Prevent and Internet filtering policies

The request was successful.

Dear University of Stirling,

Can you please supply:

(1) your policy or policy guidance for duties under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 duties for the various local authorities listed in Schedule 6, known as “Prevent”;

(2) your policy relating to Internet filtering, blocking and prevention of access to material deemed inappropriate;

(3) the name of any providers of Internet filtering and blocking services that you use, or else a statement that you do not block or filter content at all;

(4) a list of agreements, arrangements or Memorandums of Understanding between yourselves and bodies such as the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), or Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) of the City of London Police, to receive lists of illegal or illicit content, for instance for the purposes of blocking.

Finally, can you tell me if:

(5) any filtering or blocking service that you use incorporates lists from the IWF, CTIRU or PIPCU, and which lists are incorporated.

Yours faithfully,

Jim Killock

Freedom of Information Unit, University of Stirling

Dear Mr Killock

We acknowledge receipt of your Freedom of Information request regarding Prevent and Internet filtering policies. We will response to your request as soon as possible.

Regards
Freedom of Information Unit
University of Stirling

show quoted sections

Freedom of Information Unit, University of Stirling

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Killock

I refer to your Freedom of Information request regarding prevent and internet filtering policies. The responses to your questions are below:

(1) your policy or policy guidance for duties under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 duties for the various local authorities listed in Schedule 6, known as “Prevent”;

The University of Stirling input into the development of the Scottish Good Practice Guide for Scottish Higher Education Institutions, as part of the Higher Education Prevent Working Group. The guide is attached.

(2) your policy relating to Internet filtering, blocking and prevention of access to material deemed inappropriate;

The University does not implement any filtering, blocking, or access control on the Internet service provided to owners of University network accounts, i.e. registered users, primarily staff and students. The IT Use Policy (http://www.stir.ac.uk/media/schools/is/d...) defines allowable use and indicates penalties for infringement.

The University also provides a free at point of use wireless Internet service for members of the public. This is a Keysurf service supplied by Relish Networks plc. This is filtered on the following categories, as selected by the University:
AdultContent, CrimeandSuicide, Drugs, Gambling, Hacking, HateAndRacism, IPAddress, IllegalUnethical, InternetRadioTV, InvalidURL, MilitancyandExtremist, Nudity, P2P, PhishingandFraud, Plagiarism, Porn, SPAMURL, Spyware, URLTranslationSites, Violence, Weapons

(3) the name of any providers of Internet filtering and blocking services that you use, or else a statement that you do not block or filter content at all;

As above for staff/student Internet services.

The filtering of the Keysurf service is subcontracted by Relish Networks plc. See https://www.keycom.co.uk/about-us/contac...

(4) a list of agreements, arrangements or Memorandums of Understanding between yourselves and bodies such as the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), or Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) of the City of London Police, to receive lists of illegal or illicit content, for instance for the purposes of blocking.

Not applicable to staff/student internet services.

Information not held with regard to the public Internet service.

(5) any filtering or blocking service that you use incorporates lists from the IWF, CTIRU or PIPCU, and which lists are incorporated.

Not applicable to staff/student internet services.

Information not held with regard to the public Internet service.

You have a right under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FoISA) to request a review of this decision by the University of Stirling. If you wish to exercise this right, you must write to the University to request a review within forty working days of receipt of this decision. Your request for a review must be in writing and you must specify your name and address for correspondence. You must also identify the decision that you wish reviewed.

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of a review, you have a right under the FoISA to appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner. If you wish to do so, you must appeal to the Commissioner within six months following the date of receipt of the review notice. Details on how to appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner are available on their website www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal

You also have the right to appeal to the Court of Session on a point of law following a decision of the Commissioner.

Yours faithfully
Freedom of Information Unit
University of Stirling

show quoted sections