It has emerged that the security software used to monitor the smartphones of Aberdeenshire councillors is so strict that a local news story was flagged up as “subversive content”.
Yesterday, members of the local authority’s policy committee agreed to amend the guidelines to allow members to use their council-issue devices outside of work.
And, during the debate, councillor Jim Gifford revealed that the security software on his phone was prone to going into overdrive.
The former council leader said: “In terms of the list of blocked sites, I completely agree.
“But I was also blocked trying to access a ‘subversive’ article from a local newspaper.”
Mr Gifford did not disclose what the article in question was about, but it is understood to have been posted on the website of a north-east weekly paper.
Members unanimously voted to amend the policy, but the use of councillors’ smartphones will remain strictly controlled.
Gaming apps are banned on the devices and a whole host of websites – including pornography, gambling and “tasteless content” – are also blocked.
Councillors have also been warned that in light of “risks to information security, public reputation and overload of limited resources”, the use of local authority computers and smartphones is strictly monitored.
The policy change will not impact on taxpayers as councillors are already issued smartphones as a matter of course.
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