The Usage Provisions of aEton Usenet comprise what we expect of an aEton Usenet account user. Here you can see what we consider as misuse of our services and what steps we take when examining cases of reported misuse.
aEton grants its users a large extent of freedom, however, in cases of misuse immediately takes measures up to stoppage of postings or cancellation of the respective account.
By using your aEton Usenet account you agree to comply with these provisions and keep yourself informed of their changes, as these provisions can change at any time. These Usage Provisions are part of the further General Business Provisions (GBP) of your aEton Usenet account.
Usage Provisions
aEton Usenet wishes to offer all its clients the possibility of free use of its services. aEton Usenet can therefore limit inappropriate use of flatrate accounts in order to thus provide the best possible service for all clients. An aEton Usenet flatrate account does not determine usage standards. If a client is not willing to keep the use of this service within reasonable limits, aEton Usenet can cancel, stop or not extend his access. aEton Usenet determines what is or is not appropriate use at its own discretion.
aEton accounts are intended exclusively for private use. Joint use of any kind is forbidden. This also includes the following conduct:
- Passing on application data to third persons
- Simultaneous application at several IP addresses
- Connecting over a proxy service
- Usage of DNews, NetCache or other cashing systems for multiple accesses
Netiquette and Misconduct
Every newsgroup can be regarded as a separate forum whose regular participants have developed common standards of right and proper conduct within the group. Many groups have drawn up a kind of statute and FAQ that represent the consensus of regular participants of these newsgroups. Before posting to a newsgroup it is advisable to find out what is considered right and proper conduct in this group.
Newsgroups unite people of different origin and belief. When communicating with participants of these groups you should always bare in mind that your postings are read by millions of users all over the world. Therefore please consider the opinions and feelings of everyone who might read your postings and show them the same respect as you anticipate towards yourself.
Posting
When examining implications of inappropriate or offensive postings over our servers aEton Usenet follows further mentioned guidelines. Inappropriate or even offending postings can lead to temporary or sustained barring of the account's posting access or to cancellation of the account.
Copyright
In almost every country copyright is protected by law. aEton Usenet considers it neither possible nor desirable to control information transmitted over or stored in its system. When you apply for usage of an aEton Usenet account you agree not to communicate copyright protected works without prior consent of the copyright owner over our system.
Spam
In the first place regarding dispatch: there are different viewpoints of what spam is. When investigating complaints we repose on the following definitions:
- Repeated Postings
Repeated posting of the same article to on or more newsgroups is seen as spam regardless of its contents. - Industrial Postings
Almost no group likes industrial postings. Most groups want no commercial articles. Therefore industrial postings are regarded to be spam. - Promotional Postings
In almost all newsgroups advertising a shop, website or organisation is seen as spam. This usually also applies only to invitations to a "private", "public" or common-use website. - „For sale/Trade“-Groups
Most groups whose names contains „for sale“ serve the purpose of exchanging information between individuals wishing to buy or sell something. Many of these groups are limited to a certain geographic area. Most of these groups do not want postings from shops or articles offered on auction websites like eBay. Bear in mind that your postings can be welcome by newsgroup users of these groups.
- Chain letters and Snowball Systems
According to USA law chain letters and snowball systems are illegal. Almost all offers guiding towards "fast money", "fast wealth" and structural sale belong to this category. If you send such kind of postings to newsgroups your account will be cancelled.
- Crossposting
Some binary newsgroups, for example certain music groups, support simultaneous postings to more than one group if their content is relevant to all concerned groups. However, most binary groups and most text groups are against any kind of crossposting. Please bear in mind that the posting of one thread can initially be suitable for two newsgroups of a text group but follow-ups in one of the groups can quickly develop into "OffTopic".
- Off-Topic-Posting
Almost every newsgroup has one theme or a range of themes of interest, which they cover or discuss. A deliberate disregard of the intended theme is treated as misuse of posting. Off-topic postings in a larger amount or with obvious evil intent lead to immediate cancellation of the account.
- Troll-Posting
Troll-posting is deliberate posting of articles that distract other users from the actual theme of the group. In other words: troll-postings are intended to enrage others so that they get engaged in an argument or off-topic discussion. Therefore aEton does not tolerate troll-posting and cancels the service for everyone who uses it in this way.
- Changed Headers
Forging header lines in order to screen the original server, feign moderator acceptance of a posting or make an original posting look like a follow-up is a serious offence against our service and leads to immediate cancellation of the account.
- Should it be stated that spam was sent over your account you will have to face a removal penalty of 50 USD for each spam posting and the immediate cancellation of your account without notice.
Retention and Completeness
aEton Usenet guarantees neither retention nor completeness. Retention and/or completeness data quoted on aEton home pages refer to calculations based on actual data. An increase or decrease of the Usenet posting scope can result in an according increase or decrease of retaining time over aEton Usenet without prior notice.
Reporting Misuse
You can report misuse to abuse@aeton.nl or to our SupportCenter
We can deal with spam and other cases of misuse only if they have also been transmitted over aEton Usenet accounts. In order to follow a report of misuse that must have taken place over our servers, we need complete article header lines.
When we receive a plausible report of misuse concerning an aEton Usenet client our employees immediately take according measures, as we wish to ensure that the posting of offensive materials is cut short. This can result in immediate posting stoppage of the concerned account, while concurrently circumstances are being clarified.
If it is clear to our employees that someone has applied for aEton Usenet only for the purpose of misuse, access to servers is immediately barred without notice and reimbursement and the account is cancelled.
Our employees examine all complaints. Each of these employees evaluates the posting circumstances, the posting newsgroup and the amount of received complaints about this posting. In certain cases we have to discover if evil intent is behind the misuse. Alongside with other factors our employees evaluate whether the questionable posting is compatible with the kind of service we wish to offer our clients. Our employees strive to come to a friendly arrangement in the first place.
aEton Usenet wishes to offer flexible services that meet the requirements of our clients. We wish neither to limit nor censor our clients in any way. Yet, on the other hand, we feel responsible to ensure that appropriate use of our services and newsgroups benefit all participants.
Data Protection Guidelines
The rapid extension of the World Wide Web has brought new problems regarding data protection. aEton Usenet respects your data protection rights, and our further set forth guidelines disclose the protection of your private sphere.
Client Data
At first application as well as in the interests of client service aEton Usenet asks for certain data. These data enable us to offer high-quality service and support. These data are never passed on to third persons, except in accordance with a valid decree. aEton never sells or leases client lists or other client data.
Usage Data
aEton controls its server structure to such a degree as is necessary to provide high-standard services. Your private online activities are neither controlled nor recorded. We control neither your newsgroup choice nor the contents of your downloads or postings.
Civil Investigation
aEton Usenet hands over personal or usage data of a client only by order of a competent court to an investigation officer, lawyer or authorities. The client is informed of a court hearing and has the right to appeal against the handing over of his personal data.
Criminal Investigation
aEton Usenet entirely cooperates with executive bodies of the USA. However, before handing over client data aEton Usenet has to receive a corresponding legal order. According to the Fourth Amendment of the USA Constitution a legal order is required for search and alienation. Upon an according request of executive bodies aEton confirms the existence of a client's personal data and upon an according request prepares a technical description of the property to be alienated. In case of a police investigation aEton is obliged to inform the respective client of the performance of such an investigation.
Any more questions? We are glad to help you further:
Please read the following GBPs carefully. By using an aEton Usenet account you agree to comply with the following GBPs and our Usage Provisions.
Data Protection and Security
Data protection and security cover a vast range of themes. It is particularly important for every user to understand the following points:
- If an aEton user deliberately violates data protection specifically and existing legislation in general aEton Usenet is entitled to cancel all active accounts without notice. Furthermore these violations can be brought under civil and/or criminal prosecution even though we hand over user data exclusively by legal order.
Copyright Violation
Since it is technically and personally impossible for us as a provider to control the legitimacy and legality of data contained in our system, the user himself is responsible for checking the copyright status of a data set before downloading or distributing it over our system.
Some of the data sets available in the network can have copyright protection. The distribution of such material might therefore turn out to be copyright abuse.
By using an aEton Usenet account you pledge not to violate copyright laws by distributing or permitting the distribution of copyright protected works over our system without consent of the copyright owner.
Distribution of copyright protected data sets without consent of the copyright owner can and will lead to the cancellation of your Usenet account.
Trade of user data, access codes, credit card numbers or similar stored information is a criminal offence, which we punish consistently. We expect you to respect the rights and privacy of all users and to use your aEton Usenet account exclusively for lawful purposes.
Dubious and Explicit Material
We are not responsible for the contents of your communications over aEton Usenet. The Internet as well as the Usenet represent huge communities in which censorship is regarded an obscenity. Over your aEton Usenet account you can have access and/or be exposed to offensive material. Such material includes explicitly sexual texts and (coded) pictures, religious and antireligious debate, dubious political viewpoints, slander and blackmail. aEton does not accept responsibility for damages caused by such material.
Account Usage
An aEton Usenet account is to be regarded as an impersonated individual account. This means that only the owner of the account has the right to use it. The use of an aEton Usenet account by several persons is forbidden and can lead to cancellation of the account without notice. By using his account the account owner accepts corresponding responsibility. If, nevertheless, the account owner permits the use of his account by third persons, he stays solely accountable to aEton Usenet for inappropriate or improper postings over this account.
Running Charges for Accounts
Charges for our running services are calculated in advance. The monthly bill is forwarded on or around the key date as well as in every case of upgrading or recycling of your account. The bill is immediately payable.
At the end of each service period your account is automatically extended for the duration of the previous period unless you order differently. You can at any time up- or downgrade your account via our SupportCenter
Measuring Downloads and Accounting
All transfers outgoing from our servers are measured in bites. Downloads are quantitatively recorded and after completing a connection calculated for the current payment period. If your account reaches its download limit entire access is completely stopped until the volume is rebooked, an upgrade is carried out or the account reactivates itself until the beginning of the next usage month.
If you reach your download limit during a download aEton Usenet reserves the right to permit the completion of downloading at its own discretion and expense.
Information about Usage
We do not at present inform about the actual traffic status per e-mail. Every user can at any time call up his traffic status from the Newsreader CommunicaEtor ticket system.
Payment
aEton Usenet accepts payments in different ways. This is because of territorial differences. In some countries the corresponding payments by order of aEton Usenet are collect in different ways.
If a bill is not footed from a bank account or with a credit card the aEton Usenet account is closed until the outstanding bill or bills are fully paid.
Resignation
Your account can only be cancelled via our SupportCenter within the following time limits.
All accounts are automatically extended unless we receive a notice.
A cancellation notice for a regular (not probationary) account must be handed in not later than 3 days before the end of the current usage month, so that it can come into force before the beginning of the next usage month. Notices that are handed in after the beginning of the next usage month come into force at the end of the next usage month. The beginning of a usage month is determined by the opening day of the account.
Reimbursement
Reimbursement is not possible under any circumstances. For accounts that have been cancelled due to violation of our General Business and Usage Provisions no reimbursement is possible.
E-mail Contacts
aEton Usenet renders support and services by e-mail. A valid e-mail address is a prerequisite for the use of an aEton Usenet account, since all your account information will be sent to this address. You are obliged to in form us via SupportCenter of e-mail address changes. aEton Usenet is not responsible for the attainability of a client's e-mail address.
Reimbursement and Recoupment
Every user is responsible for any claim referring to his aEton Usenet account. As a condition for service use you agree to reimburse and recoup aEton Usenet, its directors, employees and agents for any claim in connection with your account or service use.
Recall of a Usenet Account
aEton Usenet reserves the right to terminate or deny any service at any time and without stating the reason.
aEton reserves the right to alter, supplement or revoke its guidelines or Business and Usage Provisions at any time and without notice.
Every client is responsible to keep himself informed of the current "GBPs" and our "Usage Provisions".
By applying for an aEton account you agree to these GBPs and our Usage Provisions.
