FilteringFAQs
From E2BNWiki
FAQs
Who can make changes to the profiles?
Only E2BN can staff make changes to the actual profile which is regionally distributed. Local authority staff will have access to a web interface to the URL lists to add and remove URLs from the authority wide trusted; blocked and contentCheck lists.
If a site buys a cache/filter server from E2BN then they will be able to make local changes to these same lists.
At this stage we are not allowing access to the file/mime type or phraselists.
What if I am blocked from a legitimate site?
On the block page there is a link to a comment form. At the moment (Feb 2006) this is submitted to staff at E2BN to action. Once the Protex system is rolled out the initial form will be directed to a contact at the LEA. If action is required at a regional, rather than LA, level they will escalate it to E2BN.
A site with a local Protex system will be able to make changes to their local filtering policy as and when required.
What can I do if my school does not agree with an E2BN or LA decision on a site?
Ultimately the filtering policy at each level is decided at that level. E2BN implement a regional policy which any of its member LAs can, to a large extent, override. If a school wants to override its LA's policy then they can buy a local Protex caching/filtering server from E2BN. [NOTE: for full control the school must be able to direct internet traffic to port 8090 - unfiltered - on the E2BN cache servers within the LA. Access to this port is restricted to approved IP addresses under the control of E2BN and the LA. The upshot of this is that the school must get approval from its LA before buying a third party filtering solution as the LA must be certain that it is adequate for the task. Some LAs may insist that the filtering solution has Becta approval, for example. If in doubt please contact your LEA directly.]
What do I do if I find a bad site and want it blocked?
If you find a site which you think should be blocked then please complete this form which will be mailed to E2BN for action.
I can't download a file - why not?
see Filtering_Policy#File Extensions (.zip, .doc, .xls, etc.). If you are a member of staff please ask your systems manager to make the STAFF profile available to you.
What about virus's?
While DansGuardian does have the facility to provide virus checking we have not implemented it in Protex as it degrades performance significantly. Both the E2BN VLEs (Netmedia & Digitalbrain) include virus checking on all files in the VLE and in their e-mail systems. Downloaded files must be virus checked by the LA and at School level.
Can I have different filters for different users?
Yes - assuming that (a) your LA is following E2BN's installation guidelines and that (b) your own LAN can be set up to allow users to connect to the internet on different ports.
(a) E2BN's policy is that all sites should be able to access all the profiles and that port 8090 is strictly access controlled. The first half of this policy means that schools must be able to connect to the LA cache on ports 8081 through 8084. This connection may take place via a local cache or direct from the client's browser. The second is reserved for sites which have an acceptable form of local filtering (either from E2BN or a third party) and so their own local cache is allowed to access an unfiltered feed from the E2BN/LA caches.
The ability to make this connection (either in general or in particular instances) is a decision for the LA and not E2BN.
(b) Once the above is in place the ability to provide different filter policies to different users is a policy decision for the Schools's SMT and implementation by the Network Manager. In general there will be two options. A policy based on desktop location & by user.
The first of these would be useful in,say, the staffroom. Here all computers can be configured to access the internet on port 8084 (Staff) while the ICT suite accesses on, say, port 8082 (Middle).
The second option relies on either the network operating system (Windows Server 2003, for example) or the local proxy/cache being able to modify the port used to connect to the internet based on the user's identity. For example, Windows policies can be used to set the proxy name and port for users when they log on to the system. Similalry some caches provide an authentication system where the connection port used to connect to the parent cache is modified based on the user's credentials. (In this case the user's browsers always connects to the local proxy on, say, port 80 and it is at this point that the traffic is then redirected to the parent, LA caches, on, for example, port 8082).
In a future release of the E2BN Protex system it will be possible to link the filtering system into the local authentication mechanism.
How can I reach the Staff profile from a student's computer?
See above - your LAN must be set up to allow different users to access different profiles.
We do not have a local proxy - how do I configure local PCs?
The browser on each PC must be set up to point to the correct proxy (your LA will be able to tell you the name of its proxy) on the correct port. The ports are 8081:Primary; 8082:Middle; 8083:Secondary; 8084:Staff. This can be done is several ways depending on the operating systems of the clients; the particular browser; the network operating system (if applicable); and whether you want to set by computer or user. Please talk to your systems manager about how this can best be done on your particular LAN.
We use Macs - is this a problem?
No - the use of a proxy to make connections to the originating web-site in completley transparent to the operating system. The only difference between Mac, Linux & Windows clients will be how to configure the browsers on each desktop connect to the LAN: and this will also depend upon which network operating system is being used.
I wanted to use Blogger with my students but I cannot access the site?
See Filtering_Policy#Blogging, Flickr, Site-Builders (e.g. Geocities) where this issue is addressed.
I wanted to use Flickr with my students but I cannot access the site?
See Filtering_Policy#Blogging, Flickr, Site-Builders (e.g. Geocities) where this issue is addressed.
Some of my students have used Geocities at home to create sites - why can't they work on them in school?
See Filtering_Policy#Blogging, Flickr, Site-Builders (e.g. Geocities) where this issue is addressed. Please submit the URL of their site (via the block page form only) so it can be vetted and then made available if appropriate.
I am trying to access a site and I keep getting blocked - but the URL is not the one I typed in?
Was the blocked URL apps5.oingo.com/apps/domainpark , landing.domainsponsor.com, or sedoparking.com?
In each cases these are sites that "trap" misspelt, non-existant or unused domain names and redirect you to an advertising site to generate revenue by "click-through". Domainpark is actually a Google company while domainsponsor.com specializes in registering misspellings.
From the sedoparking.com website: Earn money from your unused domain names! Sedo's new Domain Parking Program lets you earn money from your domain names without needing to develop your own site. Even better, Sedo's statistics show that domains parked with Sedo are 5 times more likely to be sold. What sedo do is register currently un-owned domain names many of which are different versions of existing domains (e.g. something.com is owned but the company who own it has not bought something.org, or something.co.uk) then when a user uses the wrong URL they get a page with links to other sites which are (usually) related to the topic of the original site: these links then generate revenue for sedo.
They also allow companies to "park" the domains they have bought (perhaps "on-spec") but are not currently using with sedo to generate revenue for themselves.
Also from the sedoparking.com website:
Sedo is the global marketplace for buying and selling domain names and websites. Our goal is to help website owners find a great name for their new online business. To achieve this, we've assembled the world's largest database of high-quality domain names -- over 4.0 million names! -- and a community of domain professionals from around the world.
Sedo's network of websites includes domain-oriented sites in five languages and a full range of domain name services: domain auctions, domain name consulting, domain name appraisals and valuation, domain name parking and domain name escrow/ transfer services.
From this article: [domainsponsor] is an organization which apparently registers a large number of "typo" URLs -- domain names close to, but not quite. Kids, as you might guess, tend to have middlin' to po' typing and spelling skills, so "disny.com" and similar expressions show up. When this happens, your browser is redirected to the page above. And if you are foolish enough to surf with MSIE, your homepage (the page you see when first starting your browser) is reset to one of DomainSponsor's choosing.
Their own webpage (and WHOIS record) indicates DomainSponsor is owned by Oversee.net. Netblock NET-65-235-246-0-1, CIDR 64.235.246.0/24, ASN 25973 (Mzima Networks, Inc.).
From Google's own site AdSense for domains allows domain name registrars and large domain name holders to unlock the value in their parked page inventory. AdSense for domains delivers targeted, conceptually related keywords and advertisements to parked domain name pages by using Google's semantic technology to "understand" the meaning of each domain name. Powering over 3 million domain names, AdSense for domains is the industry's leading parked page service.
AdSense for domains is fully scalable and is designed for easy integration – so your network of sites can start earning revenue through AdSense for domains quickly and easily.
Both these and similar sites are banned by Protex.
How are the lists categorized?
Go to this page: Protex Categories
