Acceptable Use PolicyAs a provider of website hosting and other Internet-related services, Edge WebHost offers their clients the means to disseminate a wealth of public, private, commercial, and non-commercial information. Edge WebHost respects that the Internet provides a way for free and open discussion and dissemination of information; however, when there are competing interests at issue, Edge WebHost reserves the right to take certain preventative or corrective actions. In order to protect these competing interests, Edge WebHost has developed an Acceptable Use Policy ("AUP"), which supplements and explains certain terms of each clients' respective service agreement and is intended as a guide to your rights and obligations when utilizing Edge WebHost's services. When information is disseminated through the Internet, Edge WebHost does not review, edit, censor, or take responsibility for any information its clients may create. When clients place information on the Internet, they have the same liability as other authors for copyright infringement, defamation, and other harmful speech. Because such information is carried over Edge WebHost's network and may reach a large number of people (including both clients and non-clients of Edge WebHost); a clients postings to the Internet may affect other clients and in turn harm Edge WebHost's goodwill, business reputation, and operations. For these reasons, clients violate Edge WebHost's policies and the service agreement when they, their customers, affiliates, or subsidiaries engage in the following prohibited activities:
1. SpammingSending unsolicited bulk and/or commercial messages over the Internet (known as "spamming"). It is not only harmful because of its negative impact on consumer attitudes toward Edge WebHost, but also because it can overload Edge WebHost's network and disrupt service to Edge WebHost clients. Also, maintaining an open SMTP relay is prohibited. When a complaint is received, Edge WebHost has the discretion to determine from all of the evidence whether the email recipients were from an "opt-in" email list. Refer to our UCE (SPAM) Policy for more informtion. 2. Intellectual property violationsEngaging in any activity that infringes or misappropriates the intellectual property rights of others, including copyrights, trademarks, service marks, trade secrets, software piracy, and patents held by individuals, corporations, or other entities. Also, engaging in activity that violates privacy, publicity, or other personal rights of others. Edge WebHost is required by law to remove or block access to customer content upon receipt of a proper notice of copyright infringement. It is also Edge WebHost's policy to terminate the privileges of customers who commit repeat violations of copyright laws. 3. Adult materialEdge WebHost does not accept "adult matieral." A common sense approach as to what "adult material" is should not fail, however we classify such material as follows: What does Edge WebHost consider "adult material"?
Edge WebHost reserves the right to decide what it considers "adult content", "adult material", "sexually explicit", or "sexually related". If you are unsure whether we would classify your website as having adult material, then we possibly would not. However, let us know if you are unsure about your website before placing an order. 4. Defamatory or abusive languageEdge WebHost's network or website as a means to transmit or post defamatory, harassing, abusive, or threatening language. 5. Forging of headersForging or misrepresenting message headers, whether in whole or in part, to mask the originator of the message. 6. Illegal or unauthorized access to other computers or networksAccessing illegally or without authorization computers, accounts, or networks belonging to another party, or attempting to penetrate security measures of another individual's system (often known as "hacking"). Also, any activity that might be used as a precursor to an attempted system penetration (i.e. port scan, stealth scan, or other information gathering activity). 7. Background running programsBackground daemons in general are prohibited on Edge WebHost servers, including, but not limited to, IRC bots, eggdrop, BitchX, XiRCON and any other program that interferes with normal server operation. Edge WebHost will be the sole arbitor of what consitutes a violation of the above policy. 8. Distribution of Internet viruses, worms, trojan horses, or other destructive activitiesDistributing information regarding the creation of and sending Internet viruses, worms, Trojan horses, pinging, flooding, mailbombing, or denial of service attacks. Also, activities that disrupt the use of or interfere with the ability of others to effectively use the network or any connected network, system, service, or equipment. 9. Facilitating a violation of this AUPAdvertising, transmitting, or otherwise making available any software, program, product, or service that is designed to violate this AUP, which includes the facilitation of the means to spam, initiation of pinging, flooding, mailbombing, denial of service attacks, and piracy of software. 10. Usenet groupsEdge WebHost reserves the right not to accept postings from newsgroups where we have actual knowledge that the content of the newsgroup violates the AUP. 11. Other illegal activitiesEngaging in activities that are determined to be illegal, including advertising, transmitting, or otherwise making available ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes, fraudulently charging credit cards, and pirating software. 12. Other activitiesEngaging in activities, whether lawful or unlawful, that Edge WebHost determines to be harmful to its clients, operations, reputation, goodwill, or customer relations. As we have pointed out, the responsibility for avoiding the harmful activities just described rests primarily with the client. Edge WebHost will not, as an ordinary practice, monitor the communications of its client to ensure that they comply with Edge WebHost policy or applicable law. When Edge WebHost becomes aware of harmful activities, however, it may take any action to stop the harmful activity, including but not limited to, removing information, shutting down a website, implementing screening software designed to block offending transmissions, denying access to the Internet, or take any other action it deems appropriate. Edge WebHost also is concerned with the privacy of on-line communications and websites. In general, the Internet is neither more nor less secure than other means of communication, including mail, facsimile, and voice telephone service, all of which can be intercepted and otherwise compromised. As a matter of prudence, however, Edge WebHost urges its clients to assume that all of their on-line communications are insecure. Edge WebHost cannot take any responsibility for the security of information transmitted over Edge WebHost's facilities. Edge WebHost will not intentionally monitor private electronic mail messages sent or received by its clients unless required to do so by law, governmental authority, or when public safety is at stake. Edge WebHost may, however, monitor its service electronically to determine that its facilities are operating satisfactorily. Also, Edge WebHost may disclose information, including but not limited to, information concerning a client, a transmission made using our network, or a website, in order to comply with a court order, subpoena, summons, discovery request, warrant, statute, regulation, or governmental request. Edge WebHost assumes no obligation to inform the client that client information has been provided and in some cases may be prohibited by law from giving such notice. Finally, Edge WebHost may disclose client information or information transmitted over its network where necessary to protect Edge WebHost and others from harm, or where such disclosure is necessary to the proper operation of the system. We hope this AUP is helpful in clarifying the obligations of Internet users, including Edge WebHost and its clients, as responsible members of the Internet. Any complaints about a client's violation of this AUP can be reported to us through our contact form . |