Cable Terms and Conditions
EarthLink
Internet Privacy Initiative
Earthlink
Privacy Policy
Cable
Terms and Conditions
READ THIS SERVICE AGREEMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE USING ANY OF
OUR INTERNET SERVICES.
1. AGREEMENT.
This is an agreement between EarthLink, Inc. and you to provide
EarthLink High-Speed Internet Cable Modem Access ("the
Service"). By establishing an account or using the Service
or equipment, you agree to be bound by this Agreement and
to use the Service in compliance with the EarthLink Internet
Service Agreement and EarthLink Acceptable Use Policy ("the
Agreements") which can be found by going to www.earthlink.net/about/policies.
2. TERM.
The initial term of this agreement is one month from the date
that the Service is first provisioned ("Activation Date")
and will continue on a month-to-month basis thereafter. EarthLink
reserves the right to change the price of the Service at any
time after the initial term upon 30 days notice. Prices for
other EarthLink services may change at any time upon 30 days
notice and will be posted on the EarthLink homepage: www.earthlink.net.
Current rates may also be obtained by calling 1-800-817-5508.
3. THE
SERVICE.
The Service includes:
-Cable modem access and certain related equipment
-8 email accounts
-Personal webspace on EarthLink Servers
-Unlimited dial-up access
The Service speed can vary depending on location, cable line
quality, inside wiring, Internet traffic and other factors
beyond the control of EarthLink. Data bandwidth is shared
from the neighborhood node to the home, so it is possible
for performance to vary depending on how many customers are
actively using the system at any given time. EarthLink provides
the Service on a "best efforts" standard and does
not guarantee upload or download speeds.
The email, webspace and dial-up service are available under
this agreement after the Activation Date. You are solely responsible
for determining if use of a particular dial-up number will
cause you to incur long-distance, toll, or any other charges.
EarthLink is not responsible for any long-distance, toll or
other charges you incur. Toll-free (800, 888, 877), international,
and simultaneous login access costs will be extra.
4. CANCELLATION.
If you are dissatisfied with the Service or any related terms,
conditions, rules, policies, guidelines, or practices, your
sole remedy is to discontinue using the Service, cancel your
account, and pay any cancellation fees that may apply. EarthLink
is providing equipment to you for your use of the Service.
Cancellation of the Service by you before the Activation Date
will not result in an equipment charge, provided that you
return all materials provided to you by EarthLink in the original
container (or an equivalent) within 30 days of cancellation.
To cancel the Service you must call 1-800-817-5508 or write
to EarthLink, Inc., Customer Service Manager, Consumer Cable
Services, 1375 Peachtree Street, Level A, Atlanta, GA 30309.
Cancellation will be effective at the end of the current billing
period in which notice of cancellation is received. Upon cancellation,
email service will be terminated and all files stored on EarthLink
servers will be deleted. EarthLink may terminate this Agreement,
your password, your account, or your use of the Services for
any reason, including, without limitation, if EarthLink, in
its sole discretion, believes you have violated the Agreements
or if you fail to pay any charges when due. Termination notice
will be by email or U.S. Mail to the address you provided
for the Service. All notices to you shall be deemed effective
on the first (1st) day following the date of the email or
on the fourth (4th) day following the date of the mailing.
Sections 1, 4, 6, 10, 11 and 12 of this Agreement shall survive
termination of this Agreement.
5. ACCOUNT REQUIREMENTS.
In order to receive the Service:
-You must be at least 18 years old and provide a valid credit
card. -Your computer must meet the following minimum requirements:
For PC:
- Windows 95 / 98 / Me / 2000
- Pentium 166MHZ
- 32MB RAM
- 110 Hard disk space (before installation)
- CD-ROM drive
- Available Ethernet or USB port (if no Ethernet or USB port
available, a PCI or ISA slot must be available for installation
of NIC)
For Macintosh:
- Mac OS 7.6.1 through 9.2.1 and OS X
- Power PC 75 Mhz
- 80 MB free disk space (before installation)
- CD-ROM Drive
- Available Ethernet or USB Port
- Open Transport PPP (OT/PPP) installed (Macintosh OS 7.6.1)
6. PAYMENT.
You will be charged a monthly charge for the Service. You
must provide accurate billing information including legal
name, address, telephone number, and credit card/billing information,
and report all changes to this information immediately. You
are responsible for any charges to your account. Questions
regarding charges to an account should be directed to EarthLink's
Customer Service Department at 1-800-817-5508. All charges
are considered valid unless disputed in writing within sixty
(60) days of the billing date. Adjustments will not be made
for charges that are more than 60 days old.
Charges are billed to your credit card or debit card, as applicable,
each month for the Service and any additional usage or services.
EarthLink is not responsible for any charges or expenses (e.g.,
for overdrawn accounts, exceeding credit card limits, etc.)
resulting from charges billed by EarthLink. Payment by check
is due within 30 days after the month in which the charges
are incurred. You agree to maintain valid and current credit
card information on file with EarthLink at all times.
If purchasing
Services through a reseller, the reseller must pay all amounts
owing for your account. If the reseller fails to pay EarthLink
any amounts due, whether or not you have paid the reseller,
your account will be subject to suspension or cancellation
until you or the reseller has paid all amounts due.
Delinquent accounts may be suspended or canceled at EarthLink's
sole discretion; however charges will continue to accrue until
the account is canceled. EarthLink may bill an additional
charge to reinstate a suspended account.
7. YOUR ACCOUNT, PASSWORD AND SECURITY.
Upon registration, you will receive a username, password and
account designation. You are solely responsible for use of
the Service. You must keep your password confidential so that
no one else may access the Services through your account.
You must notify EarthLink immediately upon discovering any
unauthorized use of your account.
Email accounts exceeding 10MB in size may be inactivated until
you reduce the size of the mail being stored. Any free Web
site exceeding the allotted amount of disk space may be suspended
until you reduce the disk space usage or purchase additional
space. Any free Web site exceeding the allotted amount of
bandwidth will be billed for excess traffic. Email, webspace
and bandwidth limits are posted throughout our Web site at
www.earthlink.net. These limits may also be obtained by calling
1-800-817-5508. EarthLink reserves the right to change limits
at any time upon 30 days prior notice.
8. INSTALLATION.
The installation services and related equipment that will
be available from your cable provider ("Provider")
for a standard installation are as described in your cable
provider's list of charges. If self-installation is available
from Provider and elected by you, Provider will supply kits
and instructions and any related installation services as
described in the list of charges. You authorize Provider to
make any preparations to the premises necessary for the installation,
maintenance or removal of equipment.
Any equipment provided by Provider to you (other than any
Network Interface Card ("NIC") installed in the
Computer) will remain the property of Provider except as otherwise
required by applicable law. Neither EarthLink nor Provider
will have any obligation to install, support, maintain, repair
or replace (a) any Computer; or (b) any cable modem or cabling
or other equipment that is provided by someone other then
EarthLink or Provider.
If you are not the owner of the premises upon which Equipment
and Software are to be installed, you warrant that you have
obtained the consent of the owner of the premises for Provider
personnel and/or its agents to enter the premises for the
purposes described above. You shall indemnify and hold EarthLink
harmless from and against any claims of the owner of the premises
arising out of the performance of this Agreement.
The installation, use, inspection, maintenance, repair, and
removal of the Equipment may result in service outage or potential
damage to your computer. You are solely responsible for backing
up all existing computer files. EarthLink and its employees,
agents, contractors, and representatives shall have no liability
whatsoever for any damage to or loss or destruction of any
of your hardware, software, files, data, or peripherals. You
assume responsibility for impacts to or loss of any warranty
associated with the opening of your computer for installation
of an internal card (such as a Network Interface Card) or
cable modem.
You acknowledge that this is a fixed-location service for
one personal computer only. Moving to another location will
require the service to be reprovisioned at the new location.
This may result in substantial interruption of the Service
and will result in fees associated with cancellation and setting
up a new account. Early termination charges may apply even
if the cancellation is for reasons of a move to another location.
EARTHLINK DOES NOT REPRESENT, WARRANT, OR COVENANT THAT INSTALLATION
BY YOU OR A THIRD PARTY WILL ENABLE YOU TO SUCCESSFULLY ACCESS,
OPERATE, OR USE THE SERVICES, NOR THAT SUCH INSTALLATION WILL
NOT CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER, DATA, SOFTWARE, FILES,
OR PERIPHERALS. IN ADDITION, EARTHLINK SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY
WHATSOEVER FOR ANY DAMAGE, OR FOR THE FAILURE TO PROPERLY
INSTALL, ACCESS, USE, OR OPERATE THE EQUIPMENT OR SERVICES
BECAUSE OF YOUR INSTALLATION. THE FOREGOING LIMITATION OF
LIABILITY IS IN ADDITION TO AND SHALL IN NO WAY BE CONSTRUED
TO LIMIT ANY AND ALL LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY SET FORTH ELSEWHERE
IN THIS AGREEMENT.
EarthLink will make its best effort to provide the Service.
Because of the complex nature of broadband services, availability,
and the underlying infrastructure, it may not be possible
to provide the Service to everyone. In its sole discretion,
EarthLink may cancel the installation process and refund any
money that you have paid. EarthLink will notify you of its
intent to cancel as soon as reasonably possible. It may take
30, 60, 90 or more days to determine if EarthLink is able
to provide service. EarthLink shall have no responsibility
whatsoever for claims arising out of its failure or refusal
to complete the installation or provide the Service.
9. MONITORING THE SERVICES.
EarthLink has no obligation to monitor the Services, but may
do so and disclose information regarding use of the Services
for any reason if EarthLink, in its sole discretion, believes
that it is reasonable to do so, including to: satisfy laws,
regulations, or governmental or legal requests; operate the
Service properly; or protect itself and its subscribers. Please
see our Privacy Policy. EarthLink may immediately remove your
material or information from EarthLink's servers, in whole
or in part, which EarthLink, in its sole and absolute discretion,
determines to infringe another's property rights or to violate
our Acceptable Use Policy.
10. DISCLAIMERS.
CERTAIN EQUIPMENT MAY BE SUBJECT TO THIRD PARTY WARRANTIES,
WHICH MAY BE PASSED THROUGH EARTHLINK TO YOU AT NO ADDITIONAL
CHARGE. EARTHLINK WILL COMPLY WITH ALL REASONABLE REQUIREMENTS
NECESSARY TO AFFECT THE PASS-THROUGH OF THE WARRANTY TO YOU.
AT ITS SOLE OPTION WITHIN THE INITIAL TERM, EARTHLINK OR ITS
AGENT MAY REPLACE A DEFECTIVE MODEM OR GATEWAY ON BEHALF OF
THE MANUFACTURER, PROVIDED YOU FOLLOW ALL APPLICABLE PROCEDURES
AND OBTAIN A RETURN MATERIALS AUTHORIZATION (RMA) NUMBER.
THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER DEFECTS RESULTING FROM ACTS OUTSIDE
OF EARTHLINK'S CONTROL, USE CONTRARY TO SPECIFICATIONS OR
INSTRUCTIONS, OR REPAIR OR MODIFICATION BY ANYONE OTHER THAN
EARTHLINK OR ITS CONTRACTOR. EARTHLINK RESERVES THE RIGHT
TO MODIFY THIS WARRANTY AT ANY TIME. THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED
ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS.
EARTHLINK DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED,
ERROR-FREE OR FREE OF VIRUSES, OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS.
EARTHLINK MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES AND WAIVES ALL IMPLIED
WARRANTIES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, WARRANTIES OF TITLE,
NONINFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE REGARDING ANY MERCHANDISE, INFORMATION OR SERVICE
PROVIDED THROUGH EARTHLINK OR THE INTERNET GENERALLY. NO ADVICE
OR INFORMATION GIVEN BY EARTHLINK OR ITS REPRESENTATIVES SHALL
CREATE A WARRANTY. EARTHLINK AND IT EMPLOYEES ARE NOT LIABLE
FOR ANY COSTS OR DAMAGES ARISING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM
YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES OR THE INTERNET INCLUDING ANY INDIRECT,
INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY, MULTIPLE, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES. IN ANY EVENT, EARTHLINK'S CUMULATIVE LIABILITY TO
YOU FOR ANY AND ALL CLAIMS RELATING TO THE USE OF THE SERVICES
SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF SERVICE FEES PAID DURING
A ONE-YEAR PERIOD.
EARTHLINK SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER FOR ANY CLAIMS,
LOSSES, ACTIONS, DAMAGES, SUITS, OR PROCEEDINGS RESULTING
FROM: OTHER USERS ACCESSING YOUR COMPUTER; SECURITY BREACHES;
EAVESDROPPING; DENIAL OF SERVICE ATTACKS; INTERCEPTION OF
TRAFFIC SENT OR RECEIVED USING THE SERVICES; YOUR RELIANCE
ON OR USE OF THE EQUIPMENT OR SERVICES, OR THE MISTAKES, OMISSION,
INTERRUPTIONS, DELETION OF FILES, ERRORS, DEFECTS, DELAYS
IN OPERATION, TRANSMISSIONS, OR ANY FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE
OF THE EQUIPMENT OR SERVICES; THE USE OF THE EQUIPMENT OR
SERVICES BY YOU OR A THIRD PARTY THAT INFRINGES THE COPYRIGHT,
PATENT, TRADEMARK, TRADE SECRET, CONFIDENTIALITY, PRIVACY,
OR OTHER INDUSTRIAL OR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, PROPRIETARY
RIGHTS OR CONTRACTUAL RIGHTS OF ANY THIRD PARTY; THE ACCURACY,
COMPLETENESS, AND USEFULNESS OF ALL SERVICES, PRODUCTS, AND
OTHER INFORMATION, AND THE QUALITY AND MERCHANTABILITY OF
ALL MERCHANDISE PROVIDED THROUGH THE SERVICE OR THE INTERNET.
THE FOREGOING LIMITATION APPLIES TO THE ACTS, OMISSIONS, NEGLIGENCE
AND GROSS NEGLIGENCE OF EARTHLINK, ITS OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES,
AGENTS, CONTRACTORS OR REPRESENTATIVES WHICH, BUT FOR THIS
PROVISION, WOULD GIVE RISE TO THE CAUSE OF ACTION AGAINST
EARTHLINK IN CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL DOCTRINE. YOUR
SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT ARE AS EXPRESSLY
SET OUT IN THIS AGREEMENT. ANY WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC
LEGAL RIGHTS. YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS, WHICH VARY FROM
STATE TO STATE.
11. JURISDICTION.
Under California Civil Code Section 1789.3, subscribers who
are residents of California are entitled to the following
specific consumer rights information: the Complaint Assistance
Unit of the Division of Consumer Services of the Department
of Consumer Affairs may be contacted in writing at 1020 N.
Street, #501, Sacramento, CA 95814 or by telephone at 1-916-445-1254.
This Agreement is governed by Georgia law without regard to
conflict of law provisions. The federal and state courts located
in Atlanta, Georgia alone have jurisdiction over all disputes
arising out of or related to this Agreement and the Service.
You consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts sitting
in Atlanta, Georgia with respect to such matters or otherwise
between you and EarthLink, and waive your rights to removal
or consent to removal.
12. MISCELLANEOUS.
This Agreement, the Acceptable Use Policy, and EarthLink's
other Agreements and policies posted on EarthLink's Web site
constitute the entire agreement between you and EarthLink
with respect to your use of the Service. EarthLink may revise,
amend, or modify the Agreements at any time and in any manner.
Notice of any revision, amendment, or modification will be
posted on EarthLink's Web site (www.earthlink.net) and/or
on your start pages and/or by email and/or in our various
publications and mailings to you.
Ver. 8/29/2001
-----------------------------------------------------------
EARTHLINK(tm) INTERNET SERVICE AGREEMENT
Read This Internet Service Agreement Carefully Before Using
Our Internet Services.
1. INTRODUCTION.
EarthLink, Inc. ("EarthLink") provides its Internet
services, as they may exist from time to time ("Services"),
to users who pay a monthly service fee to subscribe to the
Services ("Members") as well as to those who access
some of our Services but do not have accounts ("Visitors").
By establishing an account or using the Services, you agree
to be bound by this Agreement and to use the Services in compliance
with this Agreement, our Acceptable Use Policy and other policies.
If you do not agree to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
including any future revisions, you may not use the Services
and if you are a current Member, you must terminate your use
of the Services under Section 10.
2. SUBSCRIPTION REQUIREMENTS.
Members must be at least 18 years old. Local access dial-up
numbers may not be available in all areas. You are solely
responsible for determining if use of a particular dial-up
number will cause you to incur long-distance, toll, or other
charges. EarthLink is not responsible for any long-distance,
toll or other telecommunications charges you incur. Toll-free
(800 #), international, and simultaneous login access costs
are extra. Current prices for EarthLink's Services are posted
throughout our website at http://www.earthlink.net. These
rates may also be obtained by calling 800.395.8425. EarthLink
reserves the right to change prices and institute new fees
at any time upon 30 days prior notice.
3. PAYMENT OBLIGATIONS OF A MEMBER.
(a) Members must (i) provide EarthLink with accurate and complete
billing information including legal name, address, telephone
number, and credit card/billing information, and (ii) report
to EarthLink all changes to this information within thirty
(30) days of the change. Members are responsible for any charges
to their account.
(b) Members having questions regarding charges to an account
should contact EarthLink's Customer Service Department at
800.890.6356. All charges are considered valid unless disputed
in writing within sixty (60) days of the billing date. Adjustments
will not be made for charges that are more than 60 days old.
(c) Charges are billed to Members' credit cards or debit cards,
as applicable, each month for the basic service and any additional
usage or services. EarthLink is not responsible for any charges
or expenses (e.g. for overdrawn accounts, exceeding credit
card limits, etc.) resulting from charges billed by EarthLink.
(d) If paying by check, payments are due within 30 days after
the month in which the charges are incurred.
(e) If you pay for Services through a prepayment plan, automatic
billing described above shall only apply to the charges not
paid for through the prepayment plan.
(f) If you purchase Services through a reseller who in turns
pays EarthLink, the reseller must pay all amounts owing for
your account. If the reseller fails to pay EarthLink any amounts
due-whether or not you have paid the reseller-your account
will be subject to suspension or cancellation until you or
the reseller has paid all amounts due.
(g) Delinquent accounts may be suspended or canceled at EarthLink's
sole discretion; however, charges will continue to accrue
until the account is canceled. EarthLink may bill an additional
charge to reinstate a suspended account.
4. MEMBER'S ACCOUNT, PASSWORD, AND SECURITY.
Upon registration, Members receive a username, password, and
account designation. You and members of your household or
business, if you have purchased a business account, are the
only authorized users of your EarthLink account and must comply
with this Agreement. You must keep your password confidential
so that no one else may access the Services through your account.
You must notify EarthLink immediately upon discovering any
unauthorized use of your account.
Using a personal account for high volume or commercial use
(e.g., revenue generation, advertising, etc.) is prohibited.
Email accounts exceeding 10MB in size may, at EarthLink's
discretion, be transferred to a compressed temporary file
or storage. EarthLink may delete the temporary file from the
server 60 days after notifying you. Any free Web site exceeding
6MB may be suspended until the Member reduces the disk space
usage to 6MB or less or purchases additional megabytes. Any
free Web site exceeding 250MB of traffic will be billed for
excess traffic. You may establish a commercial or high-volume
account by calling 800.395.8425.
Members agree not to use any automatic method to avoid inactivity
disconnect or to otherwise maintain a connection unless actively
using it. Members agree not to provide any public information
services over a dial-up connection. EarthLink may change its
POP numbers at any time. EarthLink reserves the right to direct
Members to use certain numbers to access the Service or to
restrict use of specific access numbers. Usernames, passwords
and email addresses are EarthLink's property and EarthLink
may alter or replace them at any time.
5. MONITORING THE SERVICES.
EarthLink has no obligation to monitor the Services, but may
do so and disclose information regarding use of the Services
for any reason if EarthLink, in its sole discretion, believes
that it is reasonable to do so, including to: satisfy laws,
regulations, or governmental or legal requests; operate the
Services properly; or protect itself and its Members. Please
see our Privacy Policy. EarthLink may immediately remove your
material or information from EarthLink's servers, in whole
or in part, which EarthLink, in its sole and absolute discretion,
determines to infringe another's property rights or to violate
our Acceptable Use Policy.
6. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES and LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.
EXCEPT FOR CERTAIN PRODUCTS AND SERVICES SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED
AS BEING OFFERED BY EARTHLINK, EARTHLINK DOES NOT CONTROL
ANY MATERIALS, INFORMATION, PRODUCTS, OR SERVICES ON THE INTERNET.
THE INTERNET CONTAINS UNEDITED MATERIALS, SOME OF WHICH ARE
SEXUALLY EXPLICIT OR MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO YOU. EARTHLINK HAS
NO CONTROL OVER AND ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH MATERIALS.
YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK FOR USE OF THE SERVICES
AND THE INTERNET AND ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR EVALUATING
THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, AND USEFULNESS OF ALL SERVICES,
PRODUCTS, AND OTHER INFORMATION, AND THE QUALITY AND MERCHANTABILITY
OF ALL MERCHANDISE PROVIDED THROUGH THE SERVICE OR THE INTERNET.
THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS
AVAILABLE" BASIS. EARTHLINK DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE
SERVICES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, OR FREE OF VIRUSES
OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS. EARTHLINK MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES
AND WAIVES ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
TO, WARRANTIES OF TITLE, NONINFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY,
AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE REGARDING ANY MERCHANDISE,
INFORMATION OR SERVICE PROVIDED THROUGH EARTHLINK OR THE INTERNET
GENERALLY. NO ADVICE OR INFORMATION GIVEN BY EARTHLINK OR
ITS REPRESENTATIVES SHALL CREATE A WARRANTY. EARTHLINK AND
ITS EMPLOYEES ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY COSTS OR DAMAGES ARISING
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES OR THE
INTERNET INCLUDING ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY, MULTIPLE,
SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. IN ANY EVENT,
EARTHLINK'S CUMULATIVE LIABILITY TO ANY MEMBER FOR ANY AND
ALL CLAIMS RELATING TO THE USE OF THE SERVICES SHALL NOT EXCEED
THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF SERVICE FEES PAID DURING A ONE YEAR PERIOD.
7. SOFTWARE LICENSE.
EarthLink grants to each Member a limited, nonexclusive, nontransferable
and nonassignable license to install and use the EarthLink
access software (including software from third-party vendors
that EarthLink distributes; in object code format), its associated
documentation, and any updates thereto ("Licensed Programs")
in order to access and utilize the Services. Each Member agrees
to use the Licensed Programs solely in conjunction with the
Services and for no other purpose. EarthLink may modify the
Licensed Programs at any time, for any reason, and without
providing notice of such modification to a Member. The Licensed
Programs constitute confidential and proprietary information
of EarthLink and EarthLink's licensors and embody trade secrets
and intellectual property protected under United States copyright
laws, other laws, and international treaty provisions. All
right, title, and interest in and to the Licensed Program,
including associated intellectual property rights, are and
shall remain with EarthLink and EarthLink's licensors. Member
shall not translate, decompile, reverse engineer, distribute,
remarket, or otherwise dispose of the Licensed Programs or
any part thereof.
You may not download, use, or otherwise export or re-export
the Licensed Programs or any underlying information or technology
except in full compliance with all United States and other
applicable laws and regulations. By installing or downloading
the Software, you represent and warrant that you are not located
in, under the control of or a national or resident of any
country on the U.S. Treasury Department's list of Specially
Designated Nationals or the U.S. Commerce Department's Table
of Deny Orders. Contractor/manufacturer is EarthLink, Inc.,
1430 West Peachtree Street, N.W., Suite 400, Atlanta, Georgia
30309.
8. WEB
SITE USAGE.
Our site on the World Wide Web with its home pages in the
domain "earthlink.com", "earthlink.net",
"mindspring.com", "mindspring.net" or
any other site operated by EarthLink (the "Web site")
is a complimentary information service offered by EarthLink
at no charge to users. We may provide links on the Web site
to other Web sites which are not under our control. In general,
any Web site which has an address (or URL) which does not
contain "earthlink.com", "earthlink.net",
"mindspring.com" or "mindspring.net" is
such a Web site. These links are provided for convenience
only and are not intended as an endorsement by EarthLink of
the organization or individual operating the Web site or a
warranty of any type regarding the Web site or the information
on the Web site.
You may provide a hypertext link to our Web site on another
Web site, provided that: (a) the link must be clearly marked
"EarthLink", (b) the link must "point"
to the URL "http://www.earthlink.com" or "www.earthlink.net"
and not to any other pages within the Web site, (c) the appearance,
position and other aspects of the link may not be such as
to damage or dilute the goodwill associated with our name
and trademark(s), (d) the appearance, position and other aspects
of the link may not create the false appearance that an entity
is associated with or sponsored by EarthLink , (e) the link,
when activated by a user, must display this Web site full-screen
and not within a "frame" on the linked Web site,
and (f) EarthLink may, in its sole discretion, revoke consent
to link to our website at any time. All other hypertext links
to the Web site must be approved in writing by EarthLink.
Some portions of the Web site are made available for the free
exchange of ideas by participants and are not regularly monitored
nor moderated by EarthLink. EarthLink assumes no responsibility
and makes no warranty that it will undertake to screen or
remove such material. You agree to hold EarthLink harmless
from all claims based upon the materials posted by others.
Also, in exchange for availing yourself of the opportunity
to upload or provide information to this site and any associated
chat rooms or discussion areas, you will indemnify EarthLink
from any claims made by third parties regarding the material
that you provide. Personal information posted by you to the
Web site is posted at your own risk. EarthLink will have no
liability arising from use of that information. You shall
not use the Web site to distribute or publish any advertising
of goods or services, solicitations for funds, or other commercial
messages. You agree that you will not post, upload or otherwise
introduce a virus or other harmful code onto the Web site.
Your posting of material on the Web site or providing material
to EarthLink to use on the Web site will be deemed to be a
grant by you to EarthLink of a license to the material to
include the material on the Web site and to reproduce, publish,
distribute, perform, display, and transmit the material and
to prepare derivative works as may be reasonably necessary
to do so, and you waive all rights of attribution and integrity
with respect to the material.
9. TERM
OF AGREEMENT.
Continued use of the Services constitutes acceptance of this
Agreement and any future versions. If you are dissatisfied
with the Services or any related terms, conditions, rules,
policies, guidelines, or practices, your sole and exclusive
remedy is to discontinue using the Services and, if you are
a Member, to terminate your account.
10. TERMINATION.
You may terminate your account at any time and for any reason
by providing notice of intent to terminate to EarthLink by:
* registered or certified mail, return receipt requested addressed
to EarthLink Inc., Accounts-Customer Service, 3100 New York
Drive, Suite 201, Pasadena, California 91107; or
* telephone calls directed to Accounts-Customer Service at
800.395.8410. Email termination of your basic Internet access
account will not be accepted. To terminate DSL service, you
must call 888.829.8466. To terminate Web Hosting and/or Business
Services, you must call (800) 237-0148. Your termination will
only be complete upon your receipt of a confirmation number
from EarthLink. Charges to your account will stop accruing
the day EarthLink provide you a confirmation number. Any incoming
email sent to cancel accounts will not be forwarded to another
account; instead, it will be bounced back to the sender. If
your account included space on EarthLink's servers, anything
stored on this space will be deleted upon termination.
Without prior notice, EarthLink may terminate this Agreement,
your password, your account, or your use of the Services,
for any reason, including, without limitation, if EarthLink,
in its sole discretion, believes you have violated this Agreement,
our Acceptable Use Policy, or any of the applicable user policies,
or if you fail to pay any charges when due. EarthLink may
provide termination notice to you by: email addressed to your
email account or by US Mail or courier service to the address
you provided for the Services. All notices to you shall be
deemed effective on the first (1st) calendar day following
the date of electronic mailing or on the fourth (4th) calendar
day following the date of first-class mailing or deposit with
a commercial courier service.
Sections 3, 4, 6, and 11 of this Agreement shall survive termination
of this Agreement.
11. JURISDICTION.
Under California Civil Code Section 1789.3, Members or Visitors
who are residents of California are entitled to the following
specific consumer rights information: the Complaint Assistance
Unit of the Division of Consumer Services of the Department
of Consumer Affairs may be contacted in writing at 1020 N.
Street, #501, Sacramento, CA 95814 or by telephone at 916.445.1254.
This Agreement is governed by Georgia law without regard to
conflict of law provisions.
The federal and state courts located in Georgia alone have
jurisdiction over all disputes arising out of or related to
this Agreement and the Services. You consent to the personal
jurisdiction of such courts sitting in Georgia with respect
to such matters or otherwise between you and EarthLink, and
waive your rights to removal or consent to removal.
12. MISCELLANEOUS.
This Agreement, the Acceptable Use Policy, the Privacy Policy,
and EarthLink's other user policies posted on EarthLink's
Web site constitute the entire agreement between you and EarthLink
with respect to your use of the Services. EarthLink may revise,
amend, or modify this Agreement, the Acceptable Use Policy
and any other user policies and agreements, at any time and
in any manner. Notice of any revision, amendment, or modification
will be posted on EarthLink's Web site (http://www.earthlink.net)
and/or on Member's start pages and/or by email and/or in our
various publications and mailings to Members.
-----------------------------------------------------------
EARTHLINK(tm)
ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY
1. INTRODUCTION
EarthLink's Acceptable Use Policy ("AUP") is intended
to help enhance the use of the Internet by preventing unacceptable
use. All users of EarthLink's Internet services (the "Services")-those
who access some of our Services but do not have accounts ("Visitors")
as well as those who pay a monthly service fee to subscribe
to the Services ("Members")-must comply with this
AUP. We support the free flow of information and ideas over
the Internet and do not actively monitor use of the Services
under normal circumstances. Similarly, we do not exercise
editorial control over the content of any Web site, electronic
mail transmission, newsgroup, or other material created or
accessible over or through the Services, except for certain
proprietary Web sites. However, in accordance with our Internet
Service Agreement, we may remove any materials that, in our
sole discretion, may be illegal, may subject us to liability,
or which may violate this AUP. EarthLink may cooperate with
legal authorities and/or third parties in the investigation
of any suspected or alleged crime or civil wrong. Your violation
of this AUP may result in the suspension or termination of
either your access to the Services and/or your EarthLink account
or other actions as detailed in Section 3. This AUP should
be read in conjunction with our Internet Service Agreement
and other policies.
2. VIOLATIONS OF EARTHLINK'S ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY.
The following constitute violations of this AUP:
a. Illegal use. Using the Services to transmit any material
(by email, uploading, posting, or otherwise) that, intentionally
or unintentionally, violates any applicable local, state,
national, or international law, or any rules or regulations
promulgated thereunder.
b. Harm to minors. Using the Services to harm, or attempt
to harm, minors in any way.
c. Threats. Using the Services to transmit any material (by
email, uploading, posting, or otherwise) that threatens or
encourages bodily harm or destruction of property.
d. Harassment. Using the Services to transmit any material
(by email, uploading, posting, or otherwise) that harasses
another.
e. Fraudulent activity. Using the Services to making fraudulent
offers to sell or buy products, items, or services, or to
advance any type of financial scam such as "pyramid schemes,"
"ponzi schemes," and "chain letters."
f. Forgery or impersonation. Adding, removing, or modifying
identifying network header information in an effort to deceive
or mislead is prohibited. Attempting to impersonate any person
by using forged headers or other identifying information is
prohibited. The use of anonymous remailers or nicknames does
not constitute impersonation. Using deliberately misleading
headers ("munging" headers) in news postings in
order to avoid spam email address collectors is allowed.
g. Unsolicited commercial email/ Unsolicited bulk email. Using
the Services to transmit any unsolicited commercial email
or unsolicited bulk email. Activities that have the effect
of facilitating unsolicited commercial email or unsolicited
bulk email whether or not that email is commercial in nature,
are prohibited.
h. Unauthorized access. Using the Services to access, or to
attempt to access, the accounts of others, or to penetrate,
or attempt to penetrate, security measures of EarthLink's
or another entity's computer software or hardware, electronic
communications system, or telecommunications system, whether
or not the intrusion results in the corruption or loss of
data.
i. Copyright or trademark infringement. Using the Services
to transmit any material (by email, uploading, posting, or
otherwise) that infringes any copyright, trademark, patent,
trade secret, or other proprietary rights of any third party,
including, but not limited to, the unauthorized copying of
copyrighted material, the digitization and distribution of
photographs from magazines, books, or other copyrighted sources,
and the unauthorized transmittal of copyrighted software.
EarthLink is registered under the Digital Millenium Copyright
Act of 1998.
j. Collection of personal data. Using the Services to collect,
or attempt to collect, personal information about third parties
without their knowledge or consent.
k. Reselling the services. Reselling the Services without
EarthLink's authorization.
l. Network disruptions and unfriendly activity. Using the
Services for any activity which adversely affects the ability
of other people or systems to use EarthLink Services or the
Internet. This includes "denial of service" (DoS)
attacks against another network host or individual user. Interference
with or disruption of other network users, network services,
or network equipment is prohibited. It is the Member's responsibility
to ensure that their network is configured in a secure manner.
A Member may not, through action or inaction, allow others
to use their network for illegal or inappropriate actions.
A Member may not permit their network, through action or inaction,
to be configured in such a way that gives a third party the
capability to use their network in an illegal or inappropriate
manner.
m. News. EarthLink Members should use their best judgment
when posting to any newsgroup. Many groups have charters,
published guidelines, FAQs, or "community standards"
describing what is and is not considered appropriate. Usenet
can be a valuable resource if used properly. The continued
posting of off-topic articles is prohibited. Commercial advertisements
are off-topic in most newsgroups, especially regional groups
not specifically named for such. The presence of such articles
in a group is not indicative of the group's "intended"
use. Please familiarize yourself with basic USENET netiquette
before posting to a newsgroup.
EarthLink considers "multiposting" to 10 or more
groups within a two-week sliding window to be excessive. EarthLink
servers currently limit the number of allowable "cross-posts"
to 9.
EarthLink Members may not cancel messages other than their
own messages. A Member may cancel posts forged in that Member's
name. We may cancel any postings which violate this AUP.
n. Long Connections and Multiple Logins. Using a personal
account for high volume or commercial use is prohibited. The
Services are intended for periodic, active use of email, newsgroups,
file transfers, Internet chat, games, and browsing the World
Wide Web. Members may stay connected so long as they are actively
using that connection for the above purposes. Members may
not use the Services on a standby or inactive basis in order
to maintain a connection. Pinging is expressly prohibited.
Accordingly, EarthLink maintains the right to terminate any
member's connection following any extended period of inactivity
as determined by EarthLink.
3. REPORTING VIOLATIONS OF EARTHLINK'S AUP.
EarthLink requests that anyone who believes that there is
a violation of this AUP direct the information to Director-Abuse
Department, at:
abuse@earthlink.net. If available, please provide the following
information:
* The IP address used to commit the alleged violation
* The date and time of the alleged violation, including the
time zone or offset from GMT
* Evidence of the alleged violation Email with full header
information provides all of the above, as do syslog files.
Other situations will require different methods of providing
the above information.
EarthLink may take any one or more of the following actions
in response to complaints:
* issue written or verbal warnings
* suspend the Member's newsgroup posting privileges
* suspend the Member's account
* terminate the Member's account
* bill the Member for administrative costs and/or reactivation
charges
* bring legal action to enjoin violations and/or to collect
damages, if any, caused by violations.
4. REVISIONS TO THIS ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY.
EarthLink reserves the right to revise, amend, or modify this
AUP, our Internet Service Agreement and our other policies
and agreements at any time and in any manner. Notice of any
revision, amendment, or modification will be posted in accordance
with the Internet Service Agreement.
-----------------------------------------------------------
EARTHLINK(tm) PRIVACY POLICY
Your privacy is very important to us. We want to make your
experience on the Internet as enjoyable and rewarding as possible,
and we want you to use the Internet's vast array of information,
tools, and opportunities with complete confidence.
We have created this Privacy Policy to demonstrate our firm
commitment to privacy and security. This Privacy Policy describes
how EarthLink collects information from all end users of EarthLink's
Internet services (the "Services")-those who access
some of our Services but do not have accounts ("Visitors")
as well as those who pay a monthly service fee to subscribe
to the Service ("Members")-what we do with the information
we collect, and the choices Visitors and Members have concerning
the collection and use of such information. EarthLink requests
that you read this Privacy Policy carefully.
Personal Information EarthLink Collects and How It Is Used
Introduction
EarthLink collects information in different ways from Visitors
and Members who access the various parts of our Services and
the network of Web sites accessible through our Service. We
use this information primarily to provide a customized experience
as you use our Services and, generally, do not share this
information with third parties. However, we may disclose personal
information collected if we have received your permission
beforehand or in very special circumstances, such as when
we believe that such disclosure is required by law or other
special cases described below.
Registration
Members are asked to provide certain personal information
when they sign up for our Services including name, address,
telephone number, billing information (such as a credit card
number), and the type of personal computer being used to access
the Services. The personal information collected from Members
during the registration process is used to manage each Member's
account (such as for billing purposes). This information is
not shared with third parties, unless specifically stated
otherwise or in special circumstances. However, in instances
where EarthLink and a partner jointly promote the Services,
EarthLink may provide the partner certain personal information,
such as the name, address, and username of persons who subscribed
to the Services as a result of the joint promotion for the
sole purpose of allowing us and the partner to assess the
results of the promotion. In this instance, personal information
may not be used by the partner for any other purpose. EarthLink
may also generate nonidentifying and aggregate profiles from
personal information Members provide during registration (such
as the total number, but not the names, of Members). As explained
in more detail below, we may use this aggregated and nonidentifying
information to sell advertisements that appear on the Services.
EarthLink Partners and Sponsors
Some EarthLink products and services are offered to Visitors
and Members in conjunction with a non-affiliated partner.
For example, we outsource the provision of stock quotes and
operation of your stock portfolio (accessible through your
Personal Start Page) to a third-party vendor. To provide Visitors
and Members some of these products and services, the partner
may need to collect and maintain personal information. In
these instances, you will be notified before any such data
is collected or transferred and may decide not to use that
particular service or feature. Additionally, many EarthLink
Members have cobranded Personal Start Pages that are cosponsored
by nonaffiliated partners. EarthLink will share nonidentifying
and aggregate information (except as described above), but
not personal information, with such partners in order to administer
the cobranded products or services offered.
Online Shopping
At some Web sites, you can purchase products and services
or register to receive materials, such as a catalog or new
product and service updates. In many cases, you may be asked
to provide contact information, such as your name, address,
email address, phone number, and credit/debit card information.
If you complete an order for someone else, such as an online
gift order sent directly to a recipient, you may be asked
to provide information about the recipient, such as the recipient's
name, address, and phone number. EarthLink has no control
over the third parties' use of any personal information you
provide when placing such an order. Please exercise care when
doing so. If you order products directly from EarthLink, such
as through the "EarthLink Store," we will use the
personal information you provide only to process that order.
We do not share this information with outside parties except
to the extent necessary to complete that order.
Online Advertisements
EarthLink displays our online advertisements. We share aggregated
and nonidentifying information about our Visitors and Members
collected through the registration process as well as through
online surveys and promotions with these advertisers. Additionally,
in some instances, we use this aggregated and nonidentifying
information to deliver tailored advertisements. For instance,
an advertiser tells us the audience they want to reach (for
example, males between 25 and 55 years of age) and provides
us an advertisement tailored to the audience. Based upon the
aggregated and nonidentifying information we have collected,
we may then display the advertisement to the intended audience.
EarthLink does not share personal information about its Visitors
or Members with these advertisers.
Responses to Email Inquiries
When Visitors or Members send email inquiries to EarthLink,
the return email address is used to answer the email inquiry
we receive. EarthLink does not use the return email address
for any other purpose and does not share the return email
address with any third party.
Voluntary Customer Surveys
We may periodically conduct both business and individual customer
surveys. We encourage our customers to participate in these
surveys because they provide us with important information
that helps us to improve the types of services we offer and
how we provide them to you. Your personal information and
responses will remain strictly confidential, even if the survey
is conducted by a third party. Participation in our customer
surveys is voluntary.
We take the information we receive from individuals responding
to our Customer Surveys and combine (or aggregate) it with
the responses of other EarthLink customers to create broader,
generic responses to the survey questions (such as gender,
age, residence, hobbies, education, employment, industry sector,
or other demographic information). We then use the aggregated
information to improve the quality of our services to you,
and to develop new services and products. This aggregated,
non-personally identifying information may be shared with
third parties.
Special Cases
It is EarthLink's policy not to use or share the personal
information about Visitors of Members in ways unrelated to
the ones described above without also providing you an opportunity
to opt out or otherwise prohibit such unrelated uses. However,
EarthLink may disclose personal information about Visitors
or Members, or information regarding your use of the Services
or Web sites accessible through our Services, for any reason
if, in our sole discretion, we believe that it is reasonable
to do so, including: to satisfy laws, such as the Electronic
Communications Privacy Act, regulations, or governmental or
legal requests for such information; to disclose information
that is necessary to identify, contact, or bring legal action
against someone who may be violating our Acceptable Use Policy
or other user policies; to operate the Services properly;
or to protect EarthLink and our Members.
"Cookies" and How EarthLink Uses Them
A "cookie" is a small data file that can be placed
on your hard drive when you visit certain Web sites. EarthLink
may use cookies to collect, store, and sometimes track information
for statistical purposes to improve the products and services
we provide and to manage our telecommunications networks.
If you are a Member and have created your own Personal Start
Page, we will use a cookie to save your settings and to provide
customizable and personalized services. These cookies do not
enable third parties to access any of your customer information.
Additionally, be aware that if you visit non-EarthLink web
sites where you are prompted to log in or that are customizable,
you may be required to accept cookies.
Advertisers and partners may also use their own cookies. We
do not control use of these cookies and expressly disclaim
responsibility for information collected through them.
EarthLink's Commitment to Children's Privacy
Protecting children's privacy is especially important to us.
It is our policy to comply with the Children's Online Privacy
Protection Act of 1998 and all other applicable laws.
We have Web pages designed especially for our younger users.
While we make every effort to ensure that these Web sites
are fun and age-appropriate for our younger audience, we believe
that there is no substitute for proper parental supervision.
For further information about tips, tools, age-appropriate
or kid-friendly Web sites and how to report online trouble,
please visit www.getnetwise.org.
Finally, EarthLink recommends that children ask a parent for
permission before sending personal information to EarthLink,
or to anyone else online.
Public
Forums
Please remember that any information you may disclose in our
Member Directory, or other public areas of our Web sites or
the Internet, becomes public information. You should exercise
caution when deciding to disclose personal information in
these public areas.
EarthLink's
Commitment to Data Security
Services and Web sites we sponsor have security measures in
place to protect the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information
under our control. While we make every effort to ensure the
integrity and security of our network and systems, we cannot
guarantee that our security measures will prevent third-party
"hackers" from illegally obtaining this information.
How to
Access or Modify Your Information
EarthLink offers Members the opportunity to access or modify
information provided during registration. To access or modify
such information, visit http://help.earthlink.net/billing
or contact our Customer Service Department at 800.890.6356.
Where
to Direct Questions About EarthLink's Privacy Policy
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or the
practices described herein, you may contact:
Customer Service
EarthLink, Inc.
1430 West Peachtree Street, N.W.
Suite 400
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
privacypolicy@corp.earthlink.net, or service@mindspring.net
Revisions to This Policy
EarthLink reserves the right to revise, amend, or modify this
policy, our Internet Service Agreement and our other policies
and agreements at any time and in any manner. Notice of any
revision, amendment, or modification will be posted in accordance
with the Internet Service Agreement.
EarthLink
Internet Privacy Initiative
Fact Sheet
Privacy
Overview EarthLink is dedicated to providing each of our subscribers
with superior Internet access, outstanding customer service,
and uncompromising privacy protection. Our commitment to safeguarding
our customers' personal information is outlined in the EarthLink
Privacy Policy.
EarthLink
is a leading advocate of online privacy and security. We will
continue to offer our subscribers access to Internet privacy-protecting
tools and information while lobbying for increased privacy-protection
legislation.
Key Policy Facts EarthLink underscored its mission to protect
subscriber privacy by appointing a full-time Chief Privacy
Officer in December 2000.
All services and Web sites sponsored by EarthLink have security
measures which prohibit the loss, misuse, and altering of
information.
EarthLink will not share personally identifying information
with third party advertisers. Cookies are used to provide
customizable and personalized servicesnot to access
personal information.
EarthLink complies with the Children's Online Privacy Protection
Act of 1998 (COPPA) and does not collect information from
anyone under eighteen.
EarthLink implements round-the-clock monitoring of its network
and state-of-the-art tools in an effort to eliminate unsolicited
email before it can reach EarthLink subscribers.
Privacy Tools & Features EarthLink customers have access
to a range of free Internet privacy tools, including:
SpaminatorSM
The EarthLink Email Protection Agency (EPA)
Hacker and virus protection
Upcoming Privacy Initiatives An annual audit of the company's
privacy systems and practices to ensure the accuracy and integrity
of its privacy policy.
Implementation of an internal Privacy Council responsible
for the ongoing review and analysis of the company's privacy
policies and privacy-related business practices.
EarthLink Privacy Team Les Seagraves, Chief Privacy Officer
Dave Baker, Vice President, Law and Public Policy.
Earthlink
Privacy Policy
Your privacy
is very important to us. We want to make your experience on
the Internet as enjoyable and rewarding as possible, and we
want you to use the Internets vast array of information,
tools, and opportunities with complete confidence.
We have
created this Privacy Policy to demonstrate our firm commitment
to privacy and security. This Privacy Policy describes how
EarthLink collects information from all end users of EarthLinks
Internet services (the Services)those who
access some of our Services but do not have accounts (Visitors)
as well as those who pay a monthly service fee to subscribe
to the Service (Members)what we do with
the information we collect, and the choices Visitors and Members
have concerning the collection and use of such information.
EarthLink requests that you read this Privacy Policy carefully.
Personal
Information EarthLink Collects and How It Is Used
Introduction
EarthLink collects information in different ways from Visitors
and Members who access the various parts of our Services and
the network of Web sites accessible through our Service. We
use this information primarily to provide a customized experience
as you use our Services and, generally, do not share this
information with third parties. However, we may disclose personal
information collected if we have received your permission
beforehand or in very special circumstances, such as when
we believe that such disclosure is required by law or other
special cases described below.
Registration
Members are asked to provide certain personal information
when they sign up for our Services including name, address,
telephone number, billing information (such as a credit card
number), and the type of personal computer being used to access
the Services. The personal information collected from Members
during the registration process is used to manage each Members
account (such as for billing purposes). This information is
not shared with third parties, unless specifically stated
otherwise or in special circumstances. However, in instances
where EarthLink and a partner jointly promote the Services,
EarthLink may provide the partner certain personal information,
such as the name, address, and username of persons who subscribed
to the Services as a result of the joint promotion for the
sole purpose of allowing us and the partner to assess the
results of the promotion. In this instance, personal information
may not be used by the partner for any other purpose. EarthLink
may also generate nonidentifying and aggregate profiles from
personal information Members provide during registration (such
as the total number, but not the names, of Members). As explained
in more detail below, we may use this aggregated and nonidentifying
information to sell advertisements that appear on the Services.
EarthLink
Partners and Sponsors
Some EarthLink products and services are offered to Visitors
and Members in conjunction with a non-affiliated partner.
For example, we outsource the provision of stock quotes and
operation of your stock portfolio (accessible through your
Personal Start Page) to a third-party vendor. To provide Visitors
and Members some of these products and services, the partner
may need to collect and maintain personal information. In
these instances, you will be notified before any such data
is collected or transferred and may decide not to use that
particular service or feature. Additionally, many EarthLink
Members have cobranded Personal Start Pages that are cosponsored
by nonaffiliated partners. EarthLink will share nonidentifying
and aggregate information (except as described above), but
not personal information, with such partners in order to administer
the cobranded products or services offered.
Online
Shopping
At some Web sites, you can purchase products and services
or register to receive materials, such as a catalog or new
product and service updates. In many cases, you may be asked
to provide contact information, such as your name, address,
email address, phone number, and credit/debit card information.
If you complete an order for someone else, such as an online
gift order sent directly to a recipient, you may be asked
to provide information about the recipient, such as the recipients
name, address, and phone number. EarthLink has no control
over the third parties use of any personal information
you provide when placing such an order. Please exercise care
when doing so.
If you
order products directly from EarthLink, such as through the
EarthLink Store, we will use the personal information
you provide only to process that order. We do not share this
information with outside parties except to the extent necessary
to complete that order.
Online
Advertisements
EarthLink displays our online advertisements. We share aggregated
and nonidentifying information about our Visitors and Members
collected through the registration process as well as through
online surveys and promotions with these advertisers. Additionally,
in some instances, we use this aggregated and nonidentifying
information to deliver tailored advertisements. For instance,
an advertiser tells us the audience they want to reach (for
example, males between 25 and 55 years of age) and provides
us an advertisement tailored to the audience. Based upon the
aggregated and nonidentifying information we have collected,
we may then display the advertisement to the intended audience.
EarthLink does not share personal information about its Visitors
or Members with these advertisers.
We use
DoubleClick and other third-party advertising companies to
serve ads when you visit our Web site. These companies may
use information (not including your name, address, email address
or telephone number) about your visits to this and other Web
sites in order to provide advertisements on this site and
other sites about goods and services that may be of interest
to you. If you would like more information about this practice
and to know your choices about not having this information
used by these companies, please click here: http://www.networkadvertising.org/optout_nonppii.asp
Responses
to Email Inquiries
When Visitors or Members send email inquiries to EarthLink,
the return email address is used to answer the email inquiry
we receive. EarthLink does not use the return email address
for any other purpose and does not share the return email
address with any third party.
Voluntary
Customer Surveys
We may periodically conduct both business and individual customer
surveys. We encourage our customers to participate in these
surveys because they provide us with important information
that helps us to improve the types of services we offer and
how we provide them to you. Your personal information and
responses will remain strictly confidential, even if the survey
is conducted by a third party. Participation in our customer
surveys is voluntary.
We take
the information we receive from individuals responding to
our Customer Surveys and combine (or aggregate) it with the
responses of other EarthLink customers to create broader,
generic responses to the survey questions (such as gender,
age, residence, hobbies, education, employment, industry sector,
or other demographic information). We then use the aggregated
information to improve the quality of our services to you,
and to develop new services and products. This aggregated,
non-personally identifying information may be shared with
third parties.
Special
Cases
It is EarthLinks policy not to use or share the personal
information about Visitors of Members in ways unrelated to
the ones described above without also providing you an opportunity
to opt out or otherwise prohibit such unrelated uses. However,
EarthLink may disclose personal information about Visitors
or Members, or information regarding your use of the Services
or Web sites accessible through our Services, for any reason
if, in our sole discretion, we believe that it is reasonable
to do so, including: to satisfy laws, such as the Electronic
Communications Privacy Act, regulations, or governmental or
legal requests for such information; to disclose information
that is necessary to identify, contact, or bring legal action
against someone who may be violating our Acceptable Use Policy
or other user policies; to operate the Services properly;
or to protect EarthLink and our Members.
"Cookies"
and How EarthLink Uses Them
A cookie is a small data file that can be placed
on your hard drive when you visit certain Web sites. EarthLink
may use cookies to collect, store, and sometimes track information
for statistical purposes to improve the products and services
we provide and to manage our telecommunications networks.
If you are a Member and have created your own Personal Start
Page, we will use a cookie to save your settings and to provide
customizable and personalized services. These cookies do not
enable third parties to access any of your customer information.
Additionally, be aware that if you visit non-EarthLink web
sites where you are prompted to log in or that are customizable,
you may be required to accept cookies.
Advertisers
and partners may also use their own cookies. We do not control
use of these cookies and expressly disclaim responsibility
for information collected through them.
EarthLink's
Commitment to Children's Privacy
Protecting childrens privacy is especially important
to us. It is our policy to comply with the Childrens
Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 and all other applicable
laws.
We have
Web pages designed especially for our younger users. While
we make every effort to ensure that these Web sites are fun
and age-appropriate for our younger audience, we believe that
there is no substitute for proper parental supervision. For
further information about tips, tools, age-appropriate or
kid-friendly Web sites and how to report online trouble, please
visit www.getnetwise.org.
Finally,
EarthLink recommends that children ask a parent for permission
before sending personal information to EarthLink, or to anyone
else online.
Public
Forums
Please remember that any information you may disclose in our
Member Directory, or other public areas of our Web sites or
the Internet, becomes public information. You should exercise
caution when deciding to disclose personal information in
these public areas.
EarthLink's
Commitment to Data Security
Services and Web sites we sponsor have security measures in
place to protect the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information
under our control. While we make every effort to ensure the
integrity and security of our network and systems, we cannot
guarantee that our security measures will prevent third-party
hackers from illegally obtaining this information.
How to
Access or Modify Your Information
EarthLink offers Members the opportunity to access or modify
information provided during registration. To access or modify
such information, visit http://help.earthlink.net/billing
or contact our Customer Service Department at 800.890.6356.
Where
to Direct Questions About EarthLink's Privacy Policy
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or the
practices described herein, you may contact:
Customer
Service
EarthLink, Inc.
1375 Peachtree Street, N.W.
Level A
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
service@mindspring.net, or
privacypolicy@corp.earthlink.net
Revisions
to This Policy
EarthLink reserves the right to revise, amend, or modify this
policy, our Internet Service Agreement and our other policies
and agreements at any time and in any manner. Notice of any
revision, amendment, or modification will be posted in accordance
with the Internet Service Agreement.
Rev. 1/07/2002 |