We hope you will enjoy using the message services provided by ECSI as a vehicle to exchange information, tips and techniques regarding ECSI products and our Web site. To ensure that the services provided are professional and beneficial to all visitors, ECSI has established an Acceptable Use Policy.

Terms

• Author refers to those persons who compose and place messages on the server(s) provided by ECSI.
• Participant refers to those persons who enter the message areas provided by ECSI.
• ECSI, in the context of this document, refers to ECSI or any duly-authorized representative of ECSI.

General

• The message service is provided as a free service. ECSI reserves the right to change the nature of this relationship at any time. By utilizing any of the message facilities provided by ECSI, you agree to the terms and conditions outlined in this document.
• ECSI may terminate the message area services at any time.
• ECSI may alter the terms of this agreement at any time.
• Violations of this agreement will result in the removal of content submitted by the offender.
• Repeated violations will result in account termination.

Content Responsibility

• ECSI acts as a passive conduit for the messages posted by participants not directly representing ECSI. ECSI does not pre-screen any of the content placed in our message areas. Under no circumstance will ECSI be liable for any loss or damage caused by a participant's reliance on information in any content not provided by ECSI. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information, opinion, advice or other content.
• Each participant accepts responsibility for the content they place in the message areas. Participant's views may not reflect the views or opinions of ECSI. ECSI does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any content not provided by ECSI.
• ECSI does not warrant or guarantee any product or service offered by a third party through our message server. As with any other medium, exercise caution when entering into any purchase decision.

Unacceptable Content
The message areas are intended to be available to a diverse audience. As such, ECSI has created a set of guidelines to determine if a message is unacceptable for posting on our service. Messages that meet any one of the following criteria will be deleted upon discovery. When possible, the violator will be notified of the reasons for removing content. Repeated violations will result in termination of the offender's account. These guidelines are subject to change.
ECSI will not permit any message containing:

• binary attachments in areas where such attachments are not permitted
• pornographic or obscene content, as determined by ECSI
• use of any word or name that ECSI, in its sole discretion, deems offensive to other participants
• content which is hateful, racially or ethnically objectionable
• content which infringes upon another's copyright, trademark or trade secret
• advertising without the prior consent of ECSI
• content to harass, threaten or intentionally embarrass another participant
• violation of any federal, state, local, international law or regulation
• conduct or encouraging conduct that would constitute a criminal or civil offense
• multiple copies of the same message

Privacy
The message facilities provided by ECSI are a public forum. Any information posted is available to any other participant. ECSI has attempted to provide a reasonable level of security for the access of our message facilities but cannot warrant or guarantee the privacy of any content placed in the public areas. Some NewsReader applications may append organization and email information of the poster, which should be considered 'content' for the purposes of privacy. The rule of thumb: if you wouldn't say it out loud in a crowded room, don't post it in a public message area.

Monitoring
ECSI shall retain the right, but not the obligation, to monitor the content of the message areas to determine compliance with this Acceptable Use Policy. ECSI shall have the right to remove material that does not comply with this policy or, in its sole discretion, any material which ECSI deems to be objectionable to participants, even when not specifically outlined in this policy.

Reporting
If any participant finds materials that violate this agreement or are objectionable, please email webmaster@ecsi.net. Include the message number (when available), author and subject and a brief description.