(A) Hardware acquisitions. Installations, moves and repairs. The ITD must unanimously review and approve all requests for acquisition, repair, installation, deinstallation and moves of all hardware and software.
(B) Software applications. All application software installed on all personal computers or workstations must be legally licensed. A legally licensed application is one for which the Town or the user has a software license, master diskettes or a purchase order proving that the software came pre-loaded on the hardware. Only software licensed by or being evaluated by the Town can be used by the user. No software applications are to be installed on the computers without the written approval of the ITD.
(C) Computer password and log-in ID. The ITD will assign all users a computer password and log-in ID. Users are required to immediately advise the ITD of any change to their computer password and log-in ID. At no time shall a user share, obtain, utilize or disclose another person's password or log-in ID. At no time shall a user's computer password, log-in ID or identification number be disclosed to, shared with, or used by another person except the user's manager or director, or the ITD.
(D) Access and use rights. The Town's computers and the data stored therein (the “Town's information”) are to be used for purposes of conducting Town business, and all other use or access is prohibited. Utmost care is to be used at all times in protecting the Town's information from unauthorized access, misuse, theft, damage, destruction, modification or disclosure. At no time shall a user access or attempt to access any Town information without having the express authority to do so or in any manner that is inconsistent with the approved method of system entry. All information developed by users while on the job or while utilizing the Town's facilities or resources shall be the exclusive property of the Town.
(E) File management and document storage. All work-related documents such as spreadsheets, word processing documents, presentations and other files are to be stored on the network server and not on individual work stations or floppy diskettes. The network server will be backed up on a set schedule, but individual users are responsible for backing up their own files on their assigned workstations or personal computers.
(F) Security and confidentiality. Under no circumstances should data ever be transported which, if intercepted, would place the Town in violation of any law. Town departments and employees are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of all information which is stored on the Town's computers, and which is confidential under the Town's guidelines or under state and federal laws.
(G) Virus protection. No files from floppy diskettes should be loaded onto the Town's computers unless it is verified that the disk has been scanned by a virus protection software. No files should be downloaded from internet or e-mail sources to the Town's network server or any workstation or personal computer hard drives without being first scanned by a virus protection software. Any person receiving disk images or programs via the internet must conduct a virus check on them before executing or distributing them.
(H) Internet access. Internet access provided by the Town is provided for purposes of facilitating communications, accessing and sharing information among world-wide participants, enhancing user access to and use of relevant job related information and knowledge, and facilitating more informed, knowledgeable and productive Town employees. Use of the internet access or any other purpose is strictly forbidden.
(I) E-mail access and use.
(1) The use of any Town resource for e-mail should be related to Town business. Only employees or other authorized persons conducting Town business may use the e-mail systems. The Town reserves the right to access and disclose the contents of employees' or other authorized users' e-mail, but will do so only when it has a legitimate business need. The Town's e-mail systems should be treated like a shared idling system with the expectation that messages sent or received with respect to Town business or with the use of Town resources may be reviewed by any authorized Town official for any purposes related to the Town's business, which may include the public pursuant to I.C. 5-14-3-1 et seq.
(2) The Town will not monitor e-mail as a routine matter, but will inspect the contents of e-mail during the course of an investigation triggered by indications of illegal actions, misconduct, protection of health and safety, to prevent interference with the business of the Town, or to locate substantive information required for Town business purposes that is not more readily available by some other means. The Town will also respond to legal processes and fulfill its obligations to third parties, which may include the disclosure of an individual's e-mail.
(3) The contents of e-mail, properly obtained for legitimate business purposes, may be disclosed without permission of any employee or other authorized user. Employees or other authorized users on the Town's e-mail system have no expectation of privacy in e-mail. The e-mail system, like any other element in the communication and information storage system, belongs to the Town. E-mail is subject to discovery by litigants in a lawsuit involving the Town or third parties. Individuals needing access to the e-mail of others, to use information gained from that access and/or to disclose information from the access, must obtain advance approval for the activity from the ITD.
(J) Appropriate use and decency requirements. Town employees granted access to the Town computers, internet connected resources and e-mail resources are required to use that access in a way that is consistent with their job function, regardless of whether the access is off-hours or on the employee's time. The content of anything exchanged via internet access or e-mail must be appropriate and consistent with the standards of common sense, decency and courtesy. The Town's computers, internet-connected resources and e-mail resources are not to be used to do any of the following:
(1) Perform any act which violates state and/or federal laws.
(2) Distribute unsolicited advertising.
(3) Propagate computer worms/viruses.
(4) Distribute chain letters.
(5) Seek information about, obtain copies of, or modify electronic information belonging to other users unless explicitly authorized to do so by those users or otherwise authorized by state, federal or local laws.
(6) Distribute documents in violation of copyright laws, licensing agreements and trade secret regulations.
(7) Distribute confidential Town information.
(8) Access, download or distribute
OBSCENE MATTER, which is defined as any matter that the average person, applying contemporary community standards, finds that the dominant theme of the matter, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest in sex; depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct; and lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value, taken as a whole.
(9) Intimidate or harass any person or interfere with the ability of any person to conduct Town business.
(10) Obtain access to the files or communications of others.
(11) Attempt unauthorized access to data or attempt to breach any security measures on any e-mail system, or attempt to intercept any e-mail transmissions without proper authorization.
(Ord. 99-06, passed 8-12-99)