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Schools, Filtering Companies Blocking Google SSL

An anonymous reader in the UK writes "Over the past several weeks we've discussed the rolling out of Google SSL search. Now an obstacle to the rollout has arisen, much to the frustration of school students and teachers alike. Content filter vendors have decided to block all Google SSL traffic — which also blocks access to Google Apps for Education. Google is working to appease these vendors. The questions at the heart of this situation are: Does a company (school, government) have a right to restrict SSL traffic so it can snoop your data, or does an individual have a right to encrypted Internet facilities? And, is the search data you create your data, or is it your employer's (school's)? IANAL but blocking SSL search seems at odds with the UK Data Protection Act, because some local governments here may be using the very same filtering service for their employees. It would also seem to go against the spirit of FIPS in the US (though I appreciate that federal standards are separate from schools in the States)."

1 of 308 comments (clear)

  1. Re:The alternative being? by perryizgr8 · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    teacher accounts aren't blocked

    why not? i've never understood the different standards for teachers and students in schools. at my old school, cellphones were not allowed to be used inside the establishment. but only for students! its okay if teachers waste their time. you seem to know a lot about school networks. so tell me, why are teachers allowed to send private email, encrypted data, ssh into their home pc, watch/download porn and students have their account blocked?

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