Student Safety

Our student Chromebooks are managed in a couple ways using the Google Admin Console, only approved apps, extensions, and addons are allowed to be installed to a student's Google Account. Every student is given a Google Account from ALCS, and those are the ONLY accounts able to login to our Chromebooks.

We manage content utilizing the Lightspeed Web filtering service. The endless challenge is staying current with new content that is posted daily. We have been customizing the rules for lightspeed for years, building off the prepackaged configuration for k-12 schools and since then lightspeed has improved and expanded their capabilities to stay as current as possible utilizing AI and ML models. Every day there are new uncategorized sites that we add to our filter rules.

Lightspeed does the following to keep us as safe as possible.

  • Continuously updated their centralized URL database via cloud-hosted URL catalog that is constantly updated.
    • Automated classification bots that scan new and changed sites for content, metadata, and behavior.
    • Human review for edge cases or high-risk sites to improve accuracy.
  • Real-time categorization & reputation scoring
    • Reputation engines evaluate domains, IPs, and SSL/TLS certificates in real time.
    • Heuristics and ML (machine learning) models detect new threats, phishing, malware hosts, and inappropriate content even if previously unknown.
  • Machine learning and AI
    • ML models classify pages by content, language, images, and context, enabling detection of novel content and evasive techniques.
    • Models are retrained regularly using fresh web data and feedback.
  • Deep content inspection
    • HTML parsing, keyword/context analysis, and image analysis (OCR/vision models) to classify content behind redirects, JS-rendered pages, or encrypted connections (were permitted).
    • Support for inspecting HTTPS via certificate-based filtering or SSL inspection (when deployed under appropriate policies and local regulations).
  • Threat intelligence integration
    • Feeds from global threat intelligence sources, ISPs, and security partners supply updated lists of malicious IPs, domains, and indicators of compromise.
  • Real-time telemetry and crowd-sourced feedback
    • Telemetry from millions of endpoints and schools provides signals about new or changing sites.
    • Administrators and users can report or request recategorization; those reports feed human review and automated retraining.
  • Policy and category tuning
    • All Lightspeed clients can create granular, time-based, and role-based policies that adapt to new content types.
    • Default categories and policies are updated by Lightspeed to reflect new categories (for example, new social platforms or streaming services).
  • Fast propagation and cloud delivery
    • Cloud-native architecture ensures category updates, new signatures, and policy changes propagate quickly to all managed devices.
    • Edge caching and local policy agents reduce latency while still receiving frequent updates.
  • Compliance, auditing, and logging
    • Continuous logging and analytics detect anomalies or bypass attempts so filters can be adjusted.
    • Regular audits and reporting help identify gaps or new trends requiring classifier updates. 

These services are enforced on the school issues google accounts no matter where they are in the world.

One of the toughest challenges you can face to block/allow are the sites that allow user-generated content (UGC) websites like forums, social media, review sites, wikis, marketplaces. They bring many benefits but also risks: illegal or harmful content (CSAM, hate speech), misinformation, privacy breaches, security threats (scams, malware, bots), IP disputes, reputational damage, bias in enforcement, child-safety concerns, and regulatory/legal exposure to name a few. 

For home protection there are web filtering services, like OpenDNS, that you can customize and tailor to your needs. Many home routers have built in web filtering services also.

For helpful tips on engaging with your children around digital literacy and responsible technology use, I suggest visiting Common Sense Education’s Family Engagement, https://connectsafely.org/controls/ and https://connectsafely.org/parents-guide-to-social-media-and-digital-wellness/. Their resources include practical advice on setting boundaries, fostering healthy conversations about technology, and guiding children to become responsible digital citizens.