Acceptable Usage Policy

1. Introduction

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that users of the ekte Internet Service understand the way in which the Services being provided to them are to be used.

This policy aims to ensure that the ekte internet Services are used effectively for their intended purpose, without infringing legal requirements or creating unnecessary risk.

Users should read this policy alongside other ekte and other suppliers policies.

User organisations should implement their own AUPs to ensure all users of the Services understand the conditions under which the eke Services may be used.

2. Scope

The policy applies to all users and administrators of the ekte Services and/or infrastructure.

Users and user organisations will be deemed responsible for all use of the Services including instant messaging, blogs, wikis, forum or emails sent from their account or content posted or uploaded from their account or organisation.

It is a user’s responsibility to ensure that passwords are kept secure and are not shared with other users.

On evidence provided by ekte, an employee may be subject to disciplinary procedures by their employer. At the same time, if a user’s conduct and/or actions are illegal, the user may become personally criminally liable in some circumstances.

ekte accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any content or services offered by others and accessed by you on the Internet.

3. Policy Statement

ekte encourages users to make effective use of the ekte Services. Such use should always be lawful and appropriate. It should not compromise ekte’s information and computer systems nor have the potential to damage the reputation of ekte Ltd.,.

4. Use of ekte Services

ekte expects all users to use the Services responsibly and strictly according to the following conditions. For the purposes of this document Internet usage means any connection to the Internet via web browsing, email use, news groups, messaging services or any other use.

Users shall not:

Visit Internet sites, make, post, download, upload or pass on, material, remarks, proposals or comments that contain or relate to:

pornography (including child pornography)

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promoting discrimination of any kin
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promoting bullying
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prompting racial or religious hatred
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promoting illegal acts
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any other information which may be offensive to colleague

ekte acknowledges that in certain planned curricular activities, access to otherwise deemed inappropriate sites may be beneficial for educational use (e.g. investigating racial issues). Any such access should be pre-planned and recorded so that it can be justified if required at a later date

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Incidents which appear to involve deliberate access to web sites, newsgroups and online groups that contain the following material will be reported to the Police:

Images of child abuse (images of children apparently under 16 years old) involved in sexual activity or posed to be sexually provocative
Adult material that potentially breaches the Obscene Publications Act in the UK
Criminally racist material
Criminally anti racist and anti religious material
Violence and bomb making
Illegal taking or promotion of drugs
Software piracy
Other criminal activity.

If inappropriate material is accessed accidentally, users should immediately report this to ekte so that this can be taken into account in monitoring.

Use the ekte facilities for running a private business

Visit sites that might be defamatory or incur liability on the part of ekte or adversely impact on the image of ekte

Upload, download, or otherwise transmit, make, produce or distribute commercial software or any copyrighted materials belonging to third parties without the express permission of the copyright owner

Reveal or publicise confidential or proprietary information, which includes but is not limited to:

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Financial information
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Personal information including address and contact details

Databases and the information contained therein

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Computer / network access codes
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Business relationships
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Intentionally interfere with the normal operation of the Internet connection, including propagation of computer viruses and sustained high volume network traffic that substantially hinders others in their use of the Internet

Use the Internet for soliciting, representing personal opinions or revealing confidential information or in any other way that could reasonably be considered inappropriate.

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The user organisation will:
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Ensure that the ekte Services are used only by registered, authorised and licensed users

Indemnify ekte against all costs, losses, expenses or other liabilities incurred by ekte arising from the use of the ekte Services contrary to this policy

Establish their own AUP based on this AUP and internal requirements.

5.Monitoring

Responsibility for monitoring the use of ekte Services lies with the user organisation.

ekte will monitor and audit the use of the Internet to see whether users are complying with the policy. Any potential misuse identified will be reported to the connected establishment and / or relevant organisation.

6. Reporting Abuse

The user organisation’s AUP must clearly identify to all users the procedures within their own establishment for reporting abuse including securing and preserving evidence. The procedures in these policies should distinguish local incidents that are resolved within the establishment and those that need to be escalated to other authorities.

If a user organisation suspects or believes that the ekte Services are being used in a way that breaches this policy this should be reported to the ekte Service Desk.