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POLICY TITLE: INTERNET USER POLICY
POLICY NUMBER: 2023-1
VERSION NUMBER: 1
DATE APPROVED: JANUARY 4, 2023
EFFECTIVE DATE: JANUARY 4, 2023
1.01
Preamble
The Rural Community of Fundy Shores provides access to the vast information resources of the Internet
to help its Council and Employees do their jobs faster and smarter and be well-informed corporate
citizens. The facilities to provide that access represent a considerable commitment of Community's
resources for telecommunications, networking, software, storage, etc. This Internet usage policy is
designed to help employees understand the Community's expectations for the use of the Internet, and
to help them use those resources wisely. Unnecessary or unauthorized Internet usage causes network
and server congestion. It slows other users, takes away from work time, consumes supplies, and ties up
printers and other shared resources.
1.02
Policy Statement
It is the desire of the Rural Community of Fundy Shores to allow and encourage the use of Internet
services to support the accomplishment of the various missions of the Community. Use of the Internet
requires responsible judgment, supervisory discretion and compliance with applicable laws and
regulations. Users must also be aware of and follow management directives for Internet usage. The
Internet Policy will serve as a guide to employees in identifying the purpose and proper use of the
Internet.
1.03
Definitions
"User" - all persons authorized to access the Internet.
"Internet" - a global web connecting more than a million computers.
"World Wide Web (WWW or "web") - a system of Internet servers that supports specially formatted
documents. The documents are formatted in a language called HTML (HyperText Markup Language) that
supports links to other documents, as well as graphics, audio, and video files.
"Executable file" - computer files which may be compiled, interpreted or otherwise understood by the
computer or software application to execute certain automated commands or functions. These files
typically contain extensions of .BAT, .EXE, .COM, .HLP, .DLL, .VBS, .BAS, .REG. Although files with the .DOC
and .XLS extensions are capable of executing computer code, they are not considered "executable files"
in this context (however, caution must be exercised when opening files of .DOC and .XLS extension). The
definition of "executable files" will be updated from time to time.
"Offensive material" - includes, but is not limited to, pornography, hate literature or any material that
contravenes the New Brunswick Human Rights Act.
"Scheduled Hours of Work" - for the purpose of this policy, does not include approved meal periods.
1.04
User's Role
User's Guidelines
(a)
Users using Fundy Shores' Internet accounts are acting as representatives of the Community. As
such, employees should act accordingly so as not to damage the reputation of the Local Government.
(b)
The Internet does not guarantee the privacy and confidentiality of information. Sensitive
materials transferred over the Internet may be at risk of detection by a third party. Employees must
exercise caution and care when transferring such material in any form.
(c)
Users may use Fundy Shores' Internet services for non-business research or browsing, outside of
scheduled hours of work, and in strict compliance with the other terms of this policy, provided that such
use is consistent with professional conduct and is not used for personal financial gain. Furthermore,
individuals are not guaranteed privacy while using Local Government computers and should, therefore,
not expect it. To the extent employees wish that their private activities remain private, they should avoid
using the Community's Internet for such activities.
(d)
Internet Relay Chat channels or other Internet forums such as newsgroups or net servers may be
used only to conduct work related business. Users who wish to express personal opinions must use a
private Internet provider and computer.
Prohibited Internet Use
(a)
The pursuit of private, commercial, business activities or profit-making ventures (i.e., employees
may not operate a business with the use of the Community's computers and Internet resources);
(b)
Matters directed towards the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan
political office, or partisan political group;
(c)
Direct or indirect lobbying;
(d)
Provide internet use passwords to any authorized users.
(e)
Use of Internet sites that result in an additional charge for the Local Government;
(f)
Engaging in prohibited discriminatory conduct that contravenes the New Brunswick Human Right
Act;
(g)
The obtaining or viewing of offensive material;
(h)
Any activity that would bring discredit on the Local Government;
(i)
Any violation of statute or regulation;
(j)
Storage of Community owned software and/or data on the Internet.
User's Responsibilities
(a)
Users are responsible for ensuring that their use of Internet access is appropriate and consistent
with ethical conduct under this policy.
(b)
Downloading information from the Internet should be done with great care. It is an extremely
easy way to infect your computer system, and possibly the Community's computer system, with viruses.
Downloading executable files is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED by anyone other than the Community's IT
Consultant. If there is a need to download executable files, the IT Consultant must be contacted for
assistance and for scanning the download for viruses. (See Section 2 of Policy for definition of executable
file.)
(c)
No user may use Community facilities knowingly to download or distribute pirated software or
data.
(d)
No user may use the Community's Internet facilities to deliberately propagate any virus, worm,
Trojan horse, or trap-door program code.
(e)
No user may use the Community's Internet facilities knowingly to disable or overload any
computer system or network, or to circumvent any system intended to protect the privacy or security of
another user or of the internal network.
(f)
Publishing of information or products, such as maps, must be facilitated through the CAO's
office.
(g)
Users must comply with all applicable laws and regulations and must respect the legal protection
provided by copyright and licenses with respect to both programs and data.
(h)
Internet usage must be able to survive public scrutiny and/or disclosure. Users must avoid
accessing sites that might bring the Local Government into disrepute, such as those that carry offensive
material. Furthermore, the Rural Community of Fundy Shores' expects Council and employees to
conduct themselves professionally while using Community resources, Council and employees must
refrain from using Community resources for activities that are disruptive to the work place or in violation
of public trust.
(i)
Users must not attempt to obscure the origin of any message or download material under an
assumed Internet address.
1.05
Fundy Shores' - Role
Guidelines
(a)
Any software or files downloaded via the Internet into the Community's network become the
property of Fundy Shores. Any such files or software may be used only in ways that are consistent with
their licenses or copyrights.
(b)
Alleged inappropriate use of the Internet will be reviewed by the CAO on a case-by-case basis
and, when justifiable, may lead to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. The Community's
security systems is not capable of recording (for each and every user) each World Wide Web site visit,
each chat, newsgroup, and each file transfer into and out of our internal networks, however the
Community reserves the right to do so at any time. Furthermore, the CAO or her designate reserves the
right to inspect any and all files stored in private areas of our network/server in order to assure
compliance with this policy.
Responsibilities
(a)
Department Heads are responsible for ensuring that all employees that require Internet access
to perform their daily work related duties have signed an "Internet Use Agreement" and that this policy
is presented to them prior to engaging in work activities for the community, and that workstations used
to access the Internet have approved anti-virus software.
(b)
The CAO and/or and Department Heads (where applicable) are responsible for taking disciplinary
action when this policy is contravened.
(c)
The Community may monitor the use of municipal networks and will address any detected
violation of this policy.
VERSION LOG
Version Number
Amendment
Description
Approved By
Approval Date
1
N/A
Council
January 4, 2023
ANNOTATION FOR OFFICIAL POLICY BOOK
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true and accurate copy of the Rural Community of Fundy Shores'
Internet User Policy, which was adopted by Council at its duly convened meeting held 4th day of January
2023.
______________________________________
____________________________________
Linda N. Sullivan Brown
Date
CAO/Clerk - Treasurer
Rural Community of Fundy Shores