URCHAT Network Terms Of Service

By connecting and retaining a connection to any part of the URCHAT Network (URCHAT.NET / URWEBCHAT.COM / *.URCHAT.ORG / *.URCHAT.NET) you state that you have read, understand, and hereby agree to comply and accept the following terms of use, disclaimers, and rules stated in this document, as well as the policies of the individual server you are using (which are stated on each server's Message of the Day "MOTD" [type /motd in your status window].)

If you do not agree, do not connect or disconnect now and do not reconnect!


Rules and Guidelines:
 

1. Illegal Behavior:
   1. The laws that apply in the offline world must be obeyed online. We have zero tolerance for illegal behavior on URCHAT.
   2. We will fully cooperate with law enforcement on such matters.
2. Copyrighted Material:
   1. URCHAT does not permit illegal file trading.
   2. You may not create a channel for the purpose, or use our network, to distribute, facilitate distribution, or direct links to any content that provides information on how to circumvent manufacture-installed copy-protection devices or otherwise infringes anyone else's intellectual property rights, including, but not limited to, any copyright, trademark, rights of publicity, rights of privacy, or other proprietary rights.
3. Sex/Sensuality/Images:
   1. You may not use URCHAT to distribute, facilitate to distribute, or direct link to any content that exploits people in a sexual or violent manner, solicits for exchange, sale or purchase of sexually explicit images, and/or material harmful to minors (as determined in URCHAT's sole discretion); including, but not limited to, any photograph, film, video, or picture or computer generated image or picture (actual or simulated.)
   2. You may not display obscene, lewd, or sexually harassing images or text on a public channel if minors are present and without the prior consent of that channel's operators.
4. Hacking & Cracking:
   1. You may not use URCHAT to gain unauthorized access to any computer systems. You may not attempt to monitor or tamper with another user's electronic communications, or read, copy, change, or delete any part of another user's nickserv/chanserv/memoserv account.
   2. You may not knowingly or carelessly perform an act that will interfere with the normal operations of computers, servers, or processes. No denial of service ("DoS") actions or abuse of anyone's resources, including but not limited to flooding, cloning, mass-messaging, and mass-inviting.
   3. You may not make unauthorized attempts to circumvent data protection schemes or uncover security holes and vulnerabilities. This includes creating and/or running programs that are designed to identify holes, vulnerabilities, and/or decrypt intentionally secure data.
   4. You may not fake or alter user@host information to evade a ban or falsify your identity.
5. Malware:
   1. You may not advertise, distribute, or link to software viruses or any other computer code, files or programs designed to capture information, interrupt, destroy, and/or limit the functionality of any computer software and/or hardware or telecommunications equipment.
   2. You may not run programs known as, including but not limited to, spam bots, flood bots, clone bots, leech clients, file servs, dccbots, Trojan bots, or zombies. Friendly bots are welcome.
6. Advertising & Commercial Purposes:
   1. Unsolicited advertising including, but not limited to, the advertising of free, pay, personal, or private web sites, products, programs, and/or other networks is not allowed.
   2. You may not use URCHAT resources for commercial activity without prior approval of the URCHAT administration. This includes but is not limited to unsolicited advertising, promotional materials, "junk mail", "spam", "chain letters", "pyramid schemes" or any other form of solicitation.
   3. You may not post links for any type of affiliate program with referrer IDs.
7. Disruptive Behavior:
   1. Hate speech and harsh personal insults and epithets directed against any race, religion, ethnic origin, gender or sexual preference or otherwise promotes racism, bigotry, or hatred is not allowed even if disguised with asterisks or other text and characters.
   2. Speech which is patently offensive or promotes physical harm of any kind against any group or individual will not be tolerated.
   3. You may not transmit or facilitate distribution of content that is harmful, abusive, racially or ethnically offensive, or in a reasonable person's view, objectionable.
   4. You may not intentionally repeat or transmit material in a rapid manner producing the affect of harassing a user by "flooding" them.
   5. You may not disclose or post any telephone numbers, street addresses, last names, or email addresses.
   6. You may promote information that you know is false or misleading or promotes illegal activities or conduct that is abusive, threatening, obscene, defamatory or libelous.
   7. You may not Private Message (Query), CTCP, or DCC users without their expressed permission.
8. Children and Teens:
   1. IRC may not be suitable for children of any age. Please supervise your child's IRC session.
   2. You must be at least 13 years old to use URCHAT without parental supervision.
   3. You may not violate the privacy of, or solicit personal information from, anyone under 18 years of age.
   4. Adults may not engage in Private Messages with anyone under 18 years of age.
   5. Adults may not attempt to meet in person anyone that is under 18 years of age. NOTE: It is dangerous to get together with someone you first met online. Remember, you never know if people you first met online are who they say they are or are your age. If you want to meet with someone, discuss it with your parents or guardians first, and never go to the meeting by yourself. Arrange to meet in a public place like a coffee shop or mall you are comfortable with. Have your parents or guardians talk with the parents or guardians of the other person. Both of you should bring your parents or guardians along on the first meeting.
   6. If any conversation makes you uncomfortable tell your parents and a URCHAT Administrator immediately!

DISCLAIMER

Considering the real-time nature of IRC, it is impossible for URChat staff and volunteers to review all channels and messages for the validity of information provided in them. URCHAT does not vouch for or warrant the content clarity, accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any user's advice, and is not responsible for it. The messages express the views of the author of the message, not necessarily the views of URCHAT or any other entity or person(s) associated with the administration of this network.

No responsibility for computer damage, data loss, or any other related damage shall be implied by any URCHAT server administrator or any other entity or person(s) associated with the administration of this network. By using any URCHAT server, you hereby state and agree that you release the URCHAT, its servers, administrators, operators, and any other volunteer of the URCHAT from all responsibility or legal liability which might result from your use of URCHAT servers. You may not use the URCHAT if its use violates any applicable law or regulation.

We reserve the right to restrict a user's access to our servers if their speech does not meet our standards. URCHAT and any other entity or person(s) associated with the administration of this network does not assume any liability if we fail to remove any user, and makes the final determination about whether someone's speech is objectionable or not. URCHAT does not endorse or oppose opinions expressed by our users. URCHAT administrators reserve the right to deny access to and use of the URCHAT or any of its other resources, including but not limited to channel services, technical mailing lists, and FTP sites, to any user, group, site, or domain without the benefit of prior warning or notification if necessary.

All rulings by our staff are absolute and final. We reserve the right to change rules without warning or prior notice. Please remember that you are a guest on the network at all times, and you are expected to conduct yourself accordingly.

CONSEQUENCES FOR VIOLATION

If you violate any of the terms of use, disclaimers, or rules stated in this document, or any rule or regulation on the MOTD of any URCHAT server, or fail to comply with any URCHAT Staff member demand or request you will be subject to progressive disciplinary action, including but not limited to denial of access to a URCHAT server or the entire network, and/or legal action where applicable.

Denial of access to a particular URCHAT server or the entire network can be made at our Staff's discretion. Your entire Internet Service Provider may be denied access to the server or network if you successfully evade a ban and your ISP may be notified of your inappropriate behavior so they could suspend or revoke your Internet access.

Each server's staff retains the right to deny access to or use of its server's resources to any user(s), group, site, or domain, without the benefit of prior warning or notification if they so choose.

The URCHAT Network is under no circumstances to be used for illegal activities or activities which may be offensive, violate the rights, harm, or threaten the safety of any person. Although URCHAT itself is a unmoderated forum, the URCHAT administration will cooperate fully with any officially recognized law enforcement body to the best of its capability when required to do so by force of law. Observed and verifiable instances of illegal activities will be reported to the appropriate authorities.


Contacting the Administration

For further information on anything contained in this document, please /join #help on an IRC client, or through web chat Help, and ask for a URCHAT Global Administrator.