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In Reply Refer To:

1280 (500/700) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 08/12/2002
Instruction Memorandum No. 2002-224
Expires: 09/30/2003

To: All Employees

From: Assistant Director, Human Resources Management
Assistant Director, Information Resources Management

Subject: Internet Use

Program Area: All Program Areas

Purpose: The enforcement of current Internet use policies and management of BLM’s telecommunications capacity.

This Instruction Memorandum (IM) transmits the Bureau of Land Management enforcement of policy concerning limited personal use of Government office equipment for Internet access. When using Government equipment, employees must protect and conserve such property and must not access the Internet for personal use during official working hours in accordance with existing Departmental IRM policy.

The enforcement of this policy is to prevent employees from inadvertently accessing unacceptable Web sites. We are implementing a software solution that will screen out inappropriate Web sites from all employee web browsers. The filtering of inappropriate web sites will limit the Government’s liability in cases in which inappropriate or illegal activities were facilitated or accessed from Government Internet resources. Further, employees are put on notice that by using Government equipment for Internet Access for personal purposes, they are subject to monitoring by systems or security personnel. Employee consent to monitoring and recording with or without cause is implied.

In addition, all employees should be aware that accessing web sites that produce high volume network traffic, like streaming media (e.g. stock tickertapes, Radio Stations) and data intensive graphics, impacts the performance of BLM’s IT communications systems. As an added benefit, implementing the policy will reduce unnecessary usage of our telecommunications network capacity resulting in cost savings.

Use of the Internet as it is identified in the Department of the Interior Internet Acceptable Use Policy; IRM BULLETIN NO. 97-01 June 13, 1997 is not discretionary (see attachment 2). Internet usage should be limited to the performance of their official duties as necessary and complementary activities allowed in accordance with the Department’s acceptable Internet use policy. Managers may only place additional restrictions on the policies for instances of abuse of the policies or in order to meet management needs and mission objectives.

If you are blocked from a site, the web filtering application will notify you and will identify itself as Web Washer. If an employee has a legitimate business need to access the restricted site, his/her supervisor should complete and submit the form: Request To Remove Web Block by going to http://www.blm.gov/nirmc/telecom/. The appropriate authorities will review the request and contact the supervisor with a decision. Should you experience other business related problems accessing Web sites, please call the BLM National Help Desk at 800-256-4357 or send email to BLMHELP@blm.gov.

Policy/Action: A Web filtering application will be implemented at the BLM Wide Area Network Nodes at Denver and Portland. This application will block BLM users from accessing web sites that have been determined to be inappropriate, such as:

Pornography
Sites depicting sexually explicit activities
Erotic material inappropriate for those under 18 years of age
Link catalogs to pornographic sites
Erotic/Sex
Sites with erotic photography
Erotic content of the same level as on television, or that can be acquired at kiosks for free
Sexual toys
Swimwear/Lingerie/Nudity
Nudity without erotic references
Sites where swimwear/lingerie is shown or offered
Public nudity
Non-erotic nude pictures of children, e.g. un-posed, in natural circumstances
Illegal Activities
Instructions for murder, manuals for bomb building, instructions for illegal activity
Racial hatred
Child pornography, including comics (Hentai, Anime, Manga, etc.)
Incest
Animal pornography
Hate and Discrimination
Extreme views
Extreme right and left-wing groups
Sexism, racism
Suppression of minorities
Illegal Software
Sites containing software cracks, license key lists and illegal license key
Generators
Extreme
Includes Web sites that are usually assigned to other categories, but are particularly extreme in their content (e.g.
violence, sex with children, sex with animals)
Gambling
Lottery organizations, casinos, betting agencies
Music
Sites for radio stations, online radio
MP3, Real Audio, Microsoft Media
Homepages of bands, record labels and music vendors
Computer Crime
Illegal manipulation of electronic devices, data networks, procedures, password encryption
Manuals for virus programming
Credit card scams
Computer Games
Computer game sites
Online gaming zones
Anonymous Proxies
Sites that allow the user to anonymously view Web sites
39 Illegal Drugs
Sites about LSD, heroine, cocaine, XTC, pot, amphetamines, hemp
Accessories for drug use (e.g. water pipes)

Time Frame: This policy is effective upon receipt.

Budget Impact: This policy will directly affect the budget by ensuring data circuits are provisioned to support legitimate applications and eliminate the cost of unwarranted bandwidth increases.

Background: In recent months, the BLM Wide Area network bandwidth has been impacted because of inappropriate Internet use. This policy was developed to provide a way of enforcing the current Internet use policies and ensuring that grossly inappropriate sites are unavailable through agency provided network connections.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: DOI Bulletin 1977-001, Internet Acceptable Use Policy, BLM IB2001-132, Internet Acceptable Use Policy Reminder. (See Attachment 2)

This Web filtering software will be implemented across the Bureau on a phased schedule beginning in October 2002. (Refer to Attachment 1 for the planned implementation schedule.)

Coordination: This policy was coordinated with the Assistant Director for Human Resources, the National IRM Center and the IRM Policy and Records Group.

Please ensure all employees are provided a copy of new methodologies and compliance with this policy are made clear to all employees

State/Center Offices must consult with their local exclusive Bargaining Representative(s) prior to implementation of these policies.

Contact: Please address any questions or concerns regarding this policy to Ron Strong at (303) 236-6635, or Ken Wilbert, (303) 236-6543.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Marilyn H. Johnson Barbara J. Brown
Acting Assistant Director Policy & Records Group, WO-560
Human Resources Management
Signed by:
Michael J. Howell, Jr.
Acting Assistant Director
Information Resources Management

2 Attachments:
1-Deployment Schedule (1 p)
2-DOI Internet Acceptable Use Policy (5 pp)