Safeguarding Monitoring of staff devices

[techie17]

Hi

 

I just wanted to see what peoples stance was on Impero monitoring school schools and if its the norm and if anyone has come up any privacy issues regarding the monitoring of staff devices? We've had a statement in our Staff AUP that says school owned devices are monitored for safeguarding reasons but one person in SLT has said this is a privacy issue when it it comes to staff and thinks it unacceptable if staff use their school device for personal things and Impero picks anything up. Any feedback on what everyone else does would we welcome. BTW - the same person that has taken issue also came up with comment "if we have nothing to hide, why do we use passwords" and trying to get that message across was painful!

Many thanks

Edited July 15, 2021 by techie17

[Theblacksheep]

Staff can do what they want on their own devices, but work devices are work property and for work purposes.

 

You have to be careful with screen monitoring, as there may be work-related data you are not privy to on-screen (safeguarding information, staff grievances etc)

Edited July 15, 2021 by Theblacksheep

[techie17]

Staff can do what they want on their own devices, but work devices are work property and for work purposes.

 

You have to be careful with screen monitoring, as there may be work-related data you are not privy to on-screen (safeguarding information, staff grievances etc)

 

Thanks. Just out of interest, how do you word that in the AUP? Mine just says school devices are monitored but what the SLT person is saying is that its too unambiguous and needs to be exactly clear what we are monitoring and how we are doing it, and we should also have an ethical policy which makes it clear in terms of staff privacy on school devices if they go on personal email for example.

[Michael]

Is it a privacy issue? No I don't think so. You may/may not have an AUP appear on screen each time, but the detailed AUP is typically written by someone in SLT (ironically), rather than someone who directly works in ICT. Acceptable/appropriate use comes to mind and safeguarding works both ways; protecting the interests of pupils and likewise protecting responsible adults guiding them through their education (whatever their role is). It's also a legal requirement.

 

Acceptable use outside of work examples - online shopping in your lunch break, booking a holiday, posting on Edugeek, reading up on the news etc... anything beyond this probably is questionable.

 

As for passwords - these are used to control access to resources in a simplistic way. There are absolutely loads of examples why passwords are needed to preserve privacy of data, for a multitude of reasons. I simply don't understand or accept the rationale behind "why do we need passwords"?

[djm968]

AUP should say something like all school owned devices are monitored for compliance with the Prevent duty and Safeguarding policy.