WHEREAS, Philadelphia is home to employers that have headquarters nationally and internationally. Council Offices are not able to send and receive email communications with important corporate executives and government officials to benefit Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, It was determined that a prestigious Philadelphia law firm, the Metro Newspaper, and even the entire country of South Korea were blocked from the City’s email system; and
WHEREAS, When OIT blocks outgoing and incoming email communications, it does not notify Council members and staff; and
WHEREAS, OIT restricts access too many legitimate web sites. Requests have to be made to remove the restrictions and sometimes the requests are declined; and
WHEREAS, Cyber security is vital to protecting the City’s information and technology interests; however, OIT’s policy, practice, and process for blocking emails and websites are over-inclusive and should be examined thoroughly to established a more globally competitive technology policy; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia has made a significant effort to modernize and update its technology communications infrastructure by implementing a $120 million capital investment starting in 2012 to more effectively enable the functions of government; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby authorizes Council’s Committee on Global Opportunities and the Creative/Innovative Economy to hold public hearings concerning the City’s technology communications infrastructure and the policy, practice, and process for blocking emails and websites by the Office of Innovation and Technology (OIT).
End