A2Ethics.org Terms of Use
(Effective Date: August 11, 2009 -- Last Updated: April 14, 2012)
Imagine players joining a game without giving the object, rules and equipment of the game some of their time, attention and care. At A2Ethics.org, we imagine this is exactly what happens with the attention given a website's Terms of Use.
As we think that gamers and nongamers alike (that's everyone), would be pretty mindless if they didn't know the rules or how to master the game's equipment (not knowing, for example, that a hurdle requires jumping over it rather than running under it), we think urging you to go over the Terms of Use is a form of mindlessness prevention.
While there is just so much you can do with Terms of Use, we have tried to give them the time, attention and care you deserve in finding out how many opportunities there are to make this website useful to you and to everyone who agrees to join us in our quest to invite everyone to be mindful about ethics.
Terms of Use
Basic Agreement
Privacy
Access and Use Privileges
Submitting/Posting/User Content/Conduct Guidelines and Conditions
Content Responsibilities on A2Ethics.org
A2Ethics.org Content
User Content
Copyright Infringement or DMCA Notice & Takedown Procedures
Other Website Links
Indemnity
Resources on Ethics Issues in Website Terms of Use Agreements
Any Other Questions?
To access the www.A2Ethics.org website, you and A2Ethics.org agree to enter a binding legal contract that governs your use and A2Ethics.org’s services to you.
If you decide that you do not agree to these Terms, then please do not access or use this website.
Changes to these Terms of Use will be posted on this page and identified by the "last updated" date shown above. By continuing to access and use the A2Ethics.org website after we publish and update any changes, you agree to these modified Terms of Use.
A2Ethics.org respects the privacy of the individuals accessing and using our website. When you visit our website, sign up for our mailing list or contribute information and comments, we expect that you will want to read not only these Terms, but the privacy policy A2Ethics.org has created to back up this commitment. In any case, both online and offline, you should always consider keeping private any information you wish to have complete control over. Just remember the easy access and postcard-like features of website communities – even those like A2Ethics.org that are committed to and have safeguards for privacy – allow for almost anyone, anywhere, to be a reader or a viewer.
Certain features, services and benefits of A2Ethics.org require you to provide a few items of information if you wish to receive periodic updates about A2Ethics.org programs and have the privilege of posting your ideas about ethics matters in comment sections on the website.
If you wish to receive updates and posting privileges, then you agree:
- that you are 13 years or older; and
- to provide true, accurate and complete contact information.
The two items of information you agree to provide are:
1. Name
2. Email contact address
It goes without saying that you are responsible for all activities, whether yours or another’s, that occur under your password-protected name and email address.
Likewise, it would be wise and you agree to let us know immediately of any unauthorized use of your email address or any other breach of security to A2Ethics.org’s services and network.
A2Ethics.org can't, won't and shouldn't be liable for any loss or damages arising from your failure to protect your email address and any information related to it on this website.
Submitting/Posting/User Content and Conduct Guidelines and Conditions
All online communities and social networks, including A2Ethics.org, have certain guidelines and conditions which make it worthwhile to routinely participate, and if you wish, offer your own postings and comments, in this case, about all things that ethically matter to you. These guidelines apply to the entire A2Ethics.org website.
You agree to the conditions outlined and described in these guidelines:
1. Please share what you want to say and have the right to post according to copyright laws, without using ad hominem attacks, name-calling, threatening, personally abusive language or images and harassing or “stalking” comments.
2. Don't post material that is defamatory or libelous. In addition, do not maliciously and knowingly post misleading, deceptive or incorrect text or images and content about subjects, events or people. A2Ethics.org makes every attempt to limit inadvertent and unknowing errors described in our Errors Policy and Ethics Principles. If you decide to submit and post comments on A2Ethics.org, you have a responsibility in your posts to make a good faith effort to ensure the information you are sharing with others is accurate.
3. Don't even think about posting information invasive of another’s privacy rights or which is obscene and pornographic.
4. Excessive profanity is unacceptable on this site, for the simple reason that it signals you can’t think of any better way to express yourself.
5. Commercial messages are outlawed.
6. Illegal and unlawful behavior in accessing our website, including transmitting spam, viruses and all other destructive programs is … illegal and unlawful.
7. Posting any material that would cause harm to minors in any way is despicable, and therefore, prohibited.
8. Please refrain from violating the intellectual property regulations for our website as well as infringing others’ copyrights and intellectual property laws in general.
A2Ethics.org does not edit our text and image submissions and postings of the individuals who have chosen to provide name and email contact address information, that in turn, allows them the privilege of posting. We reserve the right, however, to edit and remove any submissions that--violate and ignore the letter or blaspheme and disrespect the spirit--of these guidelines and conditions.
Please be aware that if you do violate and disrespect these guidelines and conditions, you then agree to have A2Ethics.org suspend your mailing list and posting privileges temporarily.
If you still won’t abide by these guidelines and conditions, you then agree to have A2Ethics.org make the suspension permanent. And that is a very long time.
A2Ethics.org can't, won't and shouldn't be liable if you make us suspend your mailing list and posting privileges for any reason.
Content Responsibilities on the A2Ethics.org Website
As a social network and participatory website, A2Ethics.org integrates content and submissions, including posts, comments and contributions, coming from two types of owners or licensors:
- A2Ethics.org (us) and Users (you)
- Third Party (others)
Content not written and published by us or by you, and which appears on this website, is considered the content of others, that is, a Third Party who may own or is the licensor of the submitted material.
This Third Party content can and often does include material submitted and posted by you. As a result, you agree to get permission from and to follow the copyright, intellectual property and all other rights created by the owners or licensors for this other content, including the Third Party’s intentions about sharing and modifying the material.
Further, you agree that any content and any accompanying Third Party content that you as a user submit, does not in any way imply or suggest that it reflects or represents the views of A2Ethics.org.
It is possible that in using this website, you may be exposed to content that you regard as offensive, indecent or objectionable. A2Ethics.org can't, won't and shouldn't be responsible for the subjective harmfulness, accuracy, truthfulness or reliability of any content or Third Party content that you as a user submit or post to this website.
A2Ethics.org supports the efforts and work of the intellectual property rights consortium known as Creative Commons.
All of our content available and written by A2Ethics.org-affiliated staff and our civic ethicists is licensed through the Creative Commons options described on their website as the Attribution and the Noncommercial Use Licenses.
The License combination we have selected is shown below with its graphic icon descriptions. You can also see an abbreviated description of the A2Ethics.org Attribution and Noncommercial Use License at the bottom of each page of our website.
This Creative Commons License option has two requirements. You agree to follow these two license requirements in these Terms:
1. All A2Ethics.org content must be attributed to us and to the member of the affiliated staff or civic ethicist who composed or created the content. This is easy to do. For re-publishing on the web, a direct link back to the content as well as prominent text stating the material comes from A2Ethics.org give us the credit we seek and a nod for the time and effort we have spent to think about, compose and create our content. In addition, if you plan to use A2Ethics.org content off the Web, please assign a prominent place in the content, stating A2Ethics.org as the source.
At the same time, if the material you intend to use is written by an A2Ethics.org-affiliated staff member or civic ethicist who has expressly copyrighted the material, you agree not to use this material unless given express and verifiable permission by the A2Ethics.org-affiliated author.
2. The Creative Commons license allows our content to be used for noncommercial purposes. This signifies that you as a user cannot sell, profit from or commercialize any of the original materials or content you use from any A2Ethics.org content.
This approach is congenial with the nonprofit status of A2Ethics.org as an organization. Notably, our understanding of noncommercial is not based on who our users are or their own organizational choice to be for profit or nonprofit. Instead, our understanding of noncommercial is based on their use of the content. So, it is possible for a profit-minded individual or commercial organization to use A2Ethics.org content as long as they do not profit from, commercialize or sell our original content separately and exclusively.
Any original content that you have actually created yourself and that you as a user submit to A2Ethics.org is accepted as your copyrighted material.
By submitting and posting your original content, comments and material to A2Ethics.org-affiliated staff, however, you agree to grant us and all users of the A2Ethics.org website the royalty-free right to use, distribute, reproduce and publicly display your comments and material. In addition, you agree to allow us and all users of the A2Ethics.org website the royalty-free right to prepare derivative and abbreviated works of your content and to perform it. You give permission to others to do so as well. These rights are also subject to the Attribution and Noncommercial Use Licenses governing this website.
Copyright Infringement or DMCA Notice & Takedown Procedures
In instances where submissions and posts on this website are allegedly infringing on copyrights or intellectual property laws, A2Ethics.org relies on a commonly used and respected procedure to efficiently handle these matters. You agree to follow this procedure, called the DMCA Notice & Takedown, in alleged infringement cases reported on this website. Please consider these procedures and this link as part of the Terms of Use.
Social Media and Other Website Links
Links to social media and other websites are offered for your convenience and to give you additional resources. Their inclusion does not imply that A2Ethics.org endorses the content or is responsible for access to and use of these social media and other websites. Please carefully read all Terms of Use and other policies accompanying each linked social media and other website you visit to be informed about their rules and practices, which may be quite different from these Terms of Use and the other policies, governing A2Ethics.org.
Terms of Use agreements traditionally end with what is known as an indemnification or a “You will hold our organization and anyone remotely related to it harmless” clause.
In this case, you agree to hold harmless A2Ethics.org, its staff and civic ethicists, officers, directors, independent contractors, consultants, agents, mascots, and any other A2Ethics.org-affiliated sentient beings for any loss, damage, injury, cost or expense, claim, or liability of any kind, based upon or resulting from your violation of these Terms or your use or misuse of this website.
Resources on Ethics Issues in Social Media and Website Terms of Use Agreements
For more information on the ethics of copyright, the following links may be useful:
Computer Ethics Institute
Cyber-rights and Cyber-liberties
Educause
Other resources:
Molly Kleinman, a copyright and intellectual property specialist at the University of Michigan Libraries, helped us a lot in deciding which Creative Commons licenses suited our mission. Please listen to our lively and all-over-the-intellectual-property-map podcast with her. Or go to Molly's copyright and intellectual property blog at: www.mollykleinman.com.
If you have any questions, concers or suggestions regarding these Terms of Use, please send us an email us at [email protected].