) detail your request for a review of our decision to be undertaken;
(b) describe the nature of your original request; and
(c) explain the reasons why you are dissatisfied with our response.
If you remain dissatisfied with how your request for information has been
dealt with, you also have the right to apply to the Scottish Information
Commissioner for a decision as to whether we have handled your request
properly.
Information relating to your right to seek review is available from the
Scottish Information Commissioner's web page at:
[1]http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourR...
or by contacting the Scottish Information Commissioner's Office at the
following address:
Scottish Information Commissioner,
Kinburn Castle,
Doubledykes Road,
St Andrews,
Fife KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Fax: 01334 464611
E-mail: [2][email address]
Website:
[3]http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/home/...
Contact us
Finally, should you wish to discuss the contents of this email, please do
not hesitate to contact us.
FOISA Team
Heriot-Watt University
Governance and Legal Services
Edinburgh Campus
Riccarton
Edinburgh EH14 4AS
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