Author: Computer Services Manager Valid Until: 25/02/16 Category: Public Impact Assessed: Ref: 66 Assessed:
05/03/08 10/02/10 30/01/11 25/02/15
INTERNET AND EMAIL POLICY
1 SCOPEThis Internet/Email policy refers to all on-line services accessed through Telford College of Arts & Technology’s IT Services. The term ‘on-line services’ includes Telnet, Email, World Wide Web (WWW), FTP and any other means of communication of a similar nature. ‘WWW’ means all materials, which can be accessed through a Uniform Resource Locator address (URL), including but not limited to HTTP and NEWS services
2 INTRODUCTION
The college acknowledges that the use of email and the Internet is a very valuable contribution to education. Without compromising this, the college also aims to benefit from email and Internet facilities by presenting and
communicating across the world. The purpose of this policy is to guarantee an appropriate use of email and the Internet, which is beneficial to all the
members of the college.
All of those who have access to on-line services through the college’s Network must be aware of the consequences of inappropriate use of those services. The college will take all reasonable and practical steps to prevent and eliminate inappropriate use of the Internet and email system.
3 LEGAL BACKGROUND
The Internet is a form of publication and is within the scope of legislation relating to libel. If you send information during your study or employment, which contains defamatory material the college may be liable even though it had not authorised the sending of any such material.
5 RULES OF USAGE
The college is committed to responding promptly to any potentially damaging publication, which includes personal web pages, by withdrawing from its services, any unacceptable materials and taking any other necessary action. This may mean that users responsible for such materials have their access to the college’s facilities withdrawn. It is also possible that the publication of such materials may amount to an offence under the college’s disciplinary
regulations.
5.1 Email
IT facilities provided by the college for email should not be abused. An absolute definition of abuse is difficult to achieve but certainly includes (but is not necessarily limited to):
You must not:
• Creation or transmission of material which brings the college into disrepute.
• Creation or transmission of material that is illegal.
• Send or forward an email containing words that you would not say in a formal letter or in a face-to-face meeting.
• Send or forward any potentially discriminating message even if intended as a joke.
• Send or forward an email containing abusive or threatening language or any language that could cause offence, constitute harassment or contravene sex, race, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation and transgender or disability discrimination, legislation or related college policies.
• Disclose any confidential information to a third party via email or the Internet
• Exceed your authority to make representations, enter into binding agreements or place orders.
• Send or forward chain e-mail, i.e. messages containing instructions to forward the message to others.
• Creation or transmission of anonymous messages or deliberately forging messages or email header information, (i.e. without clear identification of the sender) or for 'flaming'.
• Use the email system to advertise, promote or sell facilities/goods for commercial or profit making nature or for any other personal financial gain.
• The deliberate unauthorised access to services and facilities accessible via JANET. (JANET is a British, private, government-funded computer network dedicated to education and research. All further- and higher-education organizations are connected to JANET, as are all the Research Councils and several metropolitan area networks in the UK.)
• The unauthorised provision of access to college services and facilities by third parties.
• Use email for communication which contravenes the College code of conduct You must:
• Ensure all email complies with college policies relating to equal opportunities and harassment.
• Be aware that emails sent during contract negotiations can constitute a written and signed agreement and should only be used where expressed as “Subject to Contract”
• Report immediately to the Computer Services Manager
[email protected] if you receive an email which you feel is abusive, contains threatening language or any language that causes offence,
constitute harassment or contravene sex, race, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation and transgender or disability discrimination, legislation or
related college policies. 5.2 Internet
You must not:
• Access from the Internet or put on the Internet any material that either discriminates against or encourages discrimination, on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, and political or
religious beliefs, or material that could cause offence, constitute harassment or contravene sex, race, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation and
transgender or disability discrimination, legislation or related college policies.
• Access, download or publish any pornographic or obscene material.
• Publish or distribute obscene material as defined by the Protection of Children Act 1978. This includes accessing, possessing, showing or
distributing any indecent photograph or pseudo photograph of a child. (See Protection of Children Act 1978)
• Download, copy or publish material from the Internet that constitutes a breach of copyright (See Copyright, Design and Patents act 1988).
You Must:
• Ensure Internet usage complies with related studies.
• Ensure Internet usage complies with college policies.
5.3 News Groups and Chat Rooms
Where found, all access to News groups and Chat rooms will be disabled. 5.4 Chain Letters
The college considers chain letters to be an unacceptable use of the college email system, and will take appropriate action, which may include withdrawing access to the college network facilities.
5.5 Social Networking
TCAT understands the popularity and usefulness of social networking sites and supports their use. Most Social networking sites can be accessed through the College systems although access to some sites is restricted. Staff are
representatives of Telford College and therefore are in the public eye and must use these sites appropriately.
Staff should be aware that if they participate in social networking sites
anything posted online, including personal information, is available to anyone and the College cannot be held responsible for any misuse of the information put in the public domain.
Staff should not post abusive or inappropriate comments about colleagues, students, potential students or Telford College in general. These may be comments specifically naming individuals, groups of individuals or Telford College or comments that enable an individual, group or Telford College to be identified.
A number of agencies including law enforcement regularly monitor these sites as can employers (and potential employers)
Material posted on these sites must not
• Contain offensive or inappropriate pictures
• Contain offensive or inappropriate comments
• Violate the College’s ICT Acceptable use policy
• Embarrass or cause distress to other staff or students
5.6 Blogging
The growth in the use of computers at home and the expansion of the Internet has led to the creation of online diaries. These are commonly known as “Web logs” or “Blogs”. Whilst employees may choose to create and update these, this practice must not conflict with the aims of the College, or bring the College or any of its staff into disrepute in any way.
• Blogs must not identify Telford College. Therefore, giving the College’s name or enough information to identify its location is not permitted. For similar reasons, indirect identification, e.g. through the use of photographs of our products or company logos is also not permitted.
• No blog should identify other staff, student or professional body associated with the College.
6 PERSONAL USE
Reasonable non-college use of the Internet is permitted. However this must only be undertaken during lunch times or outside your normal working hours. An absolute definition of abuse is difficult to achieve but certainly includes (but is not necessarily limited to):
• A level of use that is not detrimental to the main purpose for which the facilities are provided. Priority must be given to use of resources for the main purpose for which they are provided.
• Not being of a commercial or profit-making nature, or for any other form of personal financial gain.
• Not be of a nature that competes with the college in business.
• Not be connected with any use or application that conflicts with an employee's obligations to the college as their employer.
• Not be against the college’s rules, regulations, policies and procedures and in particular, this email policy.
7 SECURITY/ACCESS
Any number of persons who are unknown to you may read information and emails. Anyone could read private and confidential information and even though information may be deleted from the screen it will be retained by the system, which provides back up saving mechanisms.
7.1 Quotas and Limits
All users have access to the centrally-managed email server(s). All accounts have quota limits placed on them. All file partitions are backed up to tape on a regular basis.
Users receive email notification when approaching their quota limit and are encouraged to follow guidance in this email to manage their account. The final email that is received which takes an individual over their limit will always be delivered. Once over quota no further email can be delivered to an individual's inbox until they have reduced their storage below their limit. Email that fails to be delivered because a user is over quota is not held in the local mail queues the email is returned to sender.
There are limits on the size of an email that can be received and transmitted. No email greater that 10 Mbytes can be accepted for delivery to a TCAT
account. No email greater than 10 Mbytes can be accepted for transmission by the TCAT email servers.
7.2 Virus Checking
Computer viruses, Trojan horses and worms are collectively known as malware. One common method of distributing malware is via email. All email
communication through the TCAT email and Internet gateway is checked for malware. Checking strategies include: refusing messages containing executable attachments, scanning messages/web pages for known malware or a
combination of both techniques.
Messages containing malware will be retained for up to four months for administrative reasons. The sender of such messages will be informed of the viral content of their email. A similar message will be sent to the
administrator(s) of the email gateways.
7.3 Spam and Junk Mail
Spam can be defined as "the mass electronic distribution of unsolicited email to individual email accounts". Junk mail is usually a result of spamming. In reality spam and junk mail are regarded as interlinked problems.
A certain amount of junk mail is blocked at the mail gateways based on the UKERNA subscription to Real-time Black-hole Lists. UKERNA has subscribed to these services on behalf of all JANET customer organisations. Any mail reaching the email gateways which has been marked by these services will be rejected.
7.4 Remote Access
Remote access to the college email system is available through the College Extranet, which is ‘piped through’ the college’s VPN system. This procedure is in line with JANET guidelines and accepted practice. All machines on the campus network must be configured to use the colleges SMTP server for outgoing mail.
8 MISUSE OF SYSTEM
Any discriminatory or inappropriate conduct via email and/or Internet will be dealt with under the college’s disciplinary procedure, which in extreme cases, could result in dismissal. The accessing and/or downloading of pornographic or obscene material are absolutely prohibited and may be reported to the Police. System access codes will be withdrawn during disciplinary investigation from any person misusing email/Internet services.
9 REPORTING OF CONCERNS
If you have any queries relating to your own use of the email/Internet system you should raise them with the Computer Services Manager, on extension 2226 or [email protected]
All contact is dealt with in the highest of confidence.
If you have any concerns relating to the use (or misuse) of the email/Internet system by a third party you should also raise them with the Computer Services Manager in the strictest confidence.
