2021 Appropriate Filtering and Monitoring Definitions Published

21 May 2021 Andy Robinson

The UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC) has published its â€˜appropriate’ filtering and monitoring definitions for 2021.  The definitions help both schools and providers understand what is considered ‘appropriate’ and the annual revision follows a public consultation. 

Alongside the DfE’s introduction of statutory guidance, UKSIC first published its filtering and monitoring definitions in 2016 to help both schools and providers understand what should be considered as ‘appropriate’. The revised definitions can be found at

For this year’s revision, the following notable inclusions have been proposed

Appropriate Filtering

  • The availability of, or extent to which, content is contextually filtered
  • The availability of, or extent to which, remote devices (ie at home) are able to receive school based filtering

Appropriate Monitoring

  • Expansion on the presentation of any Internet logfile information
  • Clarity as to the physical location of monitoring data
  • The capability of, or extent to which, remote devices (ie at home) are monitored by technology monitoring services
  • The inclusion of, or extent to which, visual content is monitored and analysed by technology monitoring services

Alongside the definitions, providers are invited to complete and self certify checklists indicating the performance of their (filtering and monitoring) solutions against the definitions.  These responses are hosted and presented alongside the definitions to allow schools to review

To further help schools understand aspects of their filtering solution, UK Safer Internet Centre partner SWGfL developed Test Your Internet Filter | SWGfL Test Filtering that is also accessible alongside the definitions