Google Apps Edu Content Filtering Debacle
Many districts have started blocking Google secure search because of violation of CIPA regulations. Recently three articles have been written about it: San Diego Schools Block Google Tools, Using Google Apps? Don’t Block Encrypted Search, & Google’s New Search Might Force Schools to Block Google. The unfortunate byproduct of this content filtering fiasco is that Google Apps Education is getting blocked because of this new policy. Apparently, Google Apps Edu is included in the filter block of secure Google search. The ripple effects of this new feature has been devastating, as teachers and schools who have banked on Google Apps Edu as their primary communication mechanism is now dead in the water. Teachers who use Google Docs & Sites to collaborate and schools who use shared calendars can no longer access their information. Google either needs to fix this issue immediately, or districts need to figure a way to allow Google Apps Education through their filters. Either way something needs to be done because content filtering is killing true 21st century learning.
Please help spread the word on how content filtering is blocking Google Apps Education from millions of our students and teachers. Thank you!
Howard,
I thought only the “public” version of Google Apps would be blocked, not the Edu version since it can be set to non-encrypted? Did I misundersand or did something change?
The issue is with secure login now. Secure login to Google Apps Edu is being blocked. You can’t bypass that even with non-encrypted. If you login from outside the content filter, you can access all your Google Apps content while at schools. If you are logging in from the school network, you can’t access. From what I am reading, not all districts are blocking. But a big one in SD is which is affecting so many users.