Overview of Privacy, Security, and Site Policies

Instant Messaging provides the ability to control access to Instant Messaging features and preserve end-user privacy.

Site Policies

Site policies specify end-user access to specific functionality in Instant Messaging. Site policies specify the ability to:

• Access the presence status of other end users

• Send alerts to other end users

• Save properties on the server

• Create and manage conference rooms

• Create and manage news channels

The Instant Messaging administrator has access to all Instant Messaging features. The administrator has MANAGE access to all conference rooms and news channels, can view presence information of any end user, and can view and modify properties such as Contact Lists and Instant Messenger Settings of any end user. The site policy settings have no impact on the administrator’s privileges.

By default, the end user is provided with the privileges to access the presence status of other end users, send alerts to end users, and save properties to the server. In most of the deployments, the default values are not changed. These default values need to be changed when Instant Messaging is used exclusively for the pop-up functionality.

When Instant Messaging is used exclusively for the pop-up functionality, the end user will not be provided with the access privileges to presence information, chat, and news features.

Although certain privileges can be set globally, the administrator can also define exceptions for these privileges. For example, the administrator can deny certain default privileges to select end users, roles, or groups.

Conference Room and News Channel Access Controls

End users can have the following access privileges on Conference rooms and News channels:

• MANAGE - full access, which includes the ability to set the conference room or the news channel privilege for other end users.

• WRITE - privilege to add contents to the conference room or the news channel.

• READ - privilege to read the conference room or the news channel contents.

• NONE - no access privileges.

End users with the MANAGE privilege can set the default privilege level for all the other end users. These end users can also define the exception rules to grant an access level that is different from the default access level permission given to specific end users or groups.

Setting the WRITE privilege, also grants the end users the READ privilege.

User Privacy

End users can specify whether other end users can see their presence. By default, all end users can access the presence information of all other end users. End users can also set exceptions for denying this access to certain end user and groups.

If an end user has denied other end users from accessing the end user’s presence status, then that end user’s availability status appears as offline in other end user's contact lists. No alerts or chat invitations can be sent to an end user whose presence status is offline.

User privacy can be configured using the User Settings window in the Instant Messenger. For more information on configuring user privacy, see Instant Messenger Online Help.