Acceptable Use Policy

Background

From time to time DLS Internet may impose reasonable rules and regulations regarding the use of its services. Such rules and regulations are called Acceptable Usage Policies (AUPs) and are posted on the Internet at https://www.dls.net/acceptable-usage-policy/. The AUPs are not exhaustive and DLS reserves the right to modify the AUPs at any time, effective upon either the posting of the modified AUPs to  https://www.dls.net/acceptable-usage-policy/ or notification of the modified AUPs. By registering for and using the services, and thereby accepting the terms and conditions of the Master Services Agreement or its equivalent, you agree to abide by the AUPs as modified from time to time. Any violation of the AUPs may result in the suspension or termination of your account or such other action as DLS deems appropriate. An unlisted activity may also be a violation of the AUPs if it is illegal, irresponsible, or disruptive use of the Internet or DLS’ network. No credits will be issued for any interruption in service resulting from policy violations.

VIOLATION OF ANY AUP IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED AND MAY RESULT IN THE IMMEDIATE TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF THE SERVICES YOU RECEIVE FROM DLS. YOU SHALL REMAIN SOLELY LIABLE AND RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES AND ANY AND ALL CONTENT THAT YOU DISPLAY, UPLOAD, DOWNLOAD OR TRANSMIT THROUGH THE USE OF THE SERVICES. “CONTENT” INCLUDES, WITHOUT LIMITATION, YOUR E-MAIL, WEB PAGES, PERSONAL HOME PAGES, AND DOMAIN NAMES. IT IS DLS’ POLICY TO TERMINATE SERVICE OF AND FINE REPEAT INFRINGERS. DLS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE TO ANYONE AT ANY TIME.

Customer Security Responsibilities

The customer is solely responsible for any breaches of security affecting servers, routers, workstations or other systems under customer control. If a customer’s system is involved in an attack on another network or system, it will be shut down and an immediate investigation will be launched to determine the cause/source of the attack. In such an event, the customer is responsible for the cost to rectify any damage done to the customer’s server and any other requirement affected by the security breach. The labor used to rectify any such damage is categorized as emergency security breach recovery and is currently charged at $150 USD per hour. Inquiries regarding security matters may be directed to DLS’ Security Department.

Network Responsibility

Customers have a responsibility to use DLS’ network responsibly. This includes respecting the other customers of DLS. DLS reserves the right to suspend and or cancel service with any Customer who uses the DLS network in such a way that adversely affects other DLS customers. This includes but is not limited to:

  • Attacking or attempting to gain unauthorized access to servers and services that belong to DLS or its customers (i.e. “hacking” or “cracking”), and/or
  • Participating in behavior which results in reprisals that adversely affect the DLS network or other customers’ access to the DLS network.

DLS will react strongly to any use or attempted use of an Internet account or computer without the owner’s authorization. Such attempts include, but are not limited to, “social engineering” (tricking other people into releasing their passwords), password theft, security hole scanning, port scanning, etc. Any unauthorized use of accounts or computers by a DLS customer, whether or not the attacked account or computer belongs to DLS, will result in severe action taken against the attacker. Possible actions include warnings, account suspension or cancellation, fines, and civil or criminal legal action, depending on the seriousness of the attack. Any attempt to undermine or cause harm to a server, or customer, of DLS, is strictly prohibited.

System and Network Security

Violations of system or network security are prohibited and may result in criminal and civil liability. DLS may investigate incidents involving such violations and may involve and will cooperate with law enforcement if a criminal violation is suspected. Examples of system or network security violations include, without limitation, the following:

  • Unauthorized access to or use of data, systems or networks, including any attempt to probe, scan or test the vulnerability of a system or network or to breach security or authentication measures without express authorization of the owner of the system or network.
  • Unauthorized monitoring (“sniffing”) of data or traffic on any network or system without express authorization of the owner of the system or network.
  • Interference with service to any user, host or network including, without limitation, mailbombing, flooding, deliberate attempts to overload a system and broadcast attacks.
  • Forging of any TCP/IP packet header or any part of the header information in an e-mail or a newsgroup posting.

Violators of the policy are responsible, without limitations, for the cost of labor to clean up and correct any damage done to the operation of the network and business operations supported by the network and to respond to complaints incurred by DLS. Such labor is categorized as emergency security breach recovery and is currently charged at $150 USD per hour required. Inquiries regarding security matters may be directed to DLS’ Security Department at security@dls.net. DLS is concerned with the privacy of online 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, DLS urges its customers to assume that all of their online communications are insecure. DLS cannot take responsibility for the security of information transmitted over DLS’ facilities.

Password Protection

The customer is responsible for protecting the customer’s password and for any authorized or unauthorized use made of the customer’s password. The customer will not use or permit anyone to use DLS’ service to guess passwords or to access other systems or networks without authorization. DLS will fully cooperate with law enforcement authorities in the detection and prosecution of illegal activity.

Internet Etiquette

The customer is expected to be familiar with and to practice good Internet etiquette (“Netiquette”). The customer will comply with the rules appropriate to any network to which DLS may provide access. The customer should not post, transmit, or permit Internet access to information the customer desires to keep confidential. The customer is not permitted to post any material that is illegal, libelous, tortuous, indecently depicts children or is likely to result in retaliation against DLS by offended users. DLS reserves the right to refuse or terminate service at any time for violation of this section. This includes advertising services or sites via IRC in clear violation of the policies of the IRC channel.

Lawful Purpose

All services may be used for lawful purposes only. Transmission, storage, or presentation of any information, data or material in violation of any applicable law, regulation, or AUP is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to copyrighted material or material protected by trade secret and other statute or dissemination of harmful or fraudulent content.

Using any DLS service or product for the purpose of participating in any activity dealing with subject matters that are prohibited under applicable law is prohibited.

Any conduct that constitutes harassment, fraud, stalking, abuse, or a violation of federal export restriction in connection with the use of DLS services or products is prohibited. Using the DLS network to solicit the performance of any illegal activity is also prohibited, even if the activity itself is not performed. In addition, knowingly receiving or downloading a file that cannot be legally distributed, even without the act of distribution, is prohibited.

Servers hosted within the DLS network are open to the public. You are solely responsible for your usage of the DLS network and servers and any statement you make on servers hosted within the DLS network may be deemed “publication” of the information entered. Acknowledging the foregoing, you specifically agree
not to use our service in any manner that is illegal or libelous.

Copyright Infringement – Software Piracy Policy

DLS’ network may only be used for lawful purposes. Transmission, distribution, or storage of any information, data or material in violation of the United States or state regulation or law, or by the common law, is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, material protected by copyright, trademark, trade secret, or other intellectual property rights.

Making unauthorized copies of software is a violation of the law, no matter how many copies you are making. If you copy, distribute or install the software in ways that the license does not allow, you are violating federal copyright law. If caught with pirated software, you or your company may be liable under both civil and criminal law, and you may be fined up to $250,000 and/or receive up
to 5 years in jail.

In compliance with the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (the “DMCA”), please send DMCA notifications of claimed copyright infringements to DLS Abuse Department, DLS Internet, 950 Oak Street, Lake in the Hills, Illinois 60156 or by email to abuse@dls.net.

Fraudulent activity should be reported to the Internet Fraud Center .

DLS will cooperate fully with any civil and/or criminal litigation arising from the violation of this policy.

Child Pornography on the Internet

DLS will cooperate fully with any criminal investigation into a Customer’s violation of the Child Protection Act of 1984 concerning child pornography. Customers are ultimately responsible for the actions of their clients over the DLS network and will be liable for illegal material posted by their clients.

According to the Child Protection Act, child pornography includes “photographs, films, video or any other type of visual presentation that shows a person who is or is depicted as being under the age of eighteen years and is engaged in or is depicted as engaged in explicit sexual activity, or the dominant characteristic of which is the depiction, for a sexual purpose, of a sexual organ or the anal region of a person under the age of eighteen years or any written material or visual representation that advocates or counsels sexual activity with a person under the age of eighteen years.”

Violations of the Child Protection Act may be reported to the U.S. Customs Agency at 1-800-BEALERT.

Commercial Advertisements with E-Mail

DLS does not allow sending of Unsolicited Commercial E-mail (UCE) (or “spam”) over our network. Very simply, this means that customers of DLS may not use or permit others to use our network to transact in UCE. Violations of this policy carry severe penalties, including termination of service and monetary fines.

Violation of DLS’s UCE policy may be reported to abuse@dls.net.

IP Addressing Policy

DLS administers the network on which customer servers reside. The customer cannot use IP addresses which were not assigned to them by DLS staff. Any server found using IPs which were not officially assigned will be suspended from network access until such time as the IP addresses overlap can be
corrected.

Billing

The customer understands that the customer is responsible for paying for any network resources that are used to connect the customer’s server to the Internet. The customer may request that the customer’s server is disconnected from the Internet, but the customer will still be responsible for paying for any network resources used up to the point of suspension or cancellation.

Suspension

DLS reserves the right to suspend network access to any customer if, in the judgment of the DLS network administrators, the customer’s server is the source or target of the violation of any of the other terms of the AUPs or for any other reason which DLS chooses. If inappropriate activity is detected, all accounts of the Customer in question will be deactivated until an investigation is complete. Prior notification to the Customer is not assured. In extreme cases, law enforcement will be contacted regarding the activity. The customer will not be credited for the time the customer’s machines were suspended. The Customer will be credited on a prorated basis based on the monthly fees the Customer pays for the servers that are suspended for the time the Customer’s machines were suspended.

Cancellation

DLS reserves the right to cancel service at any time. If inappropriate activity is detected, all accounts of the customer in question will be deactivated until an investigation is complete. Prior notification to the Customer is not assured. In extreme cases, law enforcement will be contacted regarding the activity. All fees paid in advance of cancellation will be prorated and paid by DLS if DLS institutes its right of cancellation. Any violation of policies which results in extra costs will be billed to the customer (i.e. transfer, space etc.).

Indemnification

DLS wishes to emphasize that in signing the Master Services Agreement or its equivalent, customer indemnifies DLS for any violation of the Master Services Agreement or its equivalent, law or AUP that results in loss to DLS or the bringing of any claim against DLS by any third-party. This means that if DLS is to be sued because of a customer’s or a customer of a customer’s activity, the customer will pay any damages awarded against DLS, plus costs and reasonable attorney’s fees.

Disclaimer of Responsibility

DLS is under no duty to look at each customer’s or user’s activities to determine if a violation of the AUPs has occurred, nor do we assume any responsibility through our AUPs to monitor or police Internet-related activities. DLS disclaims any responsibility for any such inappropriate use and any liability to any person or party for any other person’s or party’s violation of this policy.

All sub-networks, resellers and managed servers of DLS must adhere to the above policies. Failure to follow any term or condition will be grounds for immediate Cancellation.

INDIRECT OR ATTEMPTED VIOLATIONS OF THE AUP AND ACTUAL OR ATTEMPTED VIOLATIONS BY A THIRD PARTY ON YOUR BEHALF SHALL BE CONSIDERED VIOLATIONS OF THESE AUPs BY YOU.