Starting September 2008, access to the social networking service Facebook will be available only on Concordia’s wireless network.
The service will no longer be accessible from desktop computers with only a wired connection to the Concordia University network.
Social networking sites will continue to be available at Concordia by connecting using a wireless network connection. It is also accessible in all residences, and through laptop computers available to students, faculty and staff at the university’s Equipment Depots as well as at both libraries.
Concordia’s network administrators are not trying to block access to Facebook, but to manage the manner in which the Concordia community accesses the service.
The university has decided to implement the restriction because of concerns that the continuing reliability of the Concordia wired network could be compromised because of spam, viruses and leaks of confidential information related to use of the social networking site.
Many of the university’s core services are propagated through the wired network. Although accessing social networks using a wireless connection may present some security risks, the wireless network is segregated from the wired network and its core services, so the potential danger to the Concordia network is greatly reduced.
Users of social networking sites should be aware that the sharing of too much personal information on these sites may lead to targeted phishing attacks, a serious problem that Concordia and other Canadian universities are trying to combat.
This situation is being monitored closely. For more information, please contact Anne-Marie Curatolo, am.curatolo@concordia.ca.
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