Acceptable Use of Information Technology

Date Established: October 19, 2020
Date Last Updated: October 19, 2020

Purpose
The Acceptable Use Policy is intended to outline the appropriate and prohibited uses of the City’s information technology resources.

Policy Statement
The City of Ames makes available to its employees and community members computing and network resources, including shared information technology resources that use text, voice, images, and video to deliver information. These resources are to be used in a manner consistent with City policy and the law, including this policy and related policies created by specific departments, programs, and offices of the City.

Who Is Affected by this Policy
The Acceptable Use Policy for City of Ames Information Technology Resources applies to all active members of the City, including employees and affiliates, and to authorized visitors, guests, and others for whom City technology resources and network access are made available by the City. This policy also applies to visitors who avail themselves of the City’s temporary guest wireless network access service.

What Is Covered by this Policy
This policy applies to City-owned devices and systems and to City-contracted systems and services, as well as privately-owned or publicly-provided devices using the City’s networks and resources. It applies to technology administered within the City Internet domain by the Information Technology Division or by authorized resident visitors on their own hardware connected to the city network; to authorized collaborative devices connected to the city network and using City Internet addresses; to personally-owned devices connected by wire or wireless service to the city network via city locations providing mobile wired access or wireless access; and to actions originating from computer systems or mobile devices maintained or used by members of the city community connecting remotely to the City’s network services and under the aegis of the City of Ames name. It applies to websites bearing the City credentials, even when hosted outside the City’s Internet domain.

Acceptable Use
a. Organizational Use – Use of all City information technology and digital resources should be for purposes that are consistent with the public service vision and the policies and legal requirements (including license agreements and terms of service) of the City.

b. Personal Use – Personal use of the City’s information technology and digital resources should be incidental and kept to a minimum.

c. Prohibited Use – Use of the City’s information technology and digital resources should not violate applicable federal, state, and local law, including U. S. copyright law, or applicable City policies, and, if travel is involved, the laws of the relevant nation or state. From any location, City resources may not be used to transmit malicious, harassing, or defamatory content.

Access and Privacy

The City has the legal right to access, preserve, and review all information stored on or transmitted through its electronic services, equipment and systems (collectively, “IT Systems”). The City endeavors to afford reasonable privacy for individual users, and does not access information created and/or stored by individual users on its IT Systems except when it determines that it has a legitimate operational need to do so.

Protection of City Resources
Users of City information technology and digital resources are responsible for protecting City data, including its confidentiality, integrity, access, retention, and disposal in accordance with the City’s Information Security Policy, Record Retention Policy, and other applicable City policies. Individuals with City of Ames accounts or administrative responsibility over any City resources should take reasonable measures to protect these accounts and resources. Shared City technological resources should be used to carry out the legitimate business of the City, and should not be used in a way that disrupts or otherwise interferes with any City activities or systems or that is inconsistent with the City’s policies or goals.

Violations and Penalties
Violations of the City of Ames Acceptable Use Policy of Information Technology Resources policy may be referred for disciplinary action as outlined in the applicable employment handbook or collective bargaining agreement.

Contact Information
Information Technology Division
515-239-5188