The Transportation Security Administration attempted Tuesday to clarify its new policy on blocking access to some websites on agency computers, after a storm of criticism following the revelation that the new guidelines include a ban on sites offering “controversial opinions.”
TSA officials said the policy was issued to address “evolving cyberthreats,” and was not intended to squelch access for agency employees to conservative viewpoints on the Internet or to screen politically-oriented sites in general.
“As part of this continued effort, TSA uses a security technology to limit access to categories of websites that pose an increased security risk,” agency spokeswoman Lauren Gaches said in a written statement.
The policy changes were reported first by CBS News Saturday, which obtained an internal memo to agency staffers. The TSA memo was the lead item on the widely read Drudge Report site at middday Tuesday.
Ms. Gaches did not clarify what the agency means by controversial opinions or provide examples, but her statement said the TSA was not attempting to squash access to criticism about the agency and that staffers will still be able to access all sites need for work purposes. She said the agency itself has promoted free expression and an openness to differing viewpoints.
“In fact, [the agency] expressly created the TSA IdeaFactory and the TSA Blog to promote diverse opinions,” she wrote.
CBS also reported the agency’s Office of Information Technology informed TSA staffers of the change Friday via e-mail. The notice listed five categories as “inappropriate for government access” — chat/messaging; criminal activity; gaming; extreme violence; and “controversial opinions.”
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