Content filtering software

The request was successful.

Dear University of Wolverhampton,

I would like to make a request for the following information under
the Freedom of Information Act (2000).

1. Do you employ the use of content filtering software on the PCs
based in your libraries which are connected to the internet and
intended for use by the users of your library?

If answer to 1. is “yes”, please:

2. Provide the name and annual cost of the content filtering
software.

3. Provide a full list of the categories of websites blocked (e.g.
“pornography, gambling, phishing etc.”). If these differ according
to the user profile accessing the PC (e.g. child, student, adult,
staff etc.) please provide a full list of categories of websites
blocked for each user profile.

4. Confirm whether you also block specific URLs in addition to
categories, and provide a complete list of these URLs.

5. Provide the relevant policy document or written documentation
which outlines the procedure a user must follow in instances where
they would like to gain access to a website that is blocked.

6. From January 2013 until the present day, please provide a list
of the URLs where users have requested access to despite them being
blocked by the content filtering software.

7. Of the list provided in 6., please detail which URLs access was
granted for and which were denied.

I hope the above requests are clear however please do not hesitate
to get back in touch if any need clarifying.

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Payne

Suwali, Pushpa, University of Wolverhampton

Dear Daniel Payne,

 

Thank you for your email below, received by the University of
Wolverhampton on the 29^th May 2015 in which you have requested the
following information:

 

1. Do you employ the use of content filtering software on the PCs based in
your libraries which are connected to the internet and intended for use by
the users of your library?

 

If answer to 1. is “yes”, please:

 

2. Provide the name and annual cost of the content filtering software.

 

3. Provide a full list of the categories of websites blocked (e.g.

“pornography, gambling, phishing etc.”). If these differ according to the
user profile accessing the PC (e.g. child, student, adult, staff etc.)
please provide a full list of categories of websites blocked for each user
profile.

 

4. Confirm whether you also block specific URLs in addition to categories,
and provide a complete list of these URLs.

 

5. Provide the relevant policy document or written documentation which
outlines the procedure a user must follow in instances where they would
like to gain access to a website that is blocked.

 

6. From January 2013 until the present day, please provide a list of the
URLs where users have requested access to despite them being blocked by
the content filtering software.

 

7. Of the list provided in 6., please detail which URLs access was granted
for and which were denied.

 

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. You will receive a response within the statutory
timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act, subject to the
information not being exempt or containing a reference to a third party.
In some circumstances we may be unable to achieve this deadline. If this
is likely you will be informed and given a revised timescale at the
earliest opportunity.

 

In some cases there may be a fee payable for the retrieval, collation and
provision of the information you request. If this is the case you will be
informed and the 20 working day timescale will be suspended until we
receive payment from you. If you choose not to make payment then your
request will remain unanswered.

 

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to
another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest
possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.

 

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please do
not hesitate to contact this office.

 

Yours Sincerely,

 

Pushpa Suwali, on behalf of

 

Luke Hill

Head of Legal & Compliance

Office of the University Registrar and Secretary

Offices of the Vice-Chancellor

University of Wolverhampton

MA216, MA Building

Wulfruna Street

Wolverhampton

WV1 1LY

 

Email:  [1][email address]

Tel:      07891 828666

Fax:     01902 322281

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Suwali, Pushpa, University of Wolverhampton

Dear Daniel Payne,

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: (Ref FOI-059-2015)

 

 

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the University of Wolverhampton on the 29^th May, in which you seek
access to the following information:

 

[1. Do you employ the use of content filtering software on the PCs based
in your libraries which are connected to the internet and intended for use
by the users of your library?

 

If answer to 1. is “yes”, please:

 

2. Provide the name and annual cost of the content filtering software.

 

3. Provide a full list of the categories of websites blocked (e.g.

“pornography, gambling, phishing etc.”). If these differ according to the
user profile accessing the PC (e.g. child, student, adult, staff etc.)
please provide a full list of categories of websites blocked for each user
profile.

 

4. Confirm whether you also block specific URLs in addition to categories,
and provide a complete list of these URLs.

 

5. Provide the relevant policy document or written documentation which
outlines the procedure a user must follow in instances where they would
like to gain access to a website that is blocked.

 

6. From January 2013 until the present day, please provide a list of the
URLs where users have requested access to despite them being blocked by
the content filtering software.

 

7. Of the list provided in 6., please detail which URLs access was granted
for and which were denied.]

 

Following receipt of your request searches were conducted by the
University of Wolverhampton to locate information relevant to your
request.  We can confirm that the information you have requested is held
by the University of Wolverhampton and is detailed below:

 

1. Do you employ the use of content filtering software on the PCs based in
your libraries which are connected to the internet and intended for use by
the users of your library? - No

 

If answer to 1. is “yes”, please:

 

2. Provide the name and annual cost of the content filtering software. –
Firewall utilises the BrightCloud list to protect against compromised
malicious Web sites.

 

3. Provide a full list of the categories of websites blocked (e.g.

“pornography, gambling, phishing etc.”). If these differ according to the
user profile accessing the PC (e.g. child, student, adult, staff etc.)
please provide a full list of categories of websites blocked for each user
profile. – N/A, Staff and students do not have restricted access.

 

4. Confirm whether you also block specific URLs in addition to categories,
and provide a complete list of these URLs. – Compromised malicious Web
sites are based on BrightCloud list (see above).

 

5. Provide the relevant policy document or written documentation which
outlines the procedure a user must follow in instances where they would
like to gain access to a website that is blocked. - No procedure outlined,
each case is assessed on an individual case basis. Blocked Bright Cloud
listed Web addresses are referred to the site owner to resolve.

 

6. From January 2013 until the present day, please provide a list of the
URLs where users have requested access to despite them being blocked by
the content filtering software. – N/A we do not deploy content filtering
for staff or students.

 

7. Of the list provided in 6, please detail which URLs access was granted
for and which were denied. – N/A

 

 

 

We hope the information provided in this email answers your query.
 However, if you are dissatisfied with our response please contact us with
the details of your dispute either in response to this email or via the
University of Wolverhampton website at the following address:
[1]http://www.wlv.ac.uk/PDF/foi_compl_proc.... and we will review our
response. 

 

If you are still unhappy with the outcome of the review, you can appeal
directly to the Information Commissioner at the following address:
[2]http://www.ico.gov.uk

 
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please do
not hesitate to us. 

 

Kind Regards,

 

P.Suwali

 

Pushpa Suwali

Offices of the Vice-Chancellor

University of Wolverhampton

MA216, MA Building

Wulfruna Street

Wolverhampton

WV1 1LY

 

Email:  [3][email address]

Tel:      01902 322620

 

 

 

 

References

Visible links
1. http://www.wlv.ac.uk/PDF/foi_compl_proc....
2. http://www.ico.gov.uk/
3. mailto:[email address]