Texas Communications Online has designed our Appropriate Use Policy to help protect our customers, and the Internet community, from the inappropriate use of the Internet. A customer's use of Texas Communications Online service constitutes acceptance of this Appropriate Use Policy.

General Violations

The following activities are prohibited:

• Privacy Violations:
  Attempts, whether successful or unsuccessful, to gain access to any electronic systems, networks or data, without proper consent, are prohibited.
• Threats:
  Threats of bodily harm or destruction of property.
• Reselling:
  The resale of Texas Communications Online service without proper authorization from Texas Communications.
• Impersonation/Forgery:
  Attempting to impersonate any person by using forged headers or other identifying information is prohibited. The use of anonymous remailers and nicknames does not constitute impersonation. Using deliberately misleading headers ("munging" headers) in news postings in order to avoid SPAM e-mail address collectors is allowed provided appropriate contact information is contained in the body of the posting.
• Illegal Activity:
  The use of Texas Communications Online service for any illegal purposes is prohibited.

Network Interference

• Interference with or disruption of other network users, network services or network equipment is prohibited.
• Any activities that adversely affect the ability of other people or systems to use Texas Communications Online services or the Internet are prohibited.
• It is the customer's responsibility to ensure that their network is configured in a secure manner. A customer may not permit their network to be configured in such a way that gives a third party the capability to use their network in an illegal or inappropriate way.

Mail

• Sending unsolicited commercial e-mail is prohibited.
• Using Texas Communications Online e-mail or website address to collect responses from unsolicited commercial e-mail is prohibited.
• Sending large volumes of unsolicited e-mail, whether or not that e-mail is commercial in nature, is prohibited.
• Activities that have the effect of facilitating unsolicited commercial e-mail, or large volumes of unsolicited e-mail whether or not that e-mail is commercial in nature, is prohibited.

Internet Relay Chat (IRC)

• The use of IRC bots is prohibited. The violation of any accepted policies on IRC servers is prohibited.

Bandwidth or Disk Utilization

• Texas Communications Online account descriptions specify any limits on bandwidth and disk utilization. The use of bandwidth or disk space in excess of those limits is not permitted. Bandwidth 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. If Texas Communications Online determines that excessive bandwidth or disk space utilization is adversely affecting Texas Communications Online's ability to provide service, Texas Communications Online will take immediate action. Texas Communications Online will notify the account owner by e-mail as soon as possible.

Reporting Abuse

• Anyone who believes that there is a violation of this Appropriate Use Policy should direct the information to the Texas Communications Online technical staff at the appropriate address: webmaster@tconline.net
• Texas Communications Online customers who wish to report "SPAM" should send copies of the mail they received along with full header information to spam@tconline.net. All of these messages may not receive a response, but Texas Communications Online may use the information received at this address to aid in the development of our filter lists.
• Texas Communications Online may take any one or more of the following actions in response to complaints filed by our customers:
  • Deactivate the customers account
  • Limit certain privileges for news posting etc.
  • Issue warnings: verbal or e-mail.
• If you wish to submit information concerning violations, the more information Texas Communications Online has the better. Please send the IP address used to commit violations, the date and time the violation occurred, copies of any evidence that the violation occurred.

Working together we can insure that the Internet remains a good tool for everyone.