Internet filtering isn't a cut-and-dry, set-it-and-leave-it technology for complying with CIPA and helping secure the network. As the web evolves, so must the filter. Keep out the latest bad stuff, let in the latest good stuff. And then there are your users who may be motivated to circumvent filtering. Their methods must be addressed. Monitoring is required.
So what's your greatest challenge with Internet filtering?
Resources for monitoring user activity? Blocking proxy tunnels? Ensuring access to educational content? Allowing teacher- or student-generated content? Satisfying parents or other stakeholders? Something else?
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Comments (15)
Jun 05, 2009
Jared Hainline says:
The biggest problem with filtering is user opinion of what is educationally appr...The biggest problem with filtering is user opinion of what is educationally appropriate and what is not. One teacher wanted a game site blocked because it was a distraction from educational activity. Another teacher wanted it allowed to use as a reward for the students good behavior and work.
Filtering could easily become a full time job. But what do you do when two people are fighting over the same site to have it blocked or unblocked. I realize that overrides and policies could be used to accomodate these users, but I think the overall principle on this issue is clear.
Proxy tunnles are also a big issue as well as educational video content. I know that the EVL is available, but it seems to be geared mostly to youtube and there are more and more video hosting sites besides youtube that the EVL doesn't quite seem to work with yet.
All of these issues really revolve around the fact that the Internet is very dynamic and will only become more so. Filtering has to keep up with it and to do that, you need the resources to review and keep up with the changes... unfortunately, that takes man power which is not always available.
Jun 10, 2009
Donny Trimm says:
I agree and would like to add a few things. Video content is killing my bandw...I agree and would like to add a few things.
Jun 10, 2009
jayson casavant says:
The current solution to block proxy servers (block all https traffic) is just no...The current solution to block proxy servers (block all https traffic) is just not viable for us. There needs to be a method to block these sites while allowing access to the ever growing number of https sites that our users frequent. Even if we could block all https then allow certain sites or blacklist certain sites... hopefully the summer will provide a solution.
Jun 10, 2009
Jason Truett says:
We were blocking HTTPS to unknown IPs and it was a mess. We would get 2 or 3 re...We were blocking HTTPS to unknown IPs and it was a mess. We would get 2 or 3 requests a week to access Quill.com because their HTTPS site kept changing IPs and it always went to an unknown IP. But the new SSL Proxy filtering http://wiki.lightspeedsystems.com/display/KB/SSL+Proxy+Filtering+-+Q20088 they added in 7.1 has fixed that for us. We went from several SSL related problems every week to almost none. Since we've turned that on we've only had 1 or 2 sites that had problems and we haven't had any students accessing proxy sites via SSL.
Jun 11, 2009
Jared Hainline says:
We tried using that, but found that it over blocked many legit SSL sites. Are y...We tried using that, but found that it over blocked many legit SSL sites. Are you not seeing that?
Jun 11, 2009
Jason Truett says:
We've got it set to "high" and have only had 1 or 2 problems (that we've been to...We've got it set to "high" and have only had 1 or 2 problems (that we've been told about). The only one I can specifically remember was with www.presidentschallenge.org.
Jun 17, 2009
David Haws says:
When we set it to "high," our secure banking sites (used by the Finance departme...When we set it to "high," our secure banking sites (used by the Finance department and school bookkeepers) suddenly stopped working. For some reason, the sessions seemed to be timing out. We weren't blocking the sites intentionally, but the sites would work one time and not the next, with no error message for the user. We turned the proxy filtering back to low, and the problems went away.
Jun 10, 2009
Anonymous says:
The biggest filtering problem are 3G (and then 3.5G and 4G) devices which are un...The biggest filtering problem are 3G (and then 3.5G and 4G) devices which are unfiltered. A kid with an iPhone or Blackberry, etc has unfiltered access. And you'd be surprised at the number of kids with these types of devices – and it is growing every day!
Jun 11, 2009
Matthew Shuter says:
I honestly don't see that as a technical problem, unless you are providing the d...I honestly don't see that as a technical problem, unless you are providing the device to them. If you don't provide them the device, and you don't provide them the network to connect, it's not your issue. Now, if they use the device to access your wireless network, I would think you would need to filter that access.
Jun 11, 2009
Anonymous says:
I have a huge problem with this blocking the wrong sites that are deemed perfect...I have a huge problem with this blocking the wrong sites that are deemed perfectly fine, like gmail, and other mail sites.
Jun 11, 2009
Joel Heinrichs says:
Anonymous: Please contact support for assistance. JoelAnonymous:
Please contact support for assistance.
Joel
Jul 24, 2009
Anonymous says:
If a large number of blocked sites can be accessed by IP address, is this a sign...If a large number of blocked sites can be accessed by IP address, is this a sign of incompetent administration? I am not completely familiar with the Lightspeed product, but surely IP addresses are blocked as well as domain names, unless a careless administrator only bothered to block the domain, correct?
Nov 12, 2009
Wayne Levitz says:
This is a training issue, please see our Training Resource page (requires a wiki...This is a training issue, please see our Training Resource page (requires a wiki login).
Jul 24, 2009
Anonymous says:
The biggest issue with our filtering, as far as I can see, is how simple and eas...The biggest issue with our filtering, as far as I can see, is how simple and easy it is to tunnel traffic through SSH and use a SOCKS proxy to bypass the filter completely. Is there any way to combat this using Lightspeed? Or must it be prohibited through other means?
Nov 12, 2009
Wayne Levitz says:
Lightspeed's TTC is very effective at blocking any or all undesired traffic, inc...Lightspeed's TTC is very effective at blocking any or all undesired traffic, including tunneling or secure traffic. For immediate help in blocking this, please initiate a support case.
For ongoing TTC administration this is a training issue, please see our Training Resource page (requires a wiki login).