An Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) outlines the acceptable and unacceptable uses of a website or network, along with penalties for violations. It may apply to a specific network or website and often includes a preamble, examples of acceptable and unacceptable uses, penalties for violations, and discussions of internet etiquette and safety.
An Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) is a document that dictates the terms under which someone can use a particular website or network. The document spells out acceptable and unacceptable uses, along with penalties for violations of the AUP. Depending on the language preferred by the people drafting the document, it can be known as terms of service or conditions of use. It is strongly recommended that you read an Acceptable Use Policy, as the document may contain important information that may be relevant to your users.
In some cases, an acceptable use policy applies to a particular network, such as an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or school network. You can also write acceptable use policies for specific websites or for an Internet host. In any case, the document is kept in an easily accessible place so that people can reach it effortlessly and often people are required to read the acceptable use policy before they can access the service, as in the case of those who subscribe to use a dating site and must certify that they have read the terms and conditions.
Most acceptable use policies begin with a preamble that summarizes the organization’s mission behind the policy and sometimes provides some brief definitions of the terms used in the document. The document continues with a discussion of what the website or network is designed to be used for, providing examples of acceptable uses under the policy. For example, a school network might suggest that accessing scholarly journals falls under “acceptable use.”
The policy also spells out what types of activities are not acceptable. This commonly includes anything illegal, such as distributing copyrighted content without permission, and can also include activities such as harassment, harassment, Internet stalking, spamming, and so on. Some networks may also prohibit access to certain websites or types of websites, in which case the acceptable use policy may provide some examples of such sites so that people are warned. Individual hosts, networks and websites may prohibit graphic images, defamatory material and other materials they consider objectionable.
An acceptable use policy also talks about penalties for violation, which can include things like terminating someone’s account without warning, reporting illegal activity to authorities, limiting bandwidth, or issuing a series of warnings growing. Some websites and networks take a particularly aggressive stance against sending unsolicited e-mail or using the service to host websites operated for the purpose of generating spam.
It’s also not uncommon for an acceptable use policy to include a brief discussion of Internet etiquette and safety issues. The policy may strongly advise people to avoid passing on personally identifiable information, for example.
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