City of Tacoma Looks to Web Filtering (22. October 2007, 10:17 by Derek Young) ~ We're Not Talking About You...
The Tacoma City Council will vote tomorrow night to approve a contract for the Websense Security Suite. Websense provides filtering solutions to allow or block certain websites. We understand why organizations choose to use website filtering systems … legal liability … worker productivity.
That said, using Websense or similar filtering software has a few challenges which have been documented online. Sometimes very safe and useful websites are blocked due to apparently arbitrary reasoning. (Our favorite reason to block a site? Because it has criticized web filtering software.)
The last time I checked, Exit133 was blocked by Websense for being a “club.”
Tell us how it works once it’s installed. We’re very curious. Although we will understand if you have wait until you get home to comment.
Link to the City Council Agenda for Oct. 23rd (.pdf file)
Via the New Takhoman
Commenting Is Closed
Comments are allowed for two weeks from the posted date. If you want to make a comment or reopen this discussion, please contact us with your request. Thank you for visiting.
EXPLANATION: The City uses Websense software to apply access or blocking options to various categories of internet web pages as recommended by the Information Technology Advisory Team (ITAT). The purchase of the subscription licenses will provide internet filtering for 3,500 City of Tacoma employees.
I agree this could be troubling. Which sites are they seeking to block employees from viewing? Will it cause more harm than good? What useful sites will be blocked inadvertently?
Will the software keep employees from receiving feedback from the Tacoma community including blogs and other online press? If so, perhaps they city should runs some tests first.
occasionally city employees have openly posted on this site for public information purposes, so right now e133 is accessible.
the city already has internet filtering installed.
fundamentally it is any employer’s prerogative to control online communication on its networks. i think that if this becomes an actual hindrance to doing business, employees will complain, and community blogs like this one could be permitted.
2 | Posted by tom waits | Oct 22, 11:34 AM
It seems like the question here isn’t whether the City should be able to filter what employees do on the internet (which I don’t think anyone questions), but whether or not it is wise to outsource decisions on what is permitted…
3 | Posted by jamie from thriceallamerican | Oct 22, 12:02 PM
COT should limit legal liability without censorship, which in effect creates a new legal liability. This type of software is sensitive & makes that a difficult but doable task. The new filters could be used as a tool to censor views the City doesn’t want their employees to know about. That’s of concern.
4 | Posted by oreo | Oct 22, 12:08 PM
Here’s the Exit 133 post on August 7, 2006 on Websense blocking Exit 133
I just received word that any Exit133 readers sitting behind corporate web filters run by Websense can no longer view the site.
If we get the censor shaft , I suppose I’ll have to start emailing the Tacomic — New Takhoman style
7 | Posted by RR Anderson | Oct 22, 10:05 PM
Oh man. I was hoping Exit 133 was NOT a club. I went into a club the other night and the bartender told me to get out. He was gonna start happy hour.
8 | Posted by Mofo from the Hood | Oct 23, 12:04 AM
exit133 is blocked as “message boards and forums” in my corporate world… sad.
9 | Posted by wes | Oct 23, 02:36 PM
Commenting is closed for this article.
