If one modern technological advancement has truly revolutionized the world, it’s the Internet. It has helped us advance by leaps and bounds, connecting us with each other, to a seemingly infinite pool of information, and the idea of limitless possibilities.
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Yet, millions of Americans still do not have adequate access to the Internet. According to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), 18% of the country’s population lacks this Internet access because of affordability concerns.
This digital inequity exacerbates healthcare disparities, economic disparities, educational disparities, and more. To help bridge this gap, libraries and schools around the country have stepped in to provide Internet access for free.
This step toward digital equity, however, also requires institutions to stay on their toes as they keep an eye on online safety. The increased reliance on digital resources heightens the need for establishments to ensure they keep security factors in mind when selecting Internet hotspots for schools and libraries.
What are Some Online Security Concerns for Schools and Libraries?
A large number of users sharing a network, limited technical training and funding, small teams, and other factors combine to make schools and libraries prone to security threats. A few that institutions need to keep in mind before purchasing Internet hotspots for schools and libraries are:
- Shared Network Concerns
- Compliance With CIPA
- Privacy and Data Protection, Especially in Regard to Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
- Malware and Phishing Attacks
Shared Network Concerns
Schools and libraries often provide Internet access over a shared network. This enables them to remain cost-effective while scaling their programs at the same time. However, shared networks come with some pitfalls. While congestion and unequal bandwidth distribution are two of them, security vulnerabilities are a bigger concern.
Internet hotspots for schools and libraries can assuage these concerns. Many of them, like Mobile Citizen’s devices, support encryption protocols, which protect data transmitted over the network from being intercepted or accessed by someone else. They also help with network isolation, which prevents direct interaction between devices connected to the hotspot and other devices on the shared network. Internet hotspots for schools and libraries may often also allow users to set up personalized security settings such as a unique password for accessing Wi-Fi.
Compliance With CIPA
The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) is a federal law that requires schools and libraries that receive federal funding to implement Internet filtering and safety policies to protect children from accessing obscene or harmful content online.
If you are using Internet hotspots for schools and libraries such as ones from Mobile Citizen, we (or the provider you use) can put CIPA filters in place when requested.
These filters can block harmful content, enabling CIPA compliance. The filtering system is usually a combination of keyword filtering, URL blacklisting, category-based filtering, and real-time analysis to block content that falls under categories specified by CIPA.
While this law is intended to protect children and minors from harmful content, it can also pose challenges in striking the right balance between access and censorship. This is why providers like Mobile Citizens only provide CIPA filters as deemed appropriate by schools and libraries. This ensures that while we can support our partners in their compliance efforts, we also limit unnecessary restrictions.
Ways Internet Hotspots for Schools and Libraries Help with CIPA Compliance
In addition to pre-configured filtering solutions, there are other ways that Internet hotspots for schools and libraries aid CIPA compliance.
- Customizable Filtering Options: School and library districts can coordinate with service providers like Mobile Citizen to add content filters on Wi-Fi hotspots to ensure CIPA compliance while also giving schools and libraries autonomy in decision-making.
- Regular Updates and Maintenance: A reliable provider will ensure that the filtering software of the system used in hotspots for schools and libraries is regularly updated. This helps devices stay protected from ever-evolving threats and maintain CIPA compliance. This regular maintenance includes staying current with new categories of harmful content and maintaining an up-to-date blacklist of inappropriate websites.
- Reporting and Monitoring Tools: Internet hotspots for schools or libraries that include reporting and monitoring features provide administrators with insights into Internet usage patterns, attempts to access blocked content, and potential breaches of CIPA compliance. Such tools can help institutions provide Internet access while also ensuring the safety of users and their data.
- Technical Support and Training: Several providers of Internet hotspots for schools and libraries, including Mobile Citizen, provide technical assistance and training resources. These resources help implement and manage CIPA compliance effectively and can include user guides, tutorials, and dedicated support.
Privacy and Data Protection
While protecting users’ privacy by guarding their browsing history is important to schools and libraries, so is compliance with FERPA.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. This law aims to give parents and eligible students control over the disclosure of their information. As more information and communication are transmitted over shared networks, it’s integral for schools and libraries to deploy hotspots that are not only reliable in terms of connectivity but also have encryption safeguards against unauthorized access or breaches.
Malware and Phishing Attacks
The scope of the networks and the size of the user base makes Internet hotspots for schools and libraries especially susceptible to malware and phishing attacks.
Malware refers to malicious software that can disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems or networks. Schools handle a significant amount of personal and sensitive data, making them attractive to cybercriminals. Not only is this a big operational concern but also puts schools at risk of violating FERPA guidelines.
Similarly, both schools and libraries can be susceptible to phishing attacks, where individuals are tricked into divulging sensitive information. Factors such as a large number of users, varied levels of cybersecurity awareness, and the potential for student or staff accounts to contain sensitive information make schools and libraries vulnerable to these attacks.
In addition to training and strong access controls, hotspots for schools and libraries that offer encryption protocols, network isolation, firewalls, and filtering can help mitigate these threats.
Internet Hotspots for Schools and Libraries from Mobile Citizen
On the one hand Internet hotspots in schools and libraries have proved to be a boon for education and digital equity at large. On the other, it’s brought about new challenges for institutions that are already playing primary roles of providing educational and community resources.
At Mobile Citizen, we partner with you to overcome these challenges so we can walk toward our goal of digital equity with surer steps. We provide low-cost, reliable Internet hotspots for schools, libraries, nonprofit organizations, and social welfare agencies. Our devices are built to support libraries and schools not only to provide Internet to all but to also make it secure for everyone to get online. To see if your institution is eligible, please contact our experts in the Mobile Citizen Customer Service Center at 877-216-9603.