[Updated] Google's New Secure Search Might Force Schools to Block Google
june 2010 by cloudseer
Last month, Google launched an encrypted version of its Web search, allowing users to enable a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection to encrypt their information. Like several other Google products that feature SSL encryption, including email and Docs, Google touted this move as a step towards enhancing users' privacy and security.
Update: Google spokeperson Kat Eller contacted ReadWriteWeb with this statement: "We're aware that encrypted search can create difficulties for some educational institutions using other Google services. We're very sorry for the inconvenience, and are working to identify a solution as fast as possible. An imperfect and temporary fix is to enable our SafeSearch lock feature."
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But as the encrypted searches mean that data cannot be logged, filtered, or blocked, Google's new secure search runs afoul of CIPA, the Children's Internet Protection Act. And with the service's beta release, many schools are now facing some difficult decisions in how to respond.
CIPA requires schools to monitor, and in some cases block, certain websites. And while filtering is not necessarily a popular tactic (the American Library Association and the ACLU have sought to overturn the law), schools and libraries receiving federal E-rate funding must comply.
Typically, schools and filtering companies respond to an "offending" site by blocking access to it. However, in this case, blocking Google's encrypted search is complicated by the potential ripple effects. Namely, a number of important services that schools utilize also exist at the https://www.google.com domain, including most notably Google's Apps for Education.
In an email to its customers, education network security company Lightspeed Systems offers these "solutions": blocking Google's secure searches or redirecting Google Web requests to Bing. Lightspeed Systems is developing a plan to block encrypted Google searches by policy, although the company notes, "due to Google's method of implementing its secure sites, this may cause other Google services to be unavailable. As a policy setting, you will be able to turn on the restriction for those who need it and turn it off for those that need reliable access to services such as Gmail or Google Docs."
Many educators, frustrated that these repercussions weren't considered before this feature launched, hope that Google will develop a workaround, including the possibility of moving the encrypted search to a different subdomain. We've contacted Google for a comment and will update when it responds.
Photo credits: Flickr user Morgaine
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Update: Google spokeperson Kat Eller contacted ReadWriteWeb with this statement: "We're aware that encrypted search can create difficulties for some educational institutions using other Google services. We're very sorry for the inconvenience, and are working to identify a solution as fast as possible. An imperfect and temporary fix is to enable our SafeSearch lock feature."
Sponsor
But as the encrypted searches mean that data cannot be logged, filtered, or blocked, Google's new secure search runs afoul of CIPA, the Children's Internet Protection Act. And with the service's beta release, many schools are now facing some difficult decisions in how to respond.
CIPA requires schools to monitor, and in some cases block, certain websites. And while filtering is not necessarily a popular tactic (the American Library Association and the ACLU have sought to overturn the law), schools and libraries receiving federal E-rate funding must comply.
Typically, schools and filtering companies respond to an "offending" site by blocking access to it. However, in this case, blocking Google's encrypted search is complicated by the potential ripple effects. Namely, a number of important services that schools utilize also exist at the https://www.google.com domain, including most notably Google's Apps for Education.
In an email to its customers, education network security company Lightspeed Systems offers these "solutions": blocking Google's secure searches or redirecting Google Web requests to Bing. Lightspeed Systems is developing a plan to block encrypted Google searches by policy, although the company notes, "due to Google's method of implementing its secure sites, this may cause other Google services to be unavailable. As a policy setting, you will be able to turn on the restriction for those who need it and turn it off for those that need reliable access to services such as Gmail or Google Docs."
Many educators, frustrated that these repercussions weren't considered before this feature launched, hope that Google will develop a workaround, including the possibility of moving the encrypted search to a different subdomain. We've contacted Google for a comment and will update when it responds.
Photo credits: Flickr user Morgaine
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june 2010 by cloudseer
Novell Pulse: Security and Backup to Google Wave
november 2009 by cloudseer
Earlier today Novell demoed it's Google Wave-like product to the enterprise world. Pulse is the latest workplace collaboration platform to announce at this year's Enterprise 2.0 Conference and ReadWriteWeb was lucky enough to catch up with Novell's VP of Engineering Andy Fox for a demo of the new tool. The beta product is expected early next year.
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In late June we offered our first impressions of Google Wave. While Wave's claim to "reinventing email" has met with heavy criticism in the blogosphere, Pulse appears better-equipped to serve work-related users.
One of the great selling points for Pulse is the fact that instead of forcing users to add individual teammates for collaboration, the tool provisions groups and workmates from an enterprise identity system. This means that new employees are already set up to start. From here users can follow team and employee feeds, edit and send real-time messages and collaborate on documents in real-time.
While users can work on Novell templates within the system, they can also collaborate on 3rd party spreadsheets and documents with real-time syncing to desktop folders. This attention to backup is yet another of Pulse's advantages over Google Wave. When asked about the scenario of an employee going wild and vandalizing Pulse docs, says Fox, "We're not just offering point backup. We've got versioning on every single system keystroke."
Pulse also offers a higher degree of privacy for group settings and profiles where IT admin and general users set customized admin settings and privileges. According to Fox you can even customize the privacy on profile form fields to ensure that headhunters are not prospecting your staff from outside of the organization. Meanwhile the social aspect of a Yammer-like employee feed is enough reason to keep staff interested and engaged. And for those groups who are still committed to Wave, Pulse will also offer Wave integration via Google Wave's Federated protocol. For more info on Pulse check out the demo site.
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In late June we offered our first impressions of Google Wave. While Wave's claim to "reinventing email" has met with heavy criticism in the blogosphere, Pulse appears better-equipped to serve work-related users.
One of the great selling points for Pulse is the fact that instead of forcing users to add individual teammates for collaboration, the tool provisions groups and workmates from an enterprise identity system. This means that new employees are already set up to start. From here users can follow team and employee feeds, edit and send real-time messages and collaborate on documents in real-time.
While users can work on Novell templates within the system, they can also collaborate on 3rd party spreadsheets and documents with real-time syncing to desktop folders. This attention to backup is yet another of Pulse's advantages over Google Wave. When asked about the scenario of an employee going wild and vandalizing Pulse docs, says Fox, "We're not just offering point backup. We've got versioning on every single system keystroke."
Pulse also offers a higher degree of privacy for group settings and profiles where IT admin and general users set customized admin settings and privileges. According to Fox you can even customize the privacy on profile form fields to ensure that headhunters are not prospecting your staff from outside of the organization. Meanwhile the social aspect of a Yammer-like employee feed is enough reason to keep staff interested and engaged. And for those groups who are still committed to Wave, Pulse will also offer Wave integration via Google Wave's Federated protocol. For more info on Pulse check out the demo site.
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november 2009 by cloudseer