Providing guests with Internet access is essential for hotels and, in order to provide a better service to guests, a web content WiFi filter for hotels can be invaluable. Not only can a web content filter for hotels be implemented to protect guests from being exposed to inappropriate website content on other guests´ mobile devices, but it can also mitigate the risk of a guest inadvertently downloading malware onto their own device.
In addition to helping avoid the risk of a PR disaster and legal action, a web content WiFi filter for hotels can also be implemented to prevent malware from being downloaded onto hotel computer networks.
There are also significant commercial benefits associated with filtering web content. Hotels can increase workplace productivity, restrict bandwidth consumption and identify the online activities of their customers to help tailor future marketing campaigns.
Mitigating the Risk of Legal Action and PR Disasters
One of the main purposes of a web content WiFi filter for hotels is to prevent guests from accessing inappropriate websites likely to cause offense to other hotel guests. These are likely to include websites containing pornographic imagery or other offensive material such as religious or racial hate speech.
In communal areas such as hotel lobbies, the blocking of such content can prevent guests from publicly viewing online content that many would consider to be inappropriate. Hotel guests will likely take offense if their child has been exposed to adult content due to the hotel´s failure to consider the safety of minors. A granular WiFi filter will allow you to control access to inappropriate content in public areas, while applying different controls in private settings such as hotel rooms.
It is also wise to prevent illegal activity from taking place over hotel WiFi networks. Copyright infringement such as the illegal downloading of films could result in legal action against hotel operators if they fail to prevent P2P file sharing sites from being accessed via their WiFi networks.
A Web Content WiFi Filter for Hotels Can Reduce the Risk of Malware and Cyberattacks
A malware infection on a device that connects to the hotel´s internal computer network can have significant consequences. Cyberattacks by hacktivists could take place or ransomware could be installed and systems crippled. Data theft is a very real concern for hotel operators. If guests´ confidential data is stolen, the effect on future bookings could be devastating, not to mention class action lawsuits from impacted customers. Understandably, many hoteliers do not like to take risks that could have such serious consequences for their business.
Several threat groups are actively targeting hotel chains and the cyberattack at Marriot International that resulted in the theft of 500 million Starwood Marriott hotel customers shows just how important it is to ensure that cybersecurity controls are implemented to prevent cyberattacks. A web content WiFi filter is an important cybersecurity measure to implement to make it much harder for cyberattacks to succeed.
By applying a web content WiFi filter for hotels, the risk of cyberattacks and malware infections can be effectively managed. Compromised websites containing potentially harmful third party adverts can be blocked and access to websites known to harbor malware and those used for phishing can be prevented. It is also possible to prevent the download of file types commonly used to deliver malware and ransomware. Configuring a Web Content WiFi Filter for Hotels to Prevent Productivity Loss
There are a number of ways in which the same web content WiFi filter for hotels can be configured to provide separate services for guests and employees. For example, a web filtering solution that links to the Active Directory or LDAP can allow different privileges to be set not only for guests and employees, but also for individual employees or those in specific departments.
This can enable a hotel operator to allow employees engaged in sales and marketing to access company social media websites, while blocking access to potentially productivity-draining sites such as Twitter and Facebook for other employees. Similarly, gambling, dating, shopping, and sports websites can easily be blocked for employees, and access to Internet sites restricted to those necessary for work purposes only. Placing limits on the actions that certain employees, or groups of employees, can perform helps to prevent productivity losses.
Restrict Bandwidth Consumption with a Hotel WiFi Filter
Bandwidth consumption can often be a problem in boutique or very busy hotels. The capacity of the WiFi service can be stretched and Internet users subject to slow Internet speeds – or no Internet access at all. This can create a problem for guests when they want to stay connected with the family, friends and the office.
A web content WiFi filter for hotels not only has the ability to restrict access to websites, but the ability to restrict bandwidth consumption. System administrators can set bandwidth limits on the service by individual user or groups of users in order to prevent bandwidth-hogging activities such as live video streaming and large file downloads in order to ensure all guests have Internet access at all times.
One further advantage of monitoring bandwidth use is that it can reveal unusual levels of activity caused by malware. Certain types of malware use up a considerable amount of bandwidth and often this may be the result of a guest arriving at a hotel with an already-infected device. By advising the guest of the problem, and giving the guest the opportunity to remove the infection before it spreads to other devices connected to the WiFi service, hotels are providing a higher level of customer service – and avoiding another potential PR disaster.
The Marketing Benefits of Filtering Hotel WiFi
Whereas it could be said that a hotel offering a filtered WiFi service already has a competitive advantage over hotels who fail to take their guests online safety into account, there are marketing benefits to implementing a web content WiFi filter for hotels.
Every worthwhile web filter produces reports on Internet use – primarily so that system administrators can identify risks to network security, observe attempts to circumnavigate acceptable use policies, and introduce measures to strengthen cybersecurity defenses.
Some of the reports can be used to identify guests´ online activities – not so much as to create a privacy issue, but enough for hotels to develop marketing campaigns based on their guests´ interests. With targeted marketing and efficient promotion, filtering hotel WiFi can be a commercially sound investment in addition to a wise security choice.
WebTitan Wireless Web Filtering Solutions for Hotel Operators
Hotel operators can exercise total control over Internet content by using WebTitan Cloud for WiFi – a wireless web filtering solution suitable for hotels of all sizes. Highly granular and flexible controls allow hotel operators to apply different settings for hotel guests, employees, and hotel departments.
In order to be practical and convenient, a web content WiFi filter for hotels must be easy to configure. WebTitan Cloud for WiFi offers an intuitive administration panel for easy configuration of web filtering settings, across multiple access points and locations, no matter where in the world they are. The solution is simple to use, requiring no technical skill, and gives users maximum flexibility to alter settings without needing to log a call with IT support. If you do ever experience a problem, you benefit from world class customer support.
WebTitan’s web content WiFi filter for hotels allows:
- Separate WiFi filtering rules to be set for employees and guests
- Easy blocking of unsuitable content
- Control over the activities that can take place over the WiFi network
- Blocking of known malicious websites
- Prevention of risky file downloads
- Anti-malware filtering options to block drive-by malware attacks
- Restriction of Internet access to HTTPS (secure) sites
- SSL inspection to assess encrypted web content for threats and policy violations
- Blocking of bandwidth-crushing web services
- Time based filtering controls to be set
- "Cloud keys" to allow unrestricted Internet access if required
- Easy integration with existing systems through APIs
- Choice of hosting options, including hosting within your own data center
Key Features of WebTitan Cloud for WiFi
Two aspects of WebTitan Cloud for WiFi that are most frequently praised are the ease of use of the solution and the cost. Many WiFi filtering solutions are overly complicated and difficult to use. With WebTitan for WiFi, everything you need is at your fingertips and is easily accessible. There are many competitor products on the market that provide an equivalent level of protection, yet are considerably more expensive. One of the main reasons why hotel operators switch from their current solution to WebTitan is to enjoy major cost savings without sacrificing performance or protection. WebTitan is a major competitor to OpenDNS Cisco Umbrella in the hospitality space, with a broadly equivalent product at a fraction of the price.
“WebTitan has provided consistent, high standard web filtering for our beautiful hotels across the world with practically zero support issues. A resounding success.” Ben Clifford, Network Manager, The Leading Luxury Hotel Group in The World.
| Key Features of WebTitan Cloud for WiFi | 100% cloud-based |
|---|---|
| No additional hardware required | |
| No software installations necessary | |
| Scalable web filtering solution for hotels of all sizes | |
| No limit on the number of WiFi hotspots | |
| All mobile devices are supported | |
| No impact on Internet speed | |
| Highly granular controls allow fine control of the web filter | |
| Block content by URL, keywords, or website category | |
| Internet access logs allow insight into customer behavior |
Try the WebTitan Web Content WiFi Filter for Free
If you are a system administrator in the hotel industry, we invite you to try the WebTitan web content WiFi filter for free. We believe that by trialing our hotel WiFi filter in your own environment, you will be in the best position to evaluate the benefits of Internet content filtering for your guests and employees. There are no costs involved with our free trial offer, and no commitment for you to continue using our service once the trial period has ended.
Contact our sales team today for further information about our free trial offer and for advice on implementing a web content WiFi filter for hotels. It only takes a few minutes to set up and configure our hotel WiFi filter to protect guests from being exposed to unsuitable web content, mitigate the risk from web-borne threats and to improve the productivity of hotel employees.
US Sales +1 813 200 9460
UK/EU Sales +44 (0)247 699 3641
IRL +353 91 54 55 00
or email us at info@webtitan.com
