Acceptable Use Policy
As a provider of Web Site Hosting, and other Internet-related services, AlpineWeb offers its clients (also known as customers),
and their customers and users, the means to acquire and disseminate a wealth of public, private, commercial, and non-commercial
information. AlpineWeb respects that the Internet provides a forum for free and open discussion and dissemination of information,
however, when there are competing interests at issue, AlpineWeb reserves the right to take certain preventative or corrective
actions.
In order to protect these competing interests, AlpineWeb 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 AlpineWeb's services.
This AUP will be revised from time to time. A customer's use of AlpineWeb's services after changes to the AUP are posted on
AlpineWeb's web site, http://AlpineWeb.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 AlpineWeb 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 AlpineWeb cannot monitor or censor the Internet, and will not attempt to do so, AlpineWeb 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 AlpineWeb 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 AlpineWeb's network and may reach a large number of people, including both
subscribers and nonsubscribers of AlpineWeb, subscribers' postings to the Internet may affect other subscribers and may harm
AlpineWeb's goodwill, business reputation, and operations. For these reasons, subscribers violate AlpineWeb 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 AlpineWeb, but also
because it can overload AlpineWeb's network and disrupt service to AlpineWeb subscribers. Also, maintaining an open SMTP relay
is prohibited. When a complaint is received, AlpineWeb has the discretion to determine from all of the evidence whether the
e-mail recipients were from an "opt-in" e-mail 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. AlpineWeb is required by law to remove or block access to customer content upon receipt of a proper notice of
copyright infringement. It is also AlpineWeb's policy to terminate the privileges of customers who commit repeat violations of
copyright laws.
Obscene Speech or Materials -- Using AlpineWeb's network to advertise, transmit, store, post, display, or
otherwise make available child pornography or obscene speech or material. AlpineWeb is required by law to notify law enforcement
agencies when it becomes aware of the presence of child pornography on or being transmitted through AlpineWeb's network.
Defamatory or Abusive Language -- Using AlpineWeb'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, 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.
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, mailbombing, 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 -- AlpineWeb 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 AlpineWeb 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.
AlpineWeb will not, as an ordinary practice, monitor the communications of its subscribers to ensure that they comply with AlpineWeb
policy or applicable law. When AlpineWeb 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.
AlpineWeb also is aware that many of its subscribers are, themselves, providers of Internet services, and that information reaching
AlpineWeb's facilities from those subscribers may have originated from a customer of the subscriber or from another third-party. AlpineWeb
does not require its subscribers who offer Internet services to monitor or censor transmissions or web sites created by customers of its
subscribers. AlpineWeb has the right to directly take action against a customer of a subscriber. Also, AlpineWeb may take action against
the AlpineWeb subscriber because of activities of a customer of the subscriber, even though the action may effect other customers of the
subscriber. Similarly, AlpineWeb anticipates that subscribers who offer Internet services will cooperate with AlpineWeb in any corrective
or preventive action that AlpineWeb deems necessary. Failure to cooperate with such corrective or preventive measures is a violation of
AlpineWeb policy.
AlpineWeb 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, AlpineWeb urges its subscribers to assume that all of their on-line communications
are insecure. AlpineWeb cannot take any responsibility for the security of information transmitted over AlpineWeb's facilities.
AlpineWeb 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. AlpineWeb may, however, monitor its service electronically to determine
that its facilities are operating satisfactorily. Also, AlpineWeb 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. AlpineWeb 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, AlpineWeb may
disclose subscriber information or information transmitted over its network where necessary to protect AlpineWeb and others from harm,
or where such disclosure is necessary to the proper operation of the system.
AlpineWeb 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 AlpineWeb policy. Finally, AlpineWeb
wishes to emphasize that in signing the service agreement, subscribers indemnify AlpineWeb for any violation of the service agreement,
law, or AlpineWeb policy, that results in loss to AlpineWeb or the bringing of any claim against AlpineWeb by any third-party. This means
that if AlpineWeb is sued because of a subscriber's or customer of a subscriber's activity, the subscriber will pay any damages awarded
against AlpineWeb, plus costs and reasonable attorneys' fees.
We hope this AUP is helpful in clarifying the obligations of Internet users, including AlpineWeb and its subscribers, as responsible
members of the Internet. Any complaints about a subscriber's violation of this AUP should be sent to
abuse@alpineweb.com.
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