Agenda - Council Work Session - 11/26/2024

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Expectation of Privacy As discussed above, all City -owned equipment and Information Technology Systems, including e-mail, are City property and subject to inspection by the City at any time, without notice, and for any reason or no reason at all. Users should have no expectation of privacy. In addition, the City is subject to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act and other laws governing the collection, storage, use, and disclosure of data. All files and documents, including personal messages and Internet logs, created, received, collected, or generated by City employees or using the City's Information Technology Systems are subject to those laws and may be disclosed in certain circumstances without the permission of the employee or user. Hardware and Software Acquisition The IT Manager must approve all hardware and software prior to acquisition to ensure consistency with the design and architecture of the City's IT network, with absolutely no exceptions. Users are prohibited from installing, downloading, purchasing, subscribing, or acquiring both hardware and software, including product demonstrations, without prior approval from the IT Manager. Software applications not required for official City business are strictly prohibited. Attempts by employees to manipulate City hardware, networking systems, security systems or appliances, or licensed software or apps, outside of approved updates, are in direct violation of this policy. Installation and Downloads Installation or download of unapproved programs can potentially damage files, a user's PC, or infect systems City-wide, which could cause cessation of daily operations. Users are expected to coordinate with IT when new software is needed so that said software can be vetted, licensed, and maintained. In order to maintain system security, users are encouraged to accept updates pushed out by IT to currently authorized programs such as Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Office, and other previously installed software. Licensing To ensure license compliance, all software must be purchased by and licensed to the City. • Development: Any software programs (i.e., custom -designed Microsoft Access databases, etc.) developed for use by the City become the property of the City. Software programs may not be sold or distributed without prior approval. • Home: City -owned software may not be loaded on non -City owned equipment unless there is prior approval of the Department Head and the IT Manager. • Copyright Laws: City users are required to abide by software and documentation copyright laws and licensing agreements. Questions about the legality of the software and documentation should be directed to the IT Manager. At no time should any users make copies of City -owned software and documentation. To prove legal ownership of software, the City must have the original media and manuals stored on City property. The IT Manager will periodically check for software that may be in violation of the above policy. Data Management and Protection 761Page Commented [JF14]: Added some language here to clarify acquisition of technology responsibilities.