UCE / Spam

The abuse and misuse of e-mail is a serious problem, and Web Start Center cannot and will not tolerate it. This policy covers all servers and domains on our network.

• Definition of UCE
• Repercussions of spam
• Impacts to Web Start Center
• Our Providers
• Consequences/Penalties for Spamming
• Basic Mailing List Management Principles

Definition of UCE (Unsolicited Commercial E-mail), or spam:

• The bulk UCE, promotional material, or other forms of solicitation sent via e-mail that advertise any IP address belonging to Web Start Center or any URL (domain) that is hosted by Web Start Center.
• Unsolicited postings to newsgroups advertising any IP or URL hosted by Web Start Center.
• The use of web pages set up on ISPs that allow spamming (also known as "ghost sites") that directly or indirectly reference customers to domains or IP addresses hosted by Web Start Center.
• Advertising, transmitting, or otherwise making available any software, program, product, or service that is designed to facilitate a means to spam.
• Forging or misrepresenting message headers, whether in whole or in part, to mask the true origin of the message.

For further information on mail abuse, please visit the Mail Abuse Prevention System (MAPS) web site .

Spam, mailing lists and other email restrictions: Due to the increased problems and risk to our network, Web Start Center also prohibits the use of 3rd party mailing lists and FFA's. See our mailing list management principles for managing your own lists. Examples that we do not allow include but are not limited to:

• Safelist
• Purchased / Sold mailing lists
• FFA's

Repercussions of spam:

Across the Web, it is generally accepted that spam is an inconsiderate and improper business practice.

Impacts to Web Start Center:

Spam is not only harmful because of its negative impact on consumer attitudes toward Web Start Center, but also because it can overload Web Start Centers network and resources.

There are many groups that report and block the networks that spam is sent from. In the event spam is generated off of ours or our customers servers, our network can be blocked and this impacts other users putting our network at risk.

Our Providers:

Since it is unsolicited, users who receive spam often become angry and send complaints to our upstream providers. This upsets our providers who abhor spam for the same reasons that Web Start Center does - it causes negative consumer attitudes and drains resources. We strive to maintain favorable business relationships in the Web community and obviously will not allow any practice that threatens these relationships.

Consequences/ Penalties for Spamming:

Web Start Center reserves the right to terminate, without warning, any account that violates this policy. Usage of Web Start Center services constitutes acceptance and understanding of this policy. Web Start Center may, at its option, charge $25.00 per spam complaint we receive for any domain on our network and will be charged to the owner of the domain or the owner of the server the domain resides on or the reseller of the domain. Resellers, dedicated server owners and colocation clients may choose to pass this charge down to their client, when/if appropriate. These are non-refundable charges and will be invoiced at the time of complaint notification.

It is the responsibility of dedicated server owners, resellers and colocation clients to manage the email from their server/accounts and to keep in compliance of our policies.

Web Start Center reserves the right to decide what it considers "spam", "UCE", "mail bombing", or "bulk e-mail", and to determine from all of the evidence whether or not the e-mail recipients were from an "opt-in" e-mail list.

Should you choose to e-mail from Web Start Center servers, especially if you use mailing lists, you must read and adhere to the following guidelines, which are offered as a statement of Internet standards and best current practices for proper mailing list management and preventing e-mail abuse.

Basic Mailing List Management Principles for Preventing Abuse

Mailing lists are a vehicle for distributing focused, targeted information to an interested, receptive audience. Consequently, mailing lists have been used successfully as a highly effective direct marketing tool.

Unfortunately, some marketers misuse mailing lists through a lack of understanding of Internet customs and rules of the forum pertaining to e-mail. Others fail to take adequate precautions to prevent the lists they manage from being used in an abusive manner.

• The e-mail addresses of new subscribers must be confirmed or verified before mailings commence. This is usually accomplished by means of an e-mail message sent to the subscriber to which s/he must reply, or containing a URL which s/he must visit, in order to complete the subscription. However it is implemented, a fundamental requirement of all lists is the verification of all new subscriptions.
• Mailing list administrators must provide a simple method for subscribers to terminate their subscriptions, and administrators should provide clear and effective instructions for unsubscribing from a mailing list. Mailings from a list must cease promptly once a subscription is terminated.
• Mailing list administrators should make an "out of band" procedure (e.g., a means of contact by which messages may be sent for further correspondence via e-mail or telephone) available for those who wish to terminate their mailing list subscriptions but are unable or unwilling to follow standard automated procedures.
• Mailing list administrators must ensure that the impact of their mailings on the networks and hosts of others is minimized by proper list management procedures such as pruning of invalid or undeliverable addresses, or taking steps to ensure that mailings do not overwhelm less robust hosts or networks.
• Mailing list administrators must take adequate steps to ensure that their lists are not used for abusive purposes. For example, administrators can maintain a "suppression list" of e-mail addresses from which all subscription requests are rejected. Addresses would be added to the suppression list upon request by the parties entitled to use the addresses at issue. The purpose of the suppression list would be to prevent subscription of addresses appearing on the suppression list by unauthorized third parties. Such suppression lists should also give properly authorized domain administrators the option to suppress all mailings to the domains for which they are responsible.
• Mailing list administrators must make adequate disclosures about how subscriber addresses will be used, including whether or not addresses are subject to sale or trade with other parties. Once a mailing list is traded or sold, it may no longer be an opt-in mailing list. Therefore, those who are acquiring "opt-in" lists from others must examine the terms and conditions under which the addresses were originally compiled and determine that all recipients have in fact opted-in specifically to the mailing lists to which they are being traded or sold.
• Mailing list administrators should make adequate disclosures about the nature of their mailing lists, including the subject matter of the lists and anticipated frequency of messages. A substantive change in either the subject matter or frequency of messages may constitute a new and separate mailing list requiring a separate subscription. List administrators should create a new mailing list when there is a substantive change in either the subject matter or frequency of messages. A notification about the new mailing list may be appropriate on the existing mailing list, but existing subscribers should never be subscribed automatically to the new list. For example, if Company A acquires Company B, and Company B has compiled opt-in mailing lists, Company A should not summarily incorporate Company B's mailing lists into its own.

This spam (UCE) Accepted Use Policy and all other Web Start Center policies are subject to change by Web Start Center without notice. Continued usage of the services after a change to this policy is implemented and posted on the Web Start Center site constitutes your acceptance of such change or policy. We encourage you to regularly check the Web Start Center site for any changes or additions. Visit our Terms of Service (TOS) for further information regarding our policies.