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