Information
Bowdoin College uses a service called Jamf to manage all Bowdoin-owned Apple devices, including iPads, iPhones, and Macs. This Mobile Device Management (MDM) platform allows Information Technology (IT) to maintain hardware inventory, update applications, and enforce security requirements. Jamf uses Apple's MDM tools, which follow strict privacy guidelines, ensuring that Bowdoin IT cannot see any of your personal activities on your Bowdoin-issued device. Below is a breakdown of what IT can and cannot control or view.
What settings Bowdoin IT maintains
To ensure device security, the following settings are enforced when an iPad is enrolled in MDM:
- A 6-digit minimum passcode lock.
- Device encryption.
- Activation lock: If you need to erase your device, you may need IT to unlock it. This prevents unauthorized users from erasing or reselling a stolen device.
- The device cannot be jailbroken. Only Apple-approved operating systems and the official App Store are allowed for app installation.
What Bowdoin IT can see
IT can access basic hardware and app information, such as:
- Device details: Make, model, serial number, IMEI.
- Software info: OS version, last update, and available updates.
- App details: App name, install date, and app size.
- User-to-device mapping: Allows IT to track which device is assigned to which user, helpful in case of theft or loss.
What Bowdoin IT can't do or see
Due to Apple’s privacy policies, Bowdoin IT cannot access any personal data, including:
- Browsing activity: No websites, web traffic, or history can be seen.
- Files or folders: Personal files, photos, or videos remain private.
- Communication: No access to Messages, FaceTime, or similar apps.
- GPS: IT cannot track your device’s location or movement.
- Remote support: Even with support requests, IT’s access is limited to the support app only, without access to other apps or data.
It is important to note, we don't have access to anything on the device. If you do not backup your files using OneDrive or some other application, or backup your iPad to iCloud, you could risk losing everything on it as it is unrecoverable in the event of damage, erasing, theft, loss, etc.