I’m curious as to how much of the web is functional now with those restrictions – presumably that means any site that uses cookies is off limits/won’t work?

The first thing I’d be doing is requesting a 3g dongle!

The second thing I’d be doing is finding out a bit more about who has been granted ’special approval’ and also who the rules don’t apply to at all.

At the same time, I suspect there is an element of misunderstanding of our business. A Local Authority consists of thousands of people working at a variety of tasks and the bulk will easily fit into a standard model. Should someone in administration really need to be able to do video editing?

It may be the case that the IT Department should be encouraged to do a proper business analysis of the needs of a youth service – not just the administration part but the ‘on the edge’ working with young people too. Perhaps with a real understanding of what is required they may be able to adapt their IT standard to fit a particular case.

To restrict downloading and uploading of materials via the web seems bizzare. It reduces computers from useful tools, into mere word processors.

One strong argument is about control and training/management/norms & trust. The telephone on your desk could be used to share confidential information – but few staff abuse that possibility, not because the telephone is controlled to prevent it, but because there are norms they have been made aware of, there is management to pick up any problems, and, fundamentally, there is trust in staff.

Attempts to replace these with ‘code’, or with computer control are almost always counter productive and have many more costs than are forseen.

Happy to help find the literature and evidence on that if useful.

Is there any more info in public about this proposal from the LA?

Cheers