Legal Information. Internet Usage Rules
The Internet represents a global union of computing networks and information
resources belonging to a great number of people and organizations. This union
is decentralized, and there is no single compulsory legal code (set of rules)
on how to use the Internet. However, there are generally accepted norms of
Internet usage, based on the principle that the activity of each separate network
user does not impede the work of other users. The following provision represents
the fundamental principle of these norms: The rules of using any Internet resources
(from a mailbox to a communication channel) are determined by the owners of
these resources and nobody else.
This document describes the generally accepted norms of Internet usage that are
compulsory for all Internet users. These norms apply to the procedure of using
Internet resources. (Hereinafter the word “network” refers to the Internet
and other networks accessible from it.)
1. Information Noise (Spam) Limitation
Network development has led to a situation in which one of the basic problems
of its users is excess information. Therefore, the network community has elaborated
special rules aimed at protecting a user from unnecessary/non-requested information
(spam). In particular, the following are considered inadmissible:
1.1. Mass mailing of e-mails not agreed in advance. Mass mailing implies both
mailing to multiple receivers and multiple mailing to one receiver.
Hereinafter the word “e-mail” means a message by means of e-mail, ICQ or other
similar means of information exchange.
1.2. Non-agreed mailing of e-mails over one page in size or containing embedded
files.
1.3. Non-agreed mailing of e-mail of advertising, commercial or campaigning nature,
as well as those containing rude or offensive expressions or suggestions.
1.4. Placing within any Usenet newsgroup or other conference, forum or mailing
list off-topic articles and announcements that do not correspond to the theme
of such conference or mailing list. (Hereinafter the word “conference” means
Usenet newsgroups and other conferences, forums and mailing lists.)
1.5. Placing in any conference messages of advertising, commercial or campaigning
nature, except when such messages are explicitly permitted by the rules of
the conference or their placement was preliminarily agreed with the owners
or administers of the conference.
1.6. Placing in any conference articles containing attachments, except when such
attachments are explicitly permitted by the rules of the conference or their
placement was preliminarily agreed with the owners or administers of the conference.
1.7. Mailing to a user who has expressed evident unwillingness to receive such
information.
1.8. Using the user’s own or granted information resources (mailboxes, e-mail
addresses, WWW pages, etc.) as contact coordinates when carrying out any of
the above actions, irrespective of from what point of the network these actions
were carried out.
2. Unauthorized Access and Network Attack Prohibition
It is forbidden to make an attempt to gain unauthorized access to network resources,
to conduct or participate in network attacks or cracking, except when such
an attack on network resources is carried out with the explicit consent of
the owner or administer of this resource. The following are also prohibited:
2.1. Actions aimed at causing malfunction of the network’s components (computer,
another equipment or information resource) not owned by the user.
2.2. Actions aimed at obtaining unauthorized access, including privileged, to
the network resources (computer, any equipment or information resource), and
using such access later, as well as destroying or updating software or data
not owned by the user, without the consent of the owners of the software or
data or administers of the information resource.
2.3. Sending to the network’s computers or equipment senseless or useless information
causing parasitic load on such computers or equipment and intermediate net
segments, in volumes exceeding those minimally required to check network connectivity
and availability of its individual components.
3. Observation of Rules Established by Resource Owners
In addition to the above, the owners of any information or technical resource
of the network may establish their own rules for use of the resource.
The rules of resource use or reference to them are published by the owners or
administers of such resources at the point of connection to such resources,
and are compulsory for observing by all users of these resources.
Users are to observe the rules of using the resource or to immediately stop using
it.
4. Falsification Inadmissibility
A considerable part of the network’s resources requires no user identification
and provides for anonymous using. However, in some cases users are required
to provide information identifying themselves and the network access means
they are using. In this case the user is prohibited:
4.1. To use identification data (names, addresses, telephones etc.) of third
persons, except for the cases when such persons have authorized the user to
do this. At the same time, the user shall take measures to prevent the usage
of network resources by third persons on behalf of the user (to ensure safety
of passwords and other codes for authorized access).
4.2. To falsify an IP address, as well as addresses used in other network protocols
when transmitting data to the Network.
4.3. To use non-existent return addresses when sending e-mails.
5. Own Resource Adjustment
When using the Internet, the user becomes its full member, producing the probability
of using network resources owned by the user by third persons. In this connection,
the user is to take appropriate measures on adjusting resources in a way preventing
their unfair usage by third persons, and promptly respond to the cases of such
usage.
Examples of Probable Problems of Network Resource Adjustment:
- Open e-mail relay (SMTP-relay)
- News (conference, groups) servers available for unauthorized publishing
- Means making it possible for third persons to hide the source of connection
(open proxy servers etc.)
- Public broadcast addresses of local area networks
- Mailing lists with insufficient subscription authorization or with no possibility
to abandon it.
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