Appropriate Use Policy (AUP) is designed to help protect our customers, and the Internet community, from irresponsible or illegal activities. As good net citizens, we prohibit the impersonation of others, unsolicited commercial appeals, and any disruption of Internet services. Examples of such activities are given below:
E-mail / Commercial E-mail
Sending unsolicited commercial e-mail is prohibited. Using Blackstone Media Network's e-mail address to collect responses from unsolicited commercial e-mail is prohibited. Please refer to the section on Commerce on the Internet for additional guidance.
Mail bombing
Sending large volumes of unsolicited e-mail is prohibited.
Harassment
Sending threatening or harassing e-mail after being requested to stop, is prohibited. Extremely threatening or harassing e-mail is prohibited always.
Newsgroup spamming
Excessive cross-posting, or posting the same article to several newsgroups, is prohibited. Generally accepted standards allow no more than 15 newsgroups, or cross-postings, for a single article or substantially similar articles. Such articles may be cancelled.
Server Banned
If Blackstone Media Network becomes banned from any server due to postings by any member account, the offending account will be terminated.
General Impersonation
Attempting to impersonate any person, using forged headers or other identifying information, is prohibited. The use of anonymous remailers and nicknames does not constitute impersonation.
Network unfriendly activity
Activities which adversely affect the ability of other people or systems to use Blackstone Media Network services or the Internet is prohibited.
Privacy violations
Attempts, whether successful or not, to gain access to any computer system, or customer’s data, without consent is prohibited.
Financial
Re-selling service without express written consent from Blackstone Media Network, or offering any public information service, such as running a web server or FTP server, is prohibited. Untimely payment of any and all amounts due may result in account cancellation.
Excessive bandwidth or disk utilization
Blackstone Media Network's account descriptions specify limits for bandwidth and disk utilization, and use in excess of those limits is billed at additional cost. Bandwidth utilization is determined by the total number of bytes transferred from an account’s Web and FTP space. Disk utilization is determined by the total number of bytes required to store an account’s Web, FTP, and Mail Data.
In the event Blackstone Media Network determines that an account is exceeding the bandwidth or disk utilization, the account owner will be notified by e-mail. If the excess use continues, the owner may be requested to upgrade the account’s service agreement or to modify the activity creating the excess use.
If excessive bandwidth or disk space utilization is determined to adversely affect Blackstone Media Network ’s ability to provide service, immediate action will be taken. The account owner will be notified by email as soon as practicable.
Privacy
It may be necessary for Blackstone Media Network management to examine system accounting logs and other records to resolve system problems. Blackstone Media Network reserves the right to access an account’s mailbox to resolve system problems or mail system errors.
In addition, Blackstone Media Network will cooperate with the appropriate legal authorities in investigating claims of illegal activity, including but not limited to illegal transfer or use of copyrighted material, postings or e-mail containing threats of violence, or other illegal activity.
Blackstone Media Network makes no guarantee and assumes no liability for the security of any data on any server including "secure servers."
Our customers are reminded that no computer system should be considered safe from intrusion. E-mail may pass through many computer systems, and should not be considered a secure means of communication unless encrypted. Even then, information is only as secure as the encryption method.
Rationale
This document provides a general understanding of Blackstone Media Network’s policy on the Appropriate Use of Blackstone Media Network services. Common sense and judgement are a necessary part of any system of rules, and this AUP is no exception. Of course, flagrant or repeated violations of the Policy are viewed in a very different light than minor infractions.
Protection of our customers and our resources, the ability to provide quality service to our customers, conformance with existing law, and the protection of our reputation as a content provider are all contributing factors to decisions on AUP violations.
It is our intention to allow Blackstone Media Network customers access to everything the Internet has to offer with minimal or no interference. Our belief in Free Speech is a firm commitment to our customers. However, certain activities are considered inappropriate by the Internet community at large, and cannot be permitted under the guise of Free Speech.
Blackstone Media Network does not offer newsgroups, however many of our clients have access to newsgroups through their individual Service Providers. We advise our users that tools, such as Cyber Patrol, are available to screen an account’s access to newsgroups they consider offensive. It is the account owner’s responsibility to make use of such tools if desired.
Blackstone Media Network does not monitor the activity of accounts except for measurements of system utilization and billing records. However, in our efforts to promote good citizenship within the Internet community, if we become aware of inappropriate use of Blackstone Media Network’s services, we will take action immediately.
If an Blackstone Media Network account is used to violate the AUP, we reserve the right to terminate service without notice. Our preferred course of action would be to advise the account owner of the inappropriate behavior and corrective action necessary. However, flagrant violations of the AUP will result in immediate termination of service.
In the event that an account is temporarily inactivated as a result of any prohibited activities, the account may be subject to reactivation charges and/or deposit requirements to be determined by Blackstone Media Network.
Additional Information
BLACKSTONE MEDIA NETWORK SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN ‘AS IS, AS AVAILABLE’ BASIS. NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE MADE WITH RESPECT TO BLACKSTONE MEDIA NETWORK OR ANY INFORMATION OR SOFTWARE THEREIN. THIS ‘NO WARRANTY’ EXPRESSLY INCLUDES ANY REIMBURSEMENT FOR LOSSES OF INCOME DUE TO DISRUPTION OF SERVICE BY BLACKSTONE MEDIA NETWORK OR ITS PROVIDERS.
Blackstone Media Network reserves the right to change without notice any and or all services, including, but not limited to, hours of operation, menu structures, commands, documentation, vendors and services offered.
Blackstone Media Network is not responsible for User’s files residing on Blackstone Media Network equipment. User is responsible for independent backup of data stored at Blackstone Media Network.
Blackstone Media Network reserves the right to delete User’s files after one or both parties terminates agreement.
In the event that an account has prepaid for an extended period of prepayment, and then decides to terminate their agreement with Blackstone Media Network, no refund will be issued. The web storage space and transfer will be available to the account until the end of the term.
Blackstone Media Network reserves the right to turn off the hosting and email services of any account if payment is not received into our office by the tenth of any month. Additional fees may be incurred for reestablishment of the account if the account is turned off for any reason.
THE USER HEREBY AGREES THAT ANY MATERIAL SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION OR STORAGE ON BALCKSTONE MEDIA NETWORK EQUIPMENT THROUGH USER’S ACCOUNT(S) DOES NOT VIOLATE OR INFRINGE ANY COPYRIGHT, TRADEMARK, PATENT, STATUTORY, COMMON LAW OR PROPRIETARY RIGHTS OF OTHERS, OR CONTAIN ANYTHING OBSCENE OR LIBELOUS.