As a provider of Internet access, web site hosting, and other Internet-related services, ATS offers its
customers (also known as subscribers), and their customers and users, the means to acquire and disseminate a
wealth of public, private, commercial, and non-commercial information. ATS respects that the Internet
provides a forum for free and open discussion and dissemination of information, however, when there are
competing interests at issue, ATS reserves the right to take certain preventative or corrective actions. In
order to protect these competing interests, ATS has developed an Acceptable Use Policy ("AUP"),
which supplements and explains certain terms of each customer's respective service agreement and is intended
as a guide to the customer's rights and obligations when utilizing ATS's services. This AUP will be revised
from time to time. A customer's use of ATS's services after changes to the AUP are posted on ATS's web site,
www.WeDoAllThatStuff.com, will constitute the customer's acceptance of any new or additional terms of the
AUP that result from those changes.
One important aspect of the Internet is that no one party owns or controls it. This fact accounts for
much of the Internet's openness and value, but it also places a high premium on the judgment and
responsibility of those who use the Internet, both in the information they acquire and in the information
they disseminate to others. When subscribers obtain information through the Internet, they must keep in mind
that ATS cannot monitor, verify, warrant, or vouch for the accuracy and quality of the information that
subscribers may acquire. For this reason, the subscriber must exercise his or her best judgment in relying
on information obtained from the Internet, and also should be aware that some material posted to the
Internet is sexually explicit or otherwise offensive. Because ATS cannot monitor or censor the Internet, and
will not attempt to do so, ATS cannot accept any responsibility for injury to its subscribers that results
from inaccurate, unsuitable, offensive, or illegal Internet communications.
When subscribers disseminate information through the Internet, they also must keep in mind that ATS does
not review, edit, censor, or take responsibility for any information its subscribers may create. When users
place information on the Internet, they have the same liability as other authors for copyright infringement,
defamation, and other harmful speech. Also, because the information they create is carried over ATS's
network and may reach a large number of people, including both subscribers and nonsubscribers of ATS,
subscribers' postings to the Internet may affect other subscribers and may harm ATS's goodwill, business
reputation, and operations. For these reasons, subscribers violate ATS policy and the service agreement when
they, their customers, affiliates, or subsidiaries engage in the following prohibited activities:
Spamming -- Sending 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
ATS, but also because it can overload ATS's network and disrupt service to ATS subscribers. Also,
maintaining an open SMTP relay is prohibited. When a complaint is received, ATS has the discretion to
determine from all of the evidence whether the email recipients were from an "opt-in" email
list.
Intellectual Property Violations -- Engaging 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. ATS is required by law to
remove or block access to customer content upon receipt of a proper notice of copyright infringement. It is
also ATS's policy to terminate the privileges of customers who commit repeat violations of copyright laws.
Obscene Speech or Materials -- Using ATS's network to advertise, transmit, store, post, display, or
otherwise make available child pornography or obscene speech or material. ATS is required by law to notify
law enforcement agencies when it becomes aware of the presence of child pornography on or being transmitted
through ATS's network.
Defamatory or Abusive Language -- Using ATS's network as a means to transmit or post defamatory,
harassing, abusive, or threatening language.
Forging of Headers -- Forging or misrepresenting message headers, whether in whole or in part, to mask
the originator of the message.
Illegal or Unauthorized Access to Other Computers or Networks -- Accessing 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).
Distribution of Internet Viruses, Worms, Trojan Horses, or Other Destructive Activities -- Distributing
information regarding the creation of and sending Internet viruses, worms, Trojan horses, pinging, flooding,
mail bombing, 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.
Facilitating a Violation of this AUP -- Advertising, 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, mail bombing, denial of service attacks, and piracy of
software.
Export Control Violations -- Exporting encryption software over the Internet or otherwise, to points
outside the United States.
Usenet Groups -- ATS reserves the right not to accept postings from newsgroups where we have actual
knowledge that the content of the newsgroup violates the AUP.
Other Illegal Activities -- Engaging 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.
Other Activities -- Engaging in activities, whether lawful or unlawful, that ATS determines to be harmful
to its subscribers, operations, reputation, goodwill, or customer relations.
As we have pointed out, the responsibility for avoiding the harmful activities just described rests
primarily with the subscriber. ATS will not, as an ordinary practice, monitor the communications of its
subscribers to ensure that they comply with ATS policy or applicable law. When ATS 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 web site, implementing screening software designed to block offending
transmissions, denying access to the Internet, or take any other action it deems appropriate.
ATS also is aware that many of its subscribers are, themselves, providers of Internet services, and that
information reaching ATS's facilities from those subscribers may have originated from a customer of the
subscriber or from another third-party. ATS does not require its subscribers who offer Internet services to
monitor or censor transmissions or web sites created by customers of its subscribers. ATS has the right to
directly take action against a customer of a subscriber. Also, ATS may take action against the ATS
subscriber because of activities of a customer of the subscriber, even though the action may effect other
customers of the subscriber. Similarly, ATS anticipates that subscribers who offer Internet services will
cooperate with ATS in any corrective or preventive action that ATS deems necessary. Failure to cooperate
with such corrective or preventive measures is a violation of ATS policy.
ATS also is concerned with the privacy of on-line communications and web sites. 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, ATS urges its subscribers to assume that all of their on-line communications are insecure. ATS
cannot take any responsibility for the security of information transmitted over ATS's facilities.
ATS will not intentionally monitor private electronic mail messages sent or received by its subscribers
unless required to do so by law, governmental authority, or when public safety is at stake. ATS may,
however, monitor its service electronically to determine that its facilities are operating satisfactorily.
Also, ATS may disclose information, including but not limited to, information concerning a subscriber, a
transmission made using our network, or a web site, in order to comply with a court order, subpoena,
summons, discovery request, warrant, statute, regulation, or governmental request. ATS assumes no obligation
to inform the subscriber that subscriber information has been provided and in some cases may be prohibited
by law from giving such notice. Finally, ATS may disclose subscriber information or information transmitted
over its network where necessary to protect ATS and others from harm, or where such disclosure is necessary
to the proper operation of the system.
ATS expects that its subscribers who provide Internet services to others will comply fully with all
applicable laws concerning the privacy of on-line communications. A subscriber's failure to comply with
those laws will violate ATS policy. Finally, ATS wishes to emphasize that in signing the service agreement,
subscribers indemnify ATS for any violation of the service agreement, law, or ATS policy that results in
loss to ATS or the bringing of any claim against ATS by any third-party. This means that if ATS is sued
because of a subscriber's or customer of a subscriber's activity, the subscriber will pay any damages
awarded against ATS, plus costs and reasonable attorneys' fees.
We hope this AUP is helpful in clarifying the obligations of Internet users, including ATS and its
subscribers, as responsible members of the Internet. Any complaints about a subscriber's violation of this
AUP should be sent to abuse@wedoallthatstuff.com.