What is a Web Filter?
Content control software, also known as webaware or web filtering software, is a term for software or hardware designed and optimized for controlling what content is available or permitted to staff, especially when it is used to restrict content delivered over the web.
Our web filter is configured to determine what content is available to a particular group or network in our organization. The motive is to prevent staff or students from viewing content which is considered objectionable, thus constituting an approved censorship.
The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires the county office and school districts to impose filtering of all offensive content over the internet on any school computer connected to an internet access or internal connection receiving funding from the E-Rate program. As our connection to the internet is provided through the Digital California Project and we receive E-Rate reduction on our connection, we are mandated to filter such content.
Our current filter is configured to do just that. We do however run into situations where content is blocked based upon our CIPA settings that may actually not constitute offensive content. In the event that a staff member feels they or a student may need access to a specific site for business related or educational related content that our filter is blocking, that staff member may submit, through their supervisor, a Helpdesk Ticket along with the exact URL that is being reported as blocked. Technology Services will then review the entire site to ensure it does not violate CIPA or YCOE policy. If the site is found to be acceptable, we will open that site up for viewing the that group or individual. If it is found to contain potentially offensive material, we will notify the requestor that we are unable to unblock that site and state the reasons why.