How good is Impero at Safeguarding?

[jertsy]

Hi

 

I wondered if anyone who uses Impero could tell me how good Impero is at safeguarding? In the past I have used securus and I really liked the way it does this and the fact that they update the library of phrases and words on a regular basis. I have just spoken to impero and the guy was a little vague about the safeguarding and did not convince me that they update the library of words automatically like securus do.

I know impero does many things well but its specifically the safeguarding eliment I'm interested in.

 

Cheers,

Jertsy

[synaesthesia]

There is nothing better in my opinion.

[elsiegee40]

Impero is a very effective tool that helps the school with Safeguarding. Neither it or Securus 'do' Safeguarding... School staff ensure that happens.

 

Sounds pedantic, but it's an important point.

[jertsy]

There is nothing better in my opinion.

 

Cheers, does it do a screen shot of the incident with date, time, PC logged onto etc...?

[jertsy]

Impero is a very effective tool that helps the school with Safeguarding. Neither it or Securus 'do' Safeguarding... School staff ensure that happens.

 

Sounds pedantic, but it's an important point.

 

OK, maybe a bad choice of words, but I always felt that securas was the eyes in the back of my head and picked up some important stuff that may otherwise have been missed. Hence the question on impero.

[Gibson335]

Cheers, does it do a screen shot of the incident with date, time, PC logged onto etc...?

 

There are red-flag screenshots and logs of users/computers/sites visited/documents used/ plus black and white lists, configurable by room/group if necessary. It's a great tool.

[jertsy]

There are red-flag screenshots and logs of users/computers/sites visited/documents used/ plus black and white lists, configurable by room/group if necessary. It's a great tool.

 

Cheers, that does sound pretty comprehensive. Do they update the library of phrases automaticaly as these change all the time. I know I can add my own but obviously there are thousands that crop up.

[RichCowell]

Cheers, that does sound pretty comprehensive. Do they update the library of phrases automaticaly as these change all the time. I know I can add my own but obviously there are thousands that crop up.

 

The keywords / phrases don't currently update automatically, something I really hope they'll change in the future... It'd be impossible to maintain these individually... As an absolutely minimum they need to set up distribution group to send out the updates so we know to install them. With this exception everything I have to say about Impero is positive...

 

ANME members get a discount for Impero too - Join | Association of Network Managers in Education ANME (free to join, 15% Impero discount!)

[Gibson335]

Cheers, that does sound pretty comprehensive. Do they update the library of phrases automaticaly as these change all the time. I know I can add my own but obviously there are thousands that crop up.

 

I don't have the answer to that - it would appear so, as I can't see any way in which it could work otherwise. All I can say is that we've been using it for years - having initially tested securus - and find it extremely useful for all kinds of reasons, with 'safeguarding' being one of them. Only the other day we were able to pinpoint a user who had printed something unsavoury about another student...had a screenshot of the incident, tagged to his network account, date, time, computer used.

[jertsy]

The keywords / phrases don't currently update automatically, something I really hope they'll change in the future... It'd be impossible to maintain these individually... As an absolutely minimum they need to set up distribution group to send out the updates so we know to install them. With this exception everything I have to say about Impero is positive...

 

ANME members get a discount for Impero too - Join | Association of Network Managers in Education ANME (free to join, 15% Impero discount!)

 

Thanks, that is a bit of a shame. Im just waiting for pricing from them all I will take a look at the anme discount.

[Grey-gear]

It's really quite good at it, with the keywords and phrases that you are able to add to.

[Gibson335]

The keywords / phrases don't currently update automatically, something I really hope they'll change in the future... It'd be impossible to maintain these individually... As an absolutely minimum they need to set up distribution group to send out the updates so we know to install them. With this exception everything I have to say about Impero is positive...

 

ANME members get a discount for Impero too - Join | Association of Network Managers in Education ANME (free to join, 15% Impero discount!)

 

That's very interesting Rich - I had assumed it was being updated. That's a bit of a mark against it, but not a deal breaker for me...

[RichCowell]

That's very interesting Rich - I had assumed it was being updated. That's a bit of a mark against it, but not a deal breaker for me...

 

Everything it does, it does exceptionally - I can't rate it highly enough... That's just a bit of a niggle for me... I guess if enough people request it they may add it...

 

I've been using it at my school for years so happy to answer any other questions if you've got them...

[Gibson335]

Everything it does, it does exceptionally - I can't rate it highly enough... That's just a bit of a niggle for me... I guess if enough people request it they may add it...

 

I've been using it at my school for years so happy to answer any other questions if you've got them...

 

Yeah we've had it for longer than I can remember, and wouldn't be without it now...don't know why I always thought it updated the global list, but may simply have made that assumption right from the beginning.

[steveg]

I like that you can customise the events that happen when keywords are triggered. Here we have it take a screenshot, email that to me and some of the slt, and then record a 1 minute video. This helps to get the context and decide if it was a typo or genuine activation. The email is good as we will often turn up at the computer while the child is still there, the shock of that normally gets an instant confession without the need to show them the video or screenshot.

 

Steve

[jertsy]

Everything it does, it does exceptionally - I can't rate it highly enough... That's just a bit of a niggle for me... I guess if enough people request it they may add it...

 

I've been using it at my school for years so happy to answer any other questions if you've got them...

 

I assume the global list does get updated with each new version that they release, just not on the fly?

[RichCowell]

I assume the global list does get updated with each new version that they release, just not on the fly?

 

I've not noticed any changes to the default lists - but I'm not sure how much people use them anyway, they were more just examples of how to create the rules for me - then I started making my own...

The keyword lists they can provide cover pretty much everything so you wouldn't need to do much yourself from an e-safety monitoring point of view...

 

Not sure I've made much sense there :-s lol

[clockend25]

Is there an additional module to purchase for Impero that does this? The built-in policies just seem to generate violations without any real way of having these generate reports.

[RichCowell]

Is there an additional module to purchase for Impero that does this? The built-in policies just seem to generate violations without any real way of having these generate reports.

 

It's built in - You can edit the items in the policies and in the advanced options you can add things like screenshots / record screen / email alerts / log off etc.

 

If you can't see it give support a call or email them ([email protected]) and they'll get you sorted...

[clockend25]

OK. 'esafety' has a cross next to it in our list of modules.

[Ephelyon]

We use both Impero and Securus here. The Impero wordlist is nowhere near as detailed as the Securus categories so we won't be dropping the latter and putting all our eggs in one basket unfortunately.

[RichCowell]

OK. 'esafety' has a cross next to it in our list of modules.

 

That's not actually doing anything - you've still got all the same e-safety features, so can set up the same rules as everyone else...

 

I'd definitely recommend calling or emailing them - their support is really good... 01509 611341 / [email protected]

[RichCowell]

We use both Impero and Securus here. The Impero wordlist is nowhere near as detailed as the Securus categories so we won't be dropping the latter and putting all our eggs in one basket unfortunately.

 

I'd definitely get in touch with support @Ephelyon - Impero's e-safety guru used to work for Securus, so Impero's keyword lists should be at least equally as good as theirs (and from other comments I've heard by people who have trialled them both, far superior)... it's not a default option during the isntallation, so has to be requested at the time (or any time after)...

 

Definitely worth dropping them a line and asking for the keyword lists - I only got them recently and was blown away by how detailed they were and the sorts of things they pick up...

Edited October 1, 2015 by RichCowell

[Arreks]

In terms of the lists automatically updating, nada. But when they release a new list or update one, they'll probably provide an XML document which can then be easily imported! (like the new radicalisation list).

[RichCowell]

In terms of the lists automatically updating, nada. But when they release a new list or update one, they'll probably provide an XML document which can then be easily imported! (like the new radicalisation list).

 

They don't do it as standard, but will if you ask... Anyone using Impero can ask for these lists at any time - there's a bulk editing tool in the Advanced Policies to make them easier to edit in bulk (obviously lol)...