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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)."
maybe i'm being a bit slow here, but how can my post be categorized as 'flamebait'? its an honest question. and who am i flaming anyway?
Wealth is the gift that keeps on giving.
All this talk about "having rights" is completely inane. If you're on a school computer or network (or work, or the library), you use it under their terms. Simple.
If their terms are they can block, snoop, etc and those terms are unacceptable, then don't use that network. Assume you're being watched and act accordingly.