For some time, we’ve offered network administrators the ability to require the use of SafeSearch by their users, which filters out explicit content from search results; this is especially important for schools. However, using this functionality has meant that searches were sent over an unencrypted connection to Google. Unfortunately, this has been the target of abuse by other groups looking to snoop on people’s searches, so we will be removing it as of early December.
Going forward, organizations can require SafeSearch on their networks while at the same time ensuring that their users’ connections to Google remain encrypted. (This is in addition to existing functionality that allows SafeSearch to be set on individual browsers and to be enabled by policy on managed devices like Chromebooks.) Network administrators can read more about how to enable this new feature here.
Posted by Brian Fitzpatrick, Engineering Director
Are you referring specifically to the nossl.google.com hostname? Is this what is being retired?
ReplyDeleteVarious institutions have different filtering requirements, these cannot met by a single safe-search flag imposed by Google.
ReplyDeleteRemoving the ability of network admins to control search traffic to Google leaves them with a stark choice 1) blocking Google entirely 2) Put vulnerable people at risk.
Will the non-ssl version remain available? We monitor our employee searches and it seems this change would disrupt that ability and introduce a liability to business.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone discovered a way around this issue?
ReplyDeleteI've tried contacting several people at Google to clear up the fact that this could potentially expose educational users to unwanted material, but have been met with a wall of silence.
forcesafesearch is not working. I don't understand why you have to make this so difficult for parents with a small network at home. Please come up with something that an organisation like opendns can implement
ReplyDelete