Headteacher asking to view screenshots of staff usage

[chekmate1984]

Hi all

 

Headteacher has asked for impero software logs to go to him so he can check what searches staff are doing. for example keywords like bomb, kill etc There be screenshot of what that user is in and sent for head to view. Having look and he probably may get views sims, see what tabs staff are surfing like bbc etc and all this we think can go against the staff. The main thing is head is not keen on notifying staff about this too.

 

Is this legit lol? Can they do that if not how can we approach them to say not possible?

[3s-gtech]

It is 'legit' - though pretty underhand and not a good way to maintain staff morale. I would also argue that this is potentially a major use of a head's time - they're paid far too much for this nonsense. Nothing better to do? T&L?

[mavhc]

https://www.gov.uk/data-protection-your-business/monitoring-staff-at-work

[chekmate1984]

There is lot the SLT can do but always waste time on useless resources and time. SLT here usually decide everything, they order tablets, laptops, desktops and MFP without even consulting IT. I only joined in feb as contractor, but from what i have heard is SLT have in past purchased 35 MFP printers without even telling IT, they've ordered tablets same and then IT goes it wont work on network for whatever reasons not sure.

 

Trust me the head has LOT to do, but we feel as there is a staff restructure going on they want to view these screenshots of users.....but just assumption, as the consultation starts in 2 weeks time and we been told to get this done and working by end of next week...

[hardtailstar]

Its in our AUP that staff internet use is monitored.

 

However it is only asked for if they suspect a staff member is not doing work at work.

[Davit2005]

There is lot the SLT can do but always waste time on useless resources and time. SLT here usually decide everything, they order tablets, laptops, desktops and MFP without even consulting IT. I only joined in feb as contractor, but from what i have heard is SLT have in past purchased 35 MFP printers without even telling IT, they've ordered tablets same and then IT goes it wont work on network for whatever reasons not sure.

 

Trust me the head has LOT to do, but we feel as there is a staff restructure going on they want to view these screenshots of users.....but just assumption, as the consultation starts in 2 weeks time and we been told to get this done and working by end of next week...

 

I think they are going to be treading on dangerous waters if they try and use this as grounds for getting rid of people.

 

Mind you it sounds the kind of place I think a lot of people would not want to work at.

[mavhc]

Internet usage and screen recording are two different things though.

 

As my link says, you need reasons, and notifications

[chekmate1984]

Thanks guys for the above help. Will be speaking to SBM about this before taking any action to ensure all is covered and especially us.

[mikeprice]

Saying that internet usage is monitored - and then using this to find evidence that an accusation/suspicion of a specific member of staff has been doing 'something' is one thing

 

This sounds more like a fishing expedition - which is a whole different thing

 

 

however, there is a possibility that they could want all the data - but actually be following up on something specific but not want anyone in the school to know who has been suspected

hence get all the data then filter it themselves

 

I would ask a union about this - specify that it sounds like a fishing expedition - and ask for their comment

 

in the meantime you have been asked to do it - so until/unless you have a specific reason why you should not - then you should continue on working on it

[elsiegee40]

If asked for anything like this, including allowing investigation of staff home drives (which I have only ever had to do twice), I always secured the instruction in writing and ensured a copy was put on file.

 

Tread very carefully. There’s investigation and there’s surveillance.

 

@GrumbleDook will tell you that people should only have access to personal information that they actually need for a specific task and no more.

 

I assume your logs are checked regularly by someone, so untoward searches would be flagged and escalated where necessary anyway.

 

Unless your system is totally naff, I can’t see a reason for the Head to need to scan the detail routinely.

Edited September 25, 2020 by elsiegee40

[DrBeaker]

This seems a bit suss.

 

All of our internet and filtering is monitored as standard for staff, students, SLT and myself alike.

 

I had to get Facebook unblocked for certain staff including IT at first, so SLT could do the social media stuff for the school.

I had to get eBay unblocked for certain people so we could look at options for buying things from there and pricing things up.

BBC news I'd imagine most staff read at lunchtime I know I do - I might leave a tab open after lunch for example and forget about it as I have multiple Chrome windows with multiple tabs.

Sometimes I've got some music playing whilst I do other tasks etc.

 

None of that means work isn't being done however. All needs to be taken in context as it can easily be misconstrued.

 

e.g. I walked past a room today they'd logged on and seemed to have it streaming the BBC news/a live video probably for the kids during lunch.

 

However if they start strictly monitoring staff's web usage, I can imagine a backlash from staff who will do ONLY what they need to do on the school "work" computers and will not use their own personal computers at all.

[enjay]

SLT can do this... if and only if the AUP says so (although exercising that right will upset some people for sure). Check the wording of the AUP though - "Internet access may be monitored" is not the same thing as is being requested here, as screen-shots could include Word documents, etc. Also, I think there is a moral if not technical difference between knowing someone went to Hotmail.com and having a screen-shot of their actual email. Our AUP says something like any and all activity on school-owned equipment may be logged and monitored, SLT may access this information and may share with others as appropriate, this could lead to disciplinary and/or legal action.

 

Also, remember not all use of BBC News, Facebook, etc. is recreational, there are lots of school-related reasons you could be on those sites.

 

It could be, however, as @mikeprice says they are interested in a particular staff member but don't want to tell anyone, including IT who that is. I've been in that situation before (having to block a staff member's access in a way my technician wouldn't find out about), and it isn't fun.

[paulkerton]

At an old workplace we used to use the software that has since become Smoothwall Monitor. It was so aggressive, it truly became overwhelming, and the screenshots were always slower than the input, meaning 90% of the time they were not relevant to the capture. It was almost a full-time job. In fact, until I lost my assitant to cuts - that's pretty much what he did all day. Check the logs.

 

We had to let staff and students know that this software was in place as part of the AUP, and it alerted them anytime there was a capture.

We had a lassez-faire attitude to staff looking at personal email, or checking things like the news. There is a level of when staff are taking the proverbial, and some will do so (one staff member you could always here the EastEnders drums playing from BBC iPlayer coming out of their office) but locking down every single service seemed foolhardy and unfair.

[mavhc]

If you have a log of all internet access you don't need a screenshot, you could have the html

[CHiLL]

Our staff agree and understand that their Internet usage is monitored and saved. We periodically get requests from the Head's PA (who does HR) to provide logs of Internet usage for individual staff. This is fine, because the request is logged and it's periodic. I would be less inclined to provide unlimited access to all staff history or forward captures automatically.

[enjay]

We had a lassez-faire attitude to staff looking at personal email, or checking things like the news. There is a level of when staff are taking the proverbial, and some will do so (one staff member you could always here the EastEnders drums playing from BBC iPlayer coming out of their office) but locking down every single service seemed foolhardy and unfair.

 

That's my view too. Teachers work all sorts of hours at evening and weekends, sometimes on personally-owned computers at home (and often spending their own money on supplies and resources), so if they want to spend a non-contact period doing something personal, then let them (within reason, not gambling and not drowning-puppies.com, but Amazon would be fine). It would obviously be a different matter if they did it a lot, or with students in the room, but at that point you have an HR issue not an IT issue.

[mikeprice]

Even things like BBC News or Amazon can be relevant in a lesson with kids in the room

 

I have had situation where a kid asks a question that brings up a good point - but relevant to the subject - and it makes sense to go onto BBC News to show what is in the news today

or to check how much something really costs - sometimes just as part of teaching life skills - which all teachers are supposed to be doing when it crops up

 

so saying - "ahhhhh - you went on this web site - you were a bad person" is not really enough

obviously 'adult' sites etc would not apply here - and gambling would be difficult to justify - but a lot of normal personal sites could be used in a lesson

 

 

and it would be a bit dumb to try to tell a teacher off for spending 10 minutes looking at Amazon - when they spent 4 hours doing marking at home after school hours last night

 

 

So - I presume whoever wants this data is looking for something more clear that just BBC News

[DrBeaker]

That's my view too. Teachers work all sorts of hours at evening and weekends, sometimes on personally-owned computers at home (and often spending their own money on supplies and resources), so if they want to spend a non-contact period doing something personal, then let them (within reason, not gambling and not drowning-puppies.com, but Amazon would be fine). It would obviously be a different matter if they did it a lot, or with students in the room, but at that point you have an HR issue not an IT issue.

 

Interestingly though surely some support staff (IT are a prime example here) too there - working all hours for things. Having to use our own equipment sometimes for things in our own time? Especially with lockdown being a recent example.

 

So if they come down too draconian that would be the end of it from teaching and support I'd think. Guess it depends.

 

e.g.

 

I use some videos on Youtube for testing things, speakers etc. I might have to leave them running whilst I go off and do something else and especially during the holidays might not be back for a couple of hours.

I use the BBC news site to make sure the internet works.

I used eBay today to look at some fuses we need for something.

[enjay]

Interestingly though surely some support staff (IT are a prime example here) too there - working all hours for things.

 

That too. Also, unless your AUP says you can't make personal use of the Internet, support staff are presumably free to surf (do people still say "surf"?!) during their lunch break if they wish.

[paulkerton]

support staff are presumably free to surf (do people still say "surf"?!) during their lunch break if they wish.

 

Sure. But also, - does a person in their office want to listen to the radio? Or some music? Or have a long-form YouTube video in the background while they're working? I can't see why that would be an issue if we previously allowed a radio, CD player etc.

Its give and take isn't it? It's about balance for me.

 

If you know they're watching a TV drama, that's different to if they're listening to a podcast that's hosted on a video platform. If you have limited bandwidth at your school, then bans on that kind of thing would be fair enough.

[enjay]

Sure. But also, - does a person in their office want to listen to the radio? Or some music? Or have a long-form YouTube video in the background while they're working? I can't see why that would be an issue if we previously allowed a radio, CD player etc.

Its give and take isn't it? It's about balance for me.

 

If you know they're watching a TV drama, that's different to if they're listening to a podcast that's hosted on a video platform. If you have limited bandwidth at your school, then bans on that kind of thing would be fair enough.

 

Exactly, so many reasons why "personal" websites might be accessed legitimately. I suspect/hope in this instance, SLT are looking for specific information on a specific staff member, but don't want to say who.

[MatthewL]

And today's BBC news brings this article.

[enjay]

And today's BBC news brings this article.

 

What's it say? I don't want to click through to a news website while I'm working :-)

 

Seriously though, I think companies who provide this technology probably did quite well during lockdown and beyond, with many people still working from home (especially in the light of Boris' announcement last week). It is definitely an area which should be discussed, as I think it has legal, moral and trust issues, not just technical ones.

 

I'm amused by one of the companies being called "Sneek". It seems even they know they're on thin ice!

[paulkerton]

If I'm being asked to use work devices, then I can see why someone might want to monitor the use of that device.

But I find many people have been asked to work from home on personal devices over this period. Want to monitor that? Yeah, get stuffed mate.

 

Also are they reimbursing staff for the use of their personal internet connectivity, electricity etc to get this work done from home? Do they discount the idea that someone could just have something running on another device and not the work one?

 

Managers like this are usually awful people to work for, and will soon find out what a churn rate is.

[MatthewL]

@enjay I'll let you have a read when you can, its quite lengthy.

@paulkerton know exactly where you are coming from, I've seen it with my own eyes so called managers like this.

 

Yes there is a place for this kind of software but you have to trust your staff.