Internet filtering and blocking policies

The request was partially successful.

Open Rights Group

Dear Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh,

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.

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

Yours faithfully,

Charlie Parker
Researcher
Open Rights Group

Freedom of Information Act, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2002 - INFORMATION REQUEST

 

I acknowledge receipt of your request for information that we received on
14 March 2018. Your request is being considered. If we hold the
information you will receive it promptly, and no later than 12 April 2018
which is 20 working days from the day we received your request, subject to
the information not being exempt from disclosure.

 

For your information, the Act defines a number of exemptions which may
prevent release of the information you have requested. There will be an
assessment and if any of the exemption categories apply then the
information will not be released. You will be informed if this is the
case, including your rights of appeal. If the information you request
contains reference to a third party then they may be consulted prior to a
decision being taken on whether or not to release the information to you.
You will be informed if this is the case.

 

There may a fee payable for this information. This will be considered and
you will be informed if a fee is payable. In this event the fee must be
paid before the information is processed and released. The 20 working day
time limit for responses is suspended until receipt of the payment.

 

If you have any queries or concerns then please contact:

 

FOI

Queen Margaret University

Queen Margaret University Drive

Musselburgh

East Lothian EH21 6UU

[1][email address]

 

show quoted sections

Freedom of Information Act, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh

Good morning,

 

Apologies for the delay. Please find the information below:

 

QMU operates a publically accessibly wireless service for guests.

 

1)      On the guest wireless network (to reflect the open membership of
the network, as well as its limited bandwidth) we currently block
“abortion”, “abused drugs”, “adult”, “command-and-control”, “dating”.
“dynamic-dns”, “gambling”, “hacking”, “malware”, “nudity”, “parked”,
“peer-to-peer”, “phishing”, “proxy-avoidance-and-anonymizers”,
“questionable”, “shareware-and-freeware”, and “weapons”.

2)      We do not currently collect statistics per category, or keep long
term statistics. However, approximately 35000 URLs across all the
categories above were blocked on the guest wireless in the last week.

3)      We have systems in place which can monitor user’s network activity
(for example to perform the blocking mentioned in the answers above). But
we do not specifically monitor the users by name. Also, since the network
is publically accessible we can only identify the users if they identify
themselves openly to us upon registration.

 

If you have any queries or concerns please contact:

 

FOI

Queen Margaret University

Queen Margaret University Drive

Musselburgh

East Lothian EH21 6UU

[1][email address]

 

If you have any complaint about the University’s handling of your request
for information, you may require the University to review its actions and
decisions in relation to this response by writing within 60 working days
of the date of your request to FOI, Queen Margaret University, Queen
Margaret University Drive, Musselburgh, East Lothian EH21 6UU or at
[2][email address].

 

You may, within a further six months, if you are dissatisfied with the
outcome or with the University’s failure to review its actions and
decisions in relation to this response, apply to The Scottish Information
Commissioner. Details on how to appeal to the Scottish Information
Commissioner is available on their website:
[3]www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal

 

Gerry O’Hare

Governance Adviser

Governance and Quality Enhancement

Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh EH21 6UU

Tel: 0131 474 0000; Say "Gerry O’Hare" when prompted by our automated
system

email: [email address]; www.qmu.ac.uk

 

 

 

show quoted sections