2018 Appropriate Filtering and Monitoring definitions published for consultation

The UK Safer Internet Centre has reviewed its ‘appropriate’ filtering and monitoring definitions and is publishing these as draft for consultation until June 15th 2018. The definitions aim to help both schools and providers understand what is considered ‘appropriate’.

Following the introduction of statutory guidance, UK Safer Internet Centre first published its filtering and monitoring definitions in 2016 to help both schools and providers understand what should be considered as ‘appropriate’. 

The UK Safer Internet Centre has undertaken a review of the definitions of appropriate filtering and appropriate monitoring for schools. These have been published as draft for consultation until June 15th 2018.

The changes being proposed in 2018 include:

  • The inclusion of a new recommendation that Schools and Colleges undertake (and document) an annual online safety risk assessment, further assessing their broader online safety provision. 
  • Introduction to System Features of:
    • Circumvention – the extent and ability to identify and manage technologies and techniques used to circumvent the system, for example VPN, proxy services
    • Group / Multi-site Management – the ability for deployment of central policy and central oversight or dashboard
  • References to:
    • the capability and capacity of staff to manage the filtering and monitoring systems
    • assistance of ‘Education in a Connected World’ in assisting schools and colleges in shaping an effective curriculum.

A further proposed change relates to new provider response forms separating ‘providers’ from ‘integrators’ (ie those companies who develop their own system compared to those who use/recommend systems from other companies).

There has been much interest in the definitions of appropriate filtering and monitoring and the publication of the 2018 draft changes follows the release by Department for Education of the 2018 updated statutory guidance (Keeping Children Safe in Education) on 17th May 2018. 

The UK Safer Internet Centre welcomes the advice for schools and colleges on how to prevent and respond to reports of sexual violence and harassment between children. In response the UK Safer Internet Centre will also recommend that governing bodies and proprietors should ensure that an annual online safety risk assessment is completed. It will also highlight the safeguarding support offered by its Helpline in supporting the childrens workforce with online safety issues.

The revised definitions can be found and downloaded at the foot of the following pages here:

The consultation period will close on June 15th.

Please send any response to enquiries@saferinternet.org.uk