Acceptable Use Policy Revision date: 16 October 2021
As a provider of web site hosting and other internet-related services, Web Hosting UK offers its customer (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. Web Hosting UK respects that the internet provides a forum for free and open discussion and dissemination of information. However, when there are competing interests at issue, Web Hosting UK reserves the right to take certain preventive or corrective actions. In order to protect these competing interests, Web Hosting UK 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 using Web Hosting UK’s services. This AUP will be revised from time to time.
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 judgement and responsibility of those who use it, 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 Web Hosting UK cannot monitor, verify, warrant or vouch for the accuracy and quality of the information they acquire. For this reason, the subscriber must exercise his or her best judgement in relying on information obtained from the internet, and also should be aware that some material posted to the internet may be sexually explicit or otherwise offensive. Because Web Hosting UK cannot monitor or censor the internet, and will not attempt to do so, Web Hosting UK cannot accept any responsibility for injury to its subscribers resulting from inaccurate, unsuitable, offensive or illegal internet communications.
Sending unsolicited bulk and/or commercial information over the Internet. It is not only harmful because of its negative impact on consumer attitudes toward Web Hosting UK, but also because it can overload Web Hosting UK’s network and disrupt service to Web Hosting UK’s subscribers. Also, maintaining an open SMTP relay is prohibited. When a complaint is received, Web Hosting UK will investigate and shutdown the account that is spamming. A charge deemed acceptable for the disruption for violating this policy will be charged to the person initiating the SPAM. Furthermore Web Hosting UK reserves the right to terminate the account(s) that are causing the disruption with no prior warning.
Audio and video streaming is not hosting friendly. As such, Web Hosting UK does not allow any streaming of audio or video content unless its for business or own related use of services. Offending accounts will be suspended without noticed or terminated.
Web Hosting UK is not for file hosting distribution unless stated otherwise – as such, customers may not host any files larger than 64MB in size that are observed to be available for the sole purpose of download. Such files include but are not limited to .ISO, audio/video files, .EXE files. If you are unsure whether your file is against this policy, please e-mail info@web-hosting-uk.com.
Using Web Hosting UK’s network to advertise, transmit, store, post, display, or otherwise make available child pornography or obscene speech or material is prohibited. Web Hosting UK is required by law to notify law enforcement agencies when it becomes aware of the presence of child pornography on or being transmitted through its network.
Using Web Hosting UK’s network as a means to transmit or post negative, defamatory, harassing, abusive or threatening language is not allowed and will be acted upon depending on the severity.
Forging or misrepresenting message headers, whether in whole or in part, to mask the originator of the message will be acted upon accordingly.
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 may be used as a precursor to an attempted system penetration (i.e., port scan, stealth scan or other information-gathering activity) will result in an immediate ban and termination of any accounts.
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 will result in immediate ban and billing of any loss of data, downtime or any network related issues.
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.
Engaging in activities that are determined to be illegal, including, but not limited to, advertising, transmitting or otherwise making available ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes, fraudulently charging credit cards and pirating software.
Engaging in activities, whether lawful or unlawful, that Web Hosting UK determines to be harmful to its subscribers, operations, reputation, goodwill or customer relations.
As we have pointed out, the responsibility for avoiding harmful activities just described rests primarily with the subscriber. Web Hosting UK will not, as an ordinary practice, monitor the communications of its subscribers to ensure that the comply with Web Hosting UK’s policy or applicable law. However, when Web Hosting UK becomes aware of harmful activities, it may take any action to stop the harmful activity, including, but not limited to, removal of information, shutting down a web site, implementing screening software designed to block offending transmissions, denying access to the internet, or any other action deemed appropriate by Web Hosting UK.
Web Hosting UK is also aware that many of its subscribers are themselves providers of internet services, and that information reaching Web Hosting UK’s facilities from those subscribers may have originated from a customer of the subscriber or from another third party. Web Hosting UK does not require its subscribers who offer internet services to monitor or censor transmissions or web sites created by customers of its subscribers. Web Hosting UK reserves the right to directly take action against a customer of its subscribers. Also, Web Hosting UK may take action against the Web Hosting UK subscriber because of activities of a customer of the subscriber, even though the action may affect other customers of the subscriber. Similarly, Web Hosting UK anticipates that subscribers who offer internet services will cooperate with Web Hosting UK in any corrective or preventive action that Web Hosting UK deems necessary. Failure to cooperate with such corrective or preventive measures is a violation of Web Hosting UK’s policy.
Web Hosting UK will not intentionally monitor private electronic mail messages sent or receive by its subscribers, unless required to do so by law, governmental authority or when public safety is at stake. Web Hosting UK may, however, monitor its service electronically to determine that its facilities are operating satisfactorily. Also, Web Hosting UK 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. Web Hosting UK assumes not 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, Web Hosting UK may disclose subscriber information or information transmitted over its network where necessary to protect Web Hosting UK and others from harm, or where such disclosure is necessary to the proper operation of the system. However, Web Hosting UK will never sell information to other services or outside companies.
Web Hosting UK expects that its subscribers who provide internet services to others will comply fully with all applicable laws concerning the privacy of online communications. A subscriber’s failure to comply with those laws will violate Web Hosting UK policy. Finally, Web Hosting UK wishes to emphasize that, in signing the service agreement, subscribers indemnify Web Hosting UK for any violation of the service agreement, law or Web Hosting UK policy resulting in loss to Web Hosting UK or the bringing of any claim against Web Hosting UK by any third party. This means that, if Web Hosting UK is sued because of a subscriber’s or customer of a subscriber’s activity, the subscriber will be responsible for payment of any damages awarded against Web Hosting UK, plus costs and reasonable court fees.
We hope this AUP is helpful in clarifying the obligations of Internet users, including Web Hosting UK and its subscribers, as responsible members of the internet. Any complaints about a subscriber’s violation of this AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) should be sent to info (at) web-hosting-uk.com.