Dear colleagues,
I received this message today from Mailbase, and I feel it is
appropriate to share it with you. Please print this and READ it; thanks!
George
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IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ
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Mailbase has decided to introduce a Mailbase Acceptable Use Policy:
http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/docs/aup.html
This will come into force on Monday, 8th November 1999.
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Why have an Acceptable Use Policy?
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We have decided to introduce this policy because:
- We need to say what the Mailbase service is, and is not, responsible
for, and what steps we'll take if someone posts a defamatory or
otherwise illegal message.
- We have found that more and more people are using Mailbase lists in
ways which we would consider unethical or disruptive and our
existing guidelines (see http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/docs/guidelines.html)
are not adequate.
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Who was involved?
--------------------
This policy was drawn up after extensive discussion and consultation
with everyone on the owner-talk list, with the netskills-team, with
the Mailbase User Group, with the Mailbase Steering Group and with
various legal advisors and friends of Mailbase.
In particular, we'd like to thank the following people for their
contributions:
Rob Allen, Tom Graham, Rowan Currie, Pete Dewar, Lorcan Dempsey,
Trevor Field, Barry Jackson, Andrew Jameson, Brian Kelly,
Peter Kemp, Norman Marsh, Richard Kay, Ron Kerr, Charles Oppenheim,
Chris Petrie, David Riddle, Ray Thomas, Jim Whitaker, and Ian Winship
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How do people find out about the policy?
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As well as emailing all the listowners we will give details:
- in the message sent to new Mailbase users
- on the Mailbase News list and webpage
- in the "spring-cleaning" message which is sent to ALL Mailbase list
members at the start of the year
- as a link to the policy from the webpage for each list
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Any Questions?
----------------
If you have any questions or comments please email the Mailbase Helpline
([log in to unmask]) We will do our best to resolve any
problems or issues raised, and will summarise to the owners-unique list if
appropriate.
And here's the policy!
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MAILBASE ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY
**********************************
Also at: http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/docs/aup.html
CONTENTS
1. About the Acceptable Use Policy
2. Role of List Owners
3. No Spam or Bulk Email
4. Posting Promotional Messages
5. Content of Messages Posted
6. Copyright of Messages Posted
7. Message Archives
8. Security of Email Messages
9. Information about Mailbase Users
10. Forging Information
11. Voluntary Membership
12. Harvesting Addresses
13. Violation of our Policy
14. Liability
15. Amendments
16. How to contact Mailbase
1. ABOUT THE ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY
Welcome to Mailbase! Mailbase is a service which runs mailing
lists for the benefit of the UK higher education and research
community. We are committed to supporting our users and promoting
communication, collaboration and the free-flowing exchange of
ideas.
This is the acceptable use policy for the Mailbase service. By
sending a message to any Mailbase list you are accepting these
conditions, so please read them carefully.
If you are unhappy with the Mailbase service, or with this policy,
please contact the Mailbase Helpline
([log in to unmask]).
2. ROLE OF LIST OWNERS
Each Mailbase list is managed by one or more individuals who are
known as "listowners".
Listowners may decide on the focus or subject of their lists and
they may direct discussion. They may also make decisions on
membership, list configuration and on appropriate postings for
their list. Listowners are expected to manage their lists fairly
and for the benefit of the majority of list members, consulting
with the list members or with the Mailbase Helpline if necessary.
At Mailbase we value the time and effort which our listowners
devote to managing their lists, and will give them all possible
support, help and backup.
You may contact individual listowners by sending a message to:
[log in to unmask]
where listname is the name of the list.
3. NO SPAM OR BULK EMAIL
Mailbase does not allow spam, junk mail, chain letters or other
unsolicited bulk email, commercial or otherwise, on any Mailbase
list. We take the following measures to prevent this abuse of our
service.
Mailbase Anti-spam Measures
- Anyone who joins a Mailbase list must confirm their
subscription. This means that the senders of junk mail cannot
join a list using a forged address.
- Listowners can configure their lists so messages from
non-members are rejected.
- Mailbase uses technology to block much of the junk email
(spam) which is posted to Mailbase lists.
Despite our best efforts and continuing allocation of resources,
some abuse of the Mailbase service will occur. If junk email is
sent to a Mailbase list please contact your listowner, who may
then notify the Mailbase Helpline.
4. POSTING PROMOTIONAL MESSAGES
The posting of unsolicited commercial or advertising material is
against the JANET Acceptable Use Policy
(http://www.ja.net/documents/use.html), which applies to the use
of Mailbase.
However, publicising items of potential interest to list members,
such as new releases of software packages, publications, training
courses, websites, job vacancies, conferences etc. can be to the
benefit of the list members, and this is permitted provided the
following conditions are met:
- The sender of a promotional message must seek permission from
the list owner before posting, unless the listowner or list
guidelines have already stated that this type of posting is
acceptable.
- Promotional messages should only be sent if they are related
to the subject or purpose of that list.
- Promotional messages must be sent from a clearly identified
and contactable source.
- Such messages must not be part of a commercial exchange.
Listowners may NOT charge for the posting of such messages,
nor will Mailbase forward messages for a fee.
Listowners may grant comprehensive permission for certain types of
posting (such as job announcements), or to certain organisations.
Listowners can always consult the Mailbase Helpline if they would
like advice or support.
5. CONTENT OF MESSAGES POSTED
Sending messages to Mailbase lists is generally a matter of common
sense and courtesy. As a Mailbase user you should be able to use
your own sense of what is appropriate to guide your conduct,
without engaging in unreasonable behaviour, or disrupting the
general flow of discussion on a list.
Mailbase has some practical guidelines which should help you use
Mailbase lists in a way which will most benefit yourself and the
other people on the list.
(See http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/docs/guidelines.html)
Listowners will often provide their own guidelines on acceptable
use and list etiquette and we would expect list members to abide
by these.
We would also like to remind our users that the use of Mailbase is
subject to the JANET Acceptable Use Policy
(http://www.ja.net/documents/use.html), and to UK laws. So
messages sent to Mailbase lists may not contain information that
breaks any law, such as (but not restricted to) those regarding
copyright or defamation.
Mailbase cannot assume any responsibility for the content of
messages sent to our discussion lists, as the messages are sent by
individual users, and we do not review, screen or edit the
content.
You accept that you are solely responsible for the content of any
email message you send to any Mailbase list.
6. COPYRIGHT OF MESSAGES POSTED
When you send a message to a Mailbase list, you retain your
copyright in that message. You also retain your moral right to be
identified as the author of the work, and your moral right against
derogatory treatment.
The extent to which your message is made available across the
internet will depend on the level of access which has been set by
the listowner.
You give Mailbase permission to reproduce, deliver, distribute and
archive your message as appropriate, and you agree that other
Mailbase users may read, save, download or print your message.
More information about copyright is available at
http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/docs/copyright.html
7. MESSAGE ARCHIVES
Messages sent to a Mailbase list will normally be archived, and
these archives can then be retrieved by any member of that same
list. These archives may also (at the discretion of the listowner)
be made publicly available on the web, and thus be available to
anyone.
When using Mailbase, you accept that any message you post to a
Mailbase list may be archived in this manner, and that other users
of Mailbase may download and print these messages for their own
use.
Archives or collections of the messages sent to a Mailbase list
may not be made publicly available at another site unless the
listowner has granted explicit permission, and the list members
have been informed.
8. SECURITY OF EMAIL MESSAGES
Due to the nature of the internet, the security of messages to
Mailbase cannot be guaranteed, and you should bear this in mind
when posting confidential information to a Mailbase list. This is
true even when access to the list is restricted.
9. INFORMATION ABOUT MAILBASE USERS
Mailbase is registered under the 1984 Data Protection Act and will
be notified under the 1998 Act when that takes effect.
When you subscribe to a Mailbase list you supply us with your name
and email address, and this information can be retrieved by any
member of that same list and may also (at the discretion of the
listowner) be made available on the web.
When you leave Mailbase, your name and email address will be
removed from our database. However, any message you have posted to
a Mailbase list will remain in the Mailbase archives.
The personal information we hold will only be used in connection
with the Mailbase service. Mailbase will never sell email
addresses, or any other personal information, to another
organisation.
You agree that Mailbase may disclose any information held if we
believe that this is necessary to operate our systems, to run the
Mailbase service, to comply with the law, or to protect the
Mailbase service or others.
10. FORGING INFORMATION
You will not attempt to mislead others as to your identity, either
by providing false information when subscribing to, or posting to,
a Mailbase list, or by forging the headers and addresses in an
email message.
11. VOLUNTARY MEMBERSHIP
Membership of a Mailbase list must be voluntary. Neither the
listowner nor any other person may subscribe or add a person to a
Mailbase list without that person's consent.
12. HARVESTING ADDRESSES
No one shall use the Mailbase service to bulk harvest, or
otherwise collect, information about others, including email
addresses, without their consent.
Mailbase has implemented technology to limit access by the mass
mailers which collect email addresses.
13. VIOLATION OF OUR POLICY
Mailbase users may contact us about any breach of our acceptable
use policy, and we will take any of the following actions if it is
thought appropriate:
- Contact the person responsible to discuss the problem
- Contact their listowner
- Remove them from list membership
- Contact their hosting site, institution, or service provider
- Restrict email from certain sites or addresses
- Remove inappropriate messages from the Mailbase archives
- Make a public announcement to those affected
Listowners are also entitled to take action against any list
member who engages in unreasonable behaviour.
The decision on what action is appropriate will be made by the
Mailbase team on a case by case basis. The action taken will often
depend on whether the infraction was innocent, inadvertent or
intentional.
If we receive any complaint about a message sent to a Mailbase
list, we reserve the right to remove the allegedly offensive
message from our archives immediately and without consulting the
originator of this message.
14. LIABILITY
Mailbase is not liable for the conduct of any Mailbase user, or
for the conduct of any party other than Mailbase itself.
15. AMENDMENTS
Mailbase reserves the right to amend the acceptable use policy at
any time without notice. If the policy is amended then all list
owners will be informed and may distribute the information to list
members.
16. HOW TO CONTACT MAILBASE
Email: [log in to unmask]
Phone: 0191 222-8080
Fax: 0191 222-8580
Post: Mailbase
University Computing Service
University of Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU
UK
***********************
If you have any comments about this new policy, please write to us OFF
the list, at [log in to unmask]
Your servants, George Ferzoco and Otfried Lieberknecht
******************************************************************
George Ferzoco Office: Attenborough Tower 1112
Director of Italian Studies Office Tel: ++ 44 (0)116 252 2654
University of Leicester Office Fax: ++ 44 (0)116 252 2657
School of Modern Languages Secretary Tel:++ 44 (0)116 252 2680
University Road Secretary Fax:++ 44 (0)116 252 3633
LEICESTER LE1 7RH e-mail: [log in to unmask]
UNITED KINGDOM http://www.le.ac.uk/ml/gpf2/gpf2.html
List owner of italian-studies:
http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists/italian-studies
List owner of medieval-religion:
http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion
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