PURPOSE
The purpose of this directive
is to provide agencies with guidelines regarding the statewide coordination
of Internet activities, responsibility of agency management with regard
to building and managing Internet servers and electronic mail services,
and personal responsibility of state employees using the Internet,
electronic mail services and online services.
GENERAL
The Internet is the rapidly
expanding world-wide web of networks connected to each other using,
primarily, the Internet Protocol. The Internet provides for file transfer,
remote log in, electronic mail, news and other services via the use
of standard telephone landlines. Therefore, use of the Internet should
also be consistent with policy regulating use of state telephones
as set forth in Office of Policy and Planning's Policy ITP-002 which
was most recently revised on March 14, 2001. This policy can be viewed
online by visiting the DAS State of Ohio Website and going to the
Computer Services section, Office of Policy and Planning.
Electronic mail is the
transmission of memos and messages over electronic networks, including
but not limited to the Internet. Online services provide subscribers
with a variety of reference and information exchange services, which
typically include connection to the Internet.
While the state of Ohio
recognizes that these services are an effective means for making government
agencies more accessible, more efficient and more responsive to the
needs of other government agencies and the public, their use is open
to abuse.
A well defined computer
usage policy shall be issued by each agency to all agency employees.
Prior to issuance, the policy should be reviewed by the agency's legal
counsel and union representatives. The agency policy may either build
on the information contained herein, or, at a minimum, be in the form
of a cover letter endorsing this policy.
For clarity, this directive
is divided into three sections: (1) Statewide Coordination relating
to achieving shared objectives and the role of the Department of Administrative
Services in coordinating and supporting the Internet, electronic mail
and online services; (2) Agency Management Responsibility with regard
to building and managing the Internet, electronic mail and online
services and the use of these services by their employees; (3) Personal
Responsibility of state employees using the Internet, electronic mail
and online services.
Statewide Coordination
The Office of Policy and
Planning, Computer Services Division, Department of Administrative
Services, will continue to work with agencies to develop Internet,
electronic mail and online services policies and to support appropriate
use of these services. Administrative Services had convened an Internet
Advisory Committee to insure pro-active agency participation in these
efforts.
Administrative Services,
with the assistance of the Advisory Committee, will publish guidelines
and recommend standards with regard to the nature and quality of the
information stored on state agency Internet servers. (See "Best
Practices for Website Development" at http://www.ohio.gov/bestpr/.)
Administrative Services,
with the assistance of the Advisory Committee, will develop and maintain
a state home page ("State of Ohio Front Page") for access
by the World-Wide Web (www) with hypertext links to all agency public
access Internet servers.
Administrative Services,
with the assistance of the Advisory Committee, will build and manage
Internet based services for agencies desiring an Internet presence
and lacking the resources to do so.
Administrative Services
will analyze the statewide usage of Internet servers and may issue
policies as necessary to conserve state resources used to build and
manage these servers.
Agency Management Responsibility
Agencies that build and
manage Internet servers, electronic mail services and online services
and provide agency staff with access to these services, have certain
management responsibility.
1. All agencies shall register
their public access Internet servers with the Office of Policy and
Planning so that the office may validate compliance with statewide
standards. Upon validation, these servers shall be linked to the "State
of Ohio Front Page."
2. Upon publication of
guidelines by Administrative Services for formats and linkages, all
agencies shall comply with said guidelines relative to the Internet
based services they provide or intend to provide.
3. Agencies that operate
Internet based services on existing servers shall insure that critical
information is not compromised. For applications where Internet users
can access agency software and data, a separate server is always recommended.
4. Agencies shall monitor
the information made available on their servers to insure that it
is appropriate and meets the state agency standards for quality.
5. Agencies shall insure
that all personnel who have access to the Internet, electronic mail
and online services are aware of their responsibilities. Some of these
responsibilities are enumerated in the following section. One way
to heighten awareness is to have employees sign a Code of Responsibility.
Personal Responsibility
Use of the Internet, electronic
mail and online services has great potential to enhance the productivity
of state employees in all agencies. At the same time, as is the case
with all state resources made available to employees, abuse is possible.
Employees must be held accountable for their use and misuse of government
resources, of which access to the Internet, electronic mail and online
services are but three examples.
1. The Internet, electronic
mail and online services are intended to be used primarily for business
purposes. Uses that interfere with normal business activities, involve
solicitation, are associated with any for-profit business activities
or could potentially embarrass the state are strictly forbidden.
2. State employees shall
not use the Internet, electronic mail or online services for operating
a business for personal gain, sending chain letters or soliciting
money for religious and political causes.
3. State employees shall
not use the Internet, electronic mail and online services to transmit
or download material that is offensive, obscene, pornographic, threatening
or racially or sexually harassing.
4. State employees shall
not use the Internet, electronic mail and online services to disseminate
or print copyrighted materials (including articles and software) in
violation of copyright laws.
5. State employees shall
not use the Internet, electronic mail and online services to provide
access to confidential information. State employees shall not use
these services to provide access to public information without following
the existing rules and procedures of the custodial agency for dissemination.
6. State employees shall
not use an Internet, electronic mail or online service account or
signature line other than their own.
7. State employees shall
take all reasonable precautions to prevent the inadvertent dissemination
of anyone else's information via the Internet, electronic mail or
online services.
8. Internet usage is subject
to other limitations as imposed by supervisors to prevent excessive
or improper use.
9. State employees are
also reminded that access to and use of the Internet, including communication
by e-mail, is not confidential. Internet access can and will be monitored.
Web browsers leave traceable "footprints" to all sites visited.
The state of Ohio front
page is located at http://www.ohio.gov. The Internet Advisory Committee
home page is located at http://www.ohio.gov/iac.
If you have any questions
about this directive or would like more information about these services,
please contact:
Office of Policy and Planning
Computer Services Division
Ohio Department of Administrative Services
30 East Broad Street, 39th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone (614) 644-9352
Fax (614) 644-9152.
This directive supersedes
any previously issued directive or policy and will remain effective
until canceled or superseded.
AUTHORITY AND REFERENCE
ORC 121.07