East Palo Alto Community Network Acceptable Use Policies About the East Palo Alto Community Network The East Palo Alto Community Network is made up of Epa.net (an online resource center where visitors can find valuable information about the East Palo Alto community, participate in community organizing and discussions, and share their opinions and ideas) and Technology Access Points (safe, welcoming, “easy to get to” places where East Palo Alto/East Menlo Park residents can use technology to further their individual and community goals).
The mission of the East Palo Alto Community Network is to provide community members and organizations with the opportunity to fully benefit from the technological revolution.
General Principles The goal of Epa.net and the Technology Access Points (TAPs) is to create supportive, safe, and welcoming environments where community members can learn, express, connect, produce, and have fun. Whether online at Epa.net or in person at the TAPs, everyone—no matter their age, race, physical conditions, national origins, beliefs or lifestyles—should feel supported and valued.
Technical Mechanisms Regular scans for unusual traffic that could be evidence for inappropriate content will be conducted. Links to common adult content blocking software will be posted as well.
Monitoring EPA.net’s content manger will conduct random checks of user posts and request removal of inappropriate material. Though we cannot guarantee that all user-contributed content on Epa.net will be screened, we will make great efforts to monitor public areas of the website, particularly those areas oriented for minors. Our goal is to recruit volunteers, in particular active contributors to the Epa.net site, to serve as facilitators of specific areas of the website. We will also encourage users to report any content they feel to be inappropriate to the facilitators and/or website administrators. As all users must register before they are able to post any content, we will have the ability to respond accordingly to any infringement of our Acceptable Use Policies.
All users of Epa.net or the Technology Access Points have the responsibility to use the services in an effective, efficient, ethical, and legal manner. General principles for use include:
§
Using resources only for authorized purposes.
§
Registering before using any TAP equipment or posting information on Epa.net.
§
Signing in and out each time you visit. Failure to sign out leaves your personal information exposed to others and/or unauthorized use of your account.
§
Protecting your user ID and password at all times from unauthorized use. You are responsible for all activities that originate from your account. Accounts issued to individuals are intended for the sole use of that individual, and are non-transferable.
§
Accessing only files and data that are your own, that are publicly available, or to which you have been given authorized access.
§
Using only legal versions of copyrighted software in compliance with vendor license requirements. If you have a question about what is Freeware, Shareware, public domain software, or copyrighted material, please check with a staff member.
§
Using hardware and software appropriately. Ignorance is not an acceptable excuse for misuse of equipment. When in doubt, ask for assistance.
What We Mean By Acceptable Use Our definition of acceptable use is based on the principle of respect. At all times, acceptable use must demonstrate respect for:
§
Others’ rights to privacy, personal space, and freedom from intimidation or harassment.
§
Others’ ideas, beliefs, lifestyles, age, race, or physical conditions.
§
Others’ ownership of words, images, and personal property.
§
Community Network resources (computers, fax machines, furniture, system security, etc.).
§
Local, state, and federal laws.
What We Consider Unacceptable Use We consider unacceptable any action or behavior that fails to abide by the principles listed above. This includes:
§
Illegal activities of any kind.
§
Ignoring requests or demands of Community Network staff.
§
Expressions of bigotry, hatred, harassment or abuse.
§
Explicit or implicit threats of harm to any person or property.
§
Trading, swapping, downloading or uploading of sexually explicit, obscene, or vulgar material of any kind. This includes photos, artwork, text, recordings, designs, or computer programs.
§
Misrepresenting your identity or impersonating anyone at any time, even if that person gave you permission.
§
Accessing another individual's account, private files, or e-mail without permission of the owner.
§
Stalking others, either in person or online in chat rooms or discussion forums. (Such behavior may be considered a criminal act and prosecuted accordingly.)
§
Wasting or monopolizing systems, including overloading networks with excessive data, printing excessively, sending mass emails (commonly known as “spam”), or refusing to allow another user to access resources. If, for example, you are using a TAP computer for recreational uses, you may be asked by a Community Network staff person or volunteer to relinquish the workstation to others who have work to do.
§
Tampering with, removing, or damaging system components, including keyboards, CPUs, mouse, monitors, hard drives, and/or software.
§
Violating copyright and/or license agreements. This includes making, using, or distributing unauthorized copies of copyrighted material (including photos, artwork, text, recordings, designs, or computer programs).
§
Copying any software from a TAP computer or loading any software on a TAP computer. If you are unable to work on a given task because the software you need is unavailable, please consult with a staff member.
§
Engaging in any activity that might be harmful to systems or any information stored therein, such as creating or propagating viruses, disrupting services, or damaging files.
§
Attempting to circumvent or alter system software or hardware configurations.
§
Attempting to circumvent or alter security permissions.
§
Using public areas in the Technology Access Points or Epa.net for commercial purposes, such as advertising for products or services in public forums on Epa.net or sending mass emails to registered users (commonly known as “spam”).
§
Eating or drinking in the Technology Access Points.
§
Children and youth of school age visiting the Technology Access Points during school hours.
Consequences The Community Network considers any violation of these Acceptable Use Policies to be a serious offense and will respond accordingly. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action, including but not limited to:
·
Verbal warning
·
Written warning
·
Loss of Epa.net account privileges temporarily
·
Loss of Epa.net account privileges permanently
·
Loss of TAP access temporarily
·
Loss of TAP access permanently
·
Legal prosecution
We reserve the right to track use and/or examine any files or information stored on systems related to acceptable use. The Community Network Working Group reserves the right to determine what is and is not considered acceptable use. Community Network staff and volunteers are authorized to address violations of Acceptable Use when appropriate. If you disagree with or have a question about a disciplinary action, please contact the Technology Access Point Manager or Epa.net Producer. If deemed necessary, an Advisory Review Board will address disputes over disciplinary actions. Things to Consider Remember that the Internet provides access to a vast amount of material and information. Some of this is appropriate for minors and for educational purposes; some of it is not. Please be very careful when conducting searches, opening, downloading, storing, or sending files. Don’t open or download anything (emails, attachments, programs, etc.) that you are not familiar with.
Though the Community Network is dedicated to protecting everyone’s privacy, security, and property, we strongly encourage you to be careful when making public any personal information. This includes information like your age, telephone number, or address. Children under the age of 18, in particular, should be extremely cautious about sharing their personal information. It is for this reason that we are requiring all minors to receive permission from a parent or legal guardian before registering to use Epa.net.
Reporting Abuses If, for any reason, you have witnessed or experienced behavior you feel may be in violation to these Acceptable Use Policies or is inappropriate in any way, please contact the appropriate staff and, in the case of children under the age of 18, a responsible adult right away.
These Acceptable Use Policies were drafted and approved by the Community Network Working Group. Please contact us at Producer@epa.net should you have any questions or comments.
Click to see more information on our Terms of Use or Privacy and Security policies. |
||||
| Copyright © 2002-2004 by EPA.net. All
rights reserved. Terms of Use NOTICE: We collect some personal information on this site. To learn more about how we use your information, see our Privacy and Security Policy. and Our Acceptable Use Policies |