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Introduction
Today, virtually every Utah school has Internet access. This
technology has brought extraordinary resources for education and
research in the classroom; unfortunately, the Internet has become
a host to a vast collection of inappropriate resources. While
no solution is guaranteed to deny access to all such sites, the
use of filtering software makes access to the Internet by teachers
and students much safer.
What is Internet Filtering?
Internet Filtering, also known as Internet Content Management,
enables the local school district to manage the type of web content
end-users (e.g., students) can access.
Utah school districts currently provide Internet filtering for
their schools and have done so for many years.
Internet Filtering Legislation
Congress recently passed the Children's Internet Protection Act,
commonly known as CIPA. This legislation mandates schools and
libraries receiving certain types of federal funding to:
- Monitor the online activities of minors.
- Use a technology protection measure that blocks or filters
Internet access.
How does Internet Filtering Work?
Internet Filtering functions as a combination traffic-cop and
bouncer. The filtering software checks a user's web page request
against a list of web site addresses that have been deemed inappropriate
for the school setting. If the web page's address appears in the
list, that page is not allowed, and the end-user is notified that
the content is not accessible.
Educator Responsibilities
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, no filtering solution
is 100% effective. Utah educators must take the initiative to:
- Allow Internet access only to those students who have signed
the District Acceptable Use Policy
- Take time to review and discuss the details of the District
Acceptable Use Policy with each student
- Always monitor and supervise students who are accessing the
Internet
- Educate parents, community members and other stakeholders
about the challenges that Internet Filtering entails
Navigating the Internet Safely
The Internet is a wonderful educational tool, however at times
it can be difficult to find the resources you and your students
need. Below are some tips on how to safely and efficiently navigate
the World Wide Web.
- For credible and reliable information, use the resources at
the Utah Education Network,
including Pioneer: Utah's Online
Library
- In most cases avoid commercial search engines because they
typically provide hundreds of irrelevant and at times inappropriate
web sites.
- Teach students to evaluate information on a web site by determining
the author and the source.
When a Relevant Web Site is Blocked
Sometimes an educator will find an educational web site from
home or the local public library only to discover that it is blocked
at school. When this happens, educators should contact their district
technology department to request the web site be unblocked.
Likewise, educators should inform the district technology department
of web sites that should be blocked.
(If your school is using N2H2's filtering solution, you can submit
sites for review here: http://database.n2h2.com/cgi-perl/catrpt.pl)
For more information, please contact Utah Education Network at 1
(800) 866-5852 or proxy@uen.org
If you are a district or regional technology coordinator and
have questions regarding proxy caching and filtering, call the
Technical Assistance Group at 1-800-836-4396 or (801) 585-7440.
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