Acceptable Use Policy
This Acceptable Use Policy (the “AUP”) outlines the acceptable behaviors and prohibited activities relating to the use of internet properties (including platforms, websites and applications), products, and online services (collectively, the "Services") offered by LightNode (“us”, “our”). This applies to LightNode’s customers and users who interact with the Services by visiting, purchasing services, and/or registering accounts (collectively, “You,” “Customers,” or “Users”). It is essential that the Services are utilized in a way that aligns with their intended purpose and the terms outlined in the agreement with LightNode, including our Terms of Service (the “Terms”), which this AUP references and is an integral part of.
This AUP is not exhaustive and might be updated by us by posting an updated version on our platforms. By using the Services, You consent to the latest terms of this AUP. It's important that you agree to abide by this AUP and ensure that your end Users also comply with it. Any violation of the AUP, either directly or through aiding others (including your end Users), could lead to a suspension or termination of your access to the Services and the deletion of your Account.
No SPAM, E-Mail or Other Message Misuse
You agree to comply with our Anti-Spam Policy at all times. It is forbidden to distribute, publish, send, or facilitate unsolicited mass e-mails or other messages, promotions, advertising, or solicitations (like “SPAM”), including commercial advertising and informational announcements. Mail headers should not be altered or obscured and assuming a sender’s identity requires explicit permission. Replies from messages sent from another internet service provider should not be collected if those messages breach this AUP or the acceptable use policy of that provider. The use of our communication tools (forums, messaging, feeds) to market unrelated businesses or opportunities not endorsed by the Service is also prohibited.
No Unlawful, Detrimental, or Offensive User Content or Activities
It is prohibited to use the Services, or encourage, endorse, facilitate or instruct others to use, for any unlawful, criminal, harmful, fraudulent, violating or offensive activities or objectives. You must not transmit, store, display, distribute or otherwise make available any content (including User Content) that is illegal, harmful, fraudulent, violating or offensive. Examples of banned activities or content are:
Illicit, Detrimental or Fraudulent Activities. Any activities that are illegal, cause harm, violate others' rights, or could damage others, our operations, or our reputation. This includes distributing child pornography, offering or disseminating fraudulent goods, services, schemes, get-rich-quick schemes, ponzi and pyramid schemes, phishing, or pharming.
Infringing Content. Any content that infringes or misappropriates others' intellectual property or proprietary rights. Unauthorized disclosure of private information, or obtaining information directly from LightNode and/or our Users and using it for personal or business purposes without appropriate permission or attribution is also prohibited. It is strictly forbidden to attempt to resell LightNode’s products and/or Services without our written consent.
Offensive Content. Any content that is damaging to minors, defamatory, libelous, obscene, abusive, threatening, discriminatory, harassing, invasive of privacy, false, intentionally misleading, extremely offensive, or otherwise unacceptable. This includes content that is associated with child pornography, bestiality, non-consensual sex acts or promotes hatred, religious intolerance, misogyny, or physical harm of any kind against any group or individual.
Malicious Content. Any content or technology that may harm, interfere with, covertly intercept, or take over any system, program, or data, including viruses, Trojan horses, worms, time bombs, or cancelbots.
False Content. Any content or information that falsely states, impersonates or misrepresents your identity, misrepresents your current or past qualifications, affiliations with a person or entity, or assumes another’s identity.
No Security Breaches
You are not permitted to use the Services to compromise the security or integrity of any network, computer or communications system, software application, or any network or computing device (each, a “System”). Prohibited activities include:
Unauthorized Access. Using any System without permission, which includes attempts to probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of a System or to breach any security or authentication measures used by a System.
Interception. Unpermitted monitoring of data or traffic on a System.
Falsification of Origin. Forging TCP-IP packet headers, e-mail headers, or any part of a message that misrepresents its origin or route.
No Network Abuse
You are not allowed to make network connections to any Users, hosts, or networks unless you have permission to communicate with them. Prohibited activities include:
Monitoring or Crawling. Monitoring or crawling a System in a manner that hampers or disrupts the System being monitored or crawled.
Denial of Services (DoS). Flooding a target with communication requests to the point where the target either cannot respond to legitimate traffic or responds so slowly it becomes ineffective.
Intentional Interference. Hampering with the correct functioning of any System, including any deliberate attempt to overload a system by mail bombing, news bombing, broadcast attacks, or flooding techniques.
Operation of Certain Network Services. Operating network services like open proxies, open mail relays, or open recursive domain name servers.
Bypassing System Restrictions. Using manual or electronic means to circumvent any use limitations placed on a System, such as access and storage restrictions.
Excessive Use. In the event of excessive CPU usage resulting from your activities that are not otherwise prohibited, LightNode reserves the right to limit the CPU available to your instances in order to maintain consistent performance across all our nodes.
Permitted Use
You agree to:
- Comply with this AUP;
- Adhere to all laws and regulations applicable to you, including but not limited to, criminal laws, privacy laws, intellectual property laws, export control laws, tax laws, and regulatory requirements within your field;
- Use the Services in a professional manner.
Our Monitoring and Enforcement
We reserve the right, though not the obligation, to investigate any violation of this AUP or misuse of the Services. We may:
Investigate violations of this AUP or misuse of the Services;
Review any User Content, and remove, disable access to, or modify any content or resource (including User Content) that violates this AUP or any other agreement we have with you for use of the Services;
Monitor any forbidden actions, investigate, and/or take appropriate action at our sole discretion against you.
In the event of a violation of this AUP or any other provision of the Terms of Service, or any other circumstance that creates liability for us or any other person, including reputational damage, we may (without limitation) and in addition to the above, terminate or suspend your Account, your access to any or all Services and the related services or any portion thereof at any time, with or without notice. We may also take legal action to enforce our rights, and/or report you to appropriate law enforcement authorities, regulators, or other appropriate third parties. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT WE COOPERATE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND REPORT SUSPICIOUS AND/OR ILLEGAL ACTIVITY.
Our reporting may include disclosing appropriate customer information. We also may cooperate with appropriate law enforcement agencies, regulators, or other appropriate third parties to help with the investigation and prosecution of illegal conduct by providing information related to alleged violations of this AUP.
In accordance with our Privacy Policy, we also may share and/or use your information to protect the safety, rights, property, or security of LightNode, our services, any third party, or the general public; to detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security, cybersecurity, cybercrimes or technical issues; to prevent or stop any activity that LightNode, in its sole discretion, may consider to be, or to pose a risk of being, illegal, unethical, or legally actionable; to use as evidence in litigation; to conduct audits; and/or to enforce this Acceptable Use Policy, and our Terms of Service.
LightNode does not control or endorse the Content, messages or information found in the Services and, therefore, LightNode specifically disclaims any liability with regard to the Services and any actions resulting from your participation in any Service. LightNode shall have no obligation to maintain any Content after termination of the Services.
Prohibited Activities Examples
The Services are intended to enable you and your end users to engage in communications via the Internet. You pledge to use the Services (and to demand that your users use the Services) solely for posting, sending, and receiving messages and content that are appropriate and, where applicable, relevant to the specific Service. As a guideline, but not an exhaustive list, you agree that while using a Service, neither you nor your end users will:
Engage in the Service in relation to unlawful contests, lotteries, or gambling; pyramid schemes, chain letters, junk email, spamming or any duplicative or unsolicited messages (commercial or otherwise).
Resale of LightNode's products and services without the express prior written consent of LightNode (unless you are an authorized wholesaler).
Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten, or otherwise infringe the legal rights (such as privacy and publicity rights) of others. Publish, post, upload, distribute, or disseminate any defamatory, obscene, or otherwise illegal content, such as child pornography or virtual child pornography.
Publish, post, upload, distribute or disseminate any topic, name, material or information that promotes discrimination, hate, or violence towards an individual or a group because of their race, religion, or nationality.
Upload or otherwise provide files that contain images, photographs, software, or other material safeguarded by intellectual property laws, including copyright or trademark laws (or by privacy or publicity rights), unless you possess or control the corresponding rights or have received all necessary consents.
Utilize any material or information, including images or photographs, which are made available through the Services in a way that infringes any copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other proprietary right of any party.
Upload files that contain viruses, Trojan horses, worms, time bombs, cancelbots, corrupted files, or any other similar software or programs that may harm another's property.
Download any file posted by another Service user that you know, or reasonably should know, cannot be legally shared in such a way. Falsify or delete any author attributions, legal notices, or proprietary designations or labels of the origin or source of software or other material contained in an uploaded file.
Inhibit any other user from utilizing and enjoying the Services.
Breach any code of conduct or other guidelines applicable to any particular Service.
Harvest or otherwise gather information about others, including e-mail addresses, except as necessary for the operation of your site and as allowed in your site's privacy policy.
Breach any applicable laws or regulations.
Create a false identity with the intention of deceiving others.
Use of unsolicited E-mail originating from within the LightNode network or networks of other Internet Service Providers on behalf of or to advertise any service hosted by LightNode or connected via the LightNode network.
Host TOR exit nodes.
Use, download, or otherwise copy, or provide (whether or not for a fee) to an individual or entity any directory of users of the Services or other user or usage information or any part thereof.
The use of network probing or port scanning tools is only allowed if explicitly authorized by the destination host and/or network. Unauthorized port scanning, for any reason, is strictly forbidden.
Use bots for the purpose of repeatedly and/or automatically purchasing merchandise and anything similar that breaches 3rd party ToS and could result in the blocking of LightNode IP space or ASN.
Use autodialers or other VOIP-based robocalling software.
LightNode clients are not allowed to utilize and deploy our services to conduct and deliver DOS/DDOS mitigation as a service.
Use the Service for CPU (Central Processing Unit) cryptocurrency mining.
Misuse the Bring Your Own IP feature for the purpose of hijacking, parking, or any other use not directly related a legitimate service or proportionate to the deployed LightNode services.
Reporting Violations of this AUP
If you become aware of any violations of this AUP, you are obliged to notify us immediately and provide us with assistance, as requested, to halt or rectify the violation. To report any violations of this AUP, please contact us at [email protected].
Electronic Communications Privacy Act Notice
LightNode makes no guarantee of confidentiality or privacy of any information transmitted through or stored upon LightNode technology, and makes no guarantee that any other entity or group of users will be included or excluded from LightNode's network. In addition, LightNode may periodically monitor transmissions over its network for maintenance, service quality assurance or any other purpose permitted by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, P.L. No. 99-508, as amended.