Acceptable Use Policy

As a provider of web site hosting and other Internet-related services, we offer our customers (also known as “Subscribers”) and your customers and users the means to acquire and disseminate a wealth of public, private, commercial and non-commercial information.

One important aspect of the Internet is that no one party owns or controls it. This fact accounts for much of the Internet’s openness and value, but it also places a high premium on the judgment and responsibility of those who use it, both in the information they acquire and in the information they disseminate to others. When subscribers obtain information through the Internet, they must keep in mind that we cannot monitor, verify, warrant or vouch for the accuracy and quality of the information they acquire. For this reason, the subscriber must exercise his or her best judgment in relying on information obtained from the Internet, and also should be aware that some material posted to the Internet may be sexually explicit or otherwise offensive. Because we cannot monitor or censor the Internet, and will not attempt to do so, we cannot accept any responsibility for injury to its subscribers resulting from inaccurate, unsuitable, offensive or illegal Internet communications.

When subscribers disseminate information from the Internet, they must keep in mind that we do not review, edit, censor or take responsibility for any information its subscribers may create. When users place information on the Internet, they have the same liability as other authors for copyright infringement, defamation and other harmful speech. Also, because the information created is carried over our network and may reach a large number of people, including both our subscribers and non-subscribers, subscribers’ postings to the Internet may affect other subscribers and may affect our goodwill, business, reputation or operations. For these reasons, subscribers violate our policy and these terms when they, their customers, affiliates or subsidiaries engage in the following prohibited activities:

Spamming

Sending unsolicited bulk and/or commercial information over the Internet. It is not only harmful because of its negative impact on consumer attitudes toward Think Solutions UK Ltd (t/a MyOwnHelpdesk.com), but also because it can overload our network and disrupt service to our subscribers. Also, maintaining an open SMTP relay is prohibited. When a complaint is received, we will investigate and suspend the account that is sending spam and reserve the right to keep the account suspended until such time that the account no longer sends spam.

Audio/Video Streaming

Audio/Video Streaming is not hosting friendly. As such, we do not allow any streaming of audio or video content where the core files are hosted on our platform. Offending accounts will be suspended without notice or terminated.

File Storage / Online Backups

We do not permit the use of our shared hosting platforms for the storage of backup or archival data including large amounts of plugin cache data (we operate server-side caching as standard), mirror sites, storage of game data including flash games, personal multimedia content such as movies, music, photos or other media.  Your account and any sub-accounts may be used for genuine web hosting purposes only. Any such content is not permitted and will be removed and any offending accounts suspended.

Services such as OwnCloud are not permitted on our shared hosting and accounts found to be utilising web space for such services will have their data removed and services suspended.

We don’t limit your disk space providing the majority of your space is used for web hosting. We do not permit the use of our shared hosting as an email archival system and you may be asked to remove email, archive email to your computer or upgrade to a VPS solution if it is determined your account is being used as such.

Free Hosting

We do not permit the use of our platform to provide free hosting to your customers.  Providing free hosting encourages spamming and other abuses of the platform and as such this is explicitly disallowed.

File Sharing Websites or Peer-to-peer media (including files) sharing or streaming

We do not permit the use of our platform for file sharing of any kind. This includes but is not limited to peer-to-peer file or media sharing, BitTorrent, Tor or other such forms of data transmission.

Obscene Speech or Materials

Using our network to advertise, transmit, store, post, display, or otherwise make available child pornography or obscene speech or material is prohibited. We are required by law to notify law enforcement agencies if we become aware of the presence of child pornography on or being transmitted through our network.

Defamatory or Abusive Language

Using our network as a means to transmit or post negative, defamatory, harassing, abusive or threatening language.

Forging of Headers

Forging or misrepresenting message headers, whether in whole or in part, to mask the originator of the message.

Illegal or Unauthorised Access to Other Computers or Networks

Using our network to access, illegally or without authorisation computers, accounts or networks belonging to another party, or attempting to penetrate security measures of another individual’s system (often known as “hacking”). Also, any activity that may be used as a precursor to an attempted system penetration (i.e., port scan, stealth scan or other information-gathering activity).

Distribution of Internet Viruses, Worms, Trojan Horses or Engaging in Other Destructive Activities

Distributing information regarding the creation of and sending Internet viruses, worms, Trojan horses, pinging, flooding, mail bombing or denial of service (DDOS) attacks. Also, activities that disrupt the use of or interfere with the ability of others to effectively use the network or any connected network, system, service or equipment.

Destructive activities include inviting, either directly or indirectly, an attack (such as a DDOS) against our platform. Such invitations include inviting third parties to attempt to compromise the security of our platform or knowingly participating in an external attack (such as a DDOS) which results in retaliatory action from a third-party.

Facilitation a Violation of this AUP

Advertising, transmitting or otherwise making available any software, program, product or service that is designed to violate this AUP, which includes the facilitation of the means to spam, initiation of pinging, flooding, mail bombing, denial of service attacks and piracy of software.

Usenet Groups

We reserve the right not to accept postings from newsgroups where we have actual knowledge that the content of the newsgroup violates the AUP.

Phishing

We do not permit the hosting of any sites engaging in phishing, impersonating public institutions or private companies in an attempt to defraud members of the public. Any sites found in breach of this will be suspended or terminated without notice.

Other Illegal Activities

Engaging in activities that are determined to be illegal, including, but not limited to, advertising, transmitting or otherwise making available ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes, fraudulently charging credit cards, publishing or threatening to publish private data and pirating software.

Other Activities

Engaging in activities, whether lawful or unlawful, that we determine to be harmful to our subscribers, operations, reputation, goodwill or customer relations.

As we have pointed out, the responsibility for avoiding harmful activities just described rests primarily with the subscriber. We will not, as an ordinary practice, monitor the communications of our subscribers to ensure that they comply with our policy or applicable law. However, when we become aware of harmful activities, it may take any action to stop the harmful activity, including, but not limited to, suspension or termination of hosting services, removal of information, shutting down a website, implementing screening software designed to block offending transmissions, denying access to the Internet, or any other action we deem appropriate.

We will not intentionally monitor private electronic mail messages sent or received by our subscribers, unless required to do so by law, governmental authority or when public safety is at stake. We may, however, monitor its service electronically to determine that its facilities are operating satisfactorily. Also, we may disclose information, including, but not limited to, information concerning a subscriber, a transmission made using our network, or a web site, in order to comply with a court order, subpoena, summons, discovery request, warrant, statute, regulation or governmental request subject to Data Protection and other UK legislation. We assume no obligation to inform the subscriber that subscriber information has been provided and, in some cases, may be prohibited by law from giving such notice. Finally, we may disclose subscriber information or information transmitted over our network where necessary to protect us and others from harm, or where such disclosure is necessary to the proper operation of the system. However, we will never sell information to other services or outside companies.

Finally, we wish to emphasise that, in accepting these terms and placing an order, subscribers indemnify Think Solutions UK Ltd for any violation of the Service Agreement, law or Think Solutions UK Ltd policy resulting in loss to Think Solutions UK Ltd or the bringing of any claim against Think Solutions UK Ltd by any third party. This means that, if we are sued because of a subscriber’s or customer of a subscriber’s activity, the subscriber will be responsible for payment of any damages awarded against us, plus costs and reasonable legal & solicitors’ fees.

We hope this AUP is helpful in clarifying the obligations of Internet users, including Think Solutions UK Ltd and its subscribers, as responsible members of the Internet. Any complaints about a subscriber’s violation of this AUP should be sent to support@myownhelpdesk.com