This Policy describes activities prohibited on Hosted Services provided by Northstar and includes customer-owned systems supported by Northstar. 

Please direct all questions regarding this Policy to helpdesk@northstarltd.co.uk.

Definitions:  

Northstar – Refers to Northstar Services Ltd registered in England and Wales with company number 03697844 whose registered office address is First Floor, 7a Clevedon Triangle Centre, Kenn Road, Clevedon, England, BS21 6HX (referred to as “we”, “us”, “our”, the “Supplier”, and the “Company”)

The Customer – Any entity using the services provided by Northstar under contract. (referred to as “you”, “your”, the “Customer”, and the “Client”).

The Service – The Service provided by Northstar to the Customer under contract.

1. Abuse.

Customer shall not use systems to engage in, foster, solicit, or promote illegal, abusive, or irresponsible behaviour including but not restricted to:

1.1. conduct likely to breach any laws, codes, or regulations applicable to the parties (including conduct infringing or misappropriating intellectual property, trade secrets, confidential or proprietary information; or which is fraudulent, unfair, deceptive or defamatory);

1.2. unauthorised access to, monitoring or use of, or interference with an internet account, computer, systems, networks, data or traffic;

1.3. intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly introducing any malicious code into the services;

1.4. conduct violating rules and conventions of any domain registrar, email service, bulletin board, chat group, or forum used in conjunction with Northstar Services or network (including using false, misleading or deceptive TCP-IP packet header information in an email or newsgroup posting);

1.5. deceitfully collecting, transmitting or using information, or distributing software which covertly gathers or transmits information about a user;

1.6. distributing advertisement delivery software unless the user affirmatively consents to download and installation based on a clear and conspicuous notice of the nature of the software, and can easily remove software using standard tools included on major operating systems;

1.7. conduct likely to result in retaliation or adverse action against Northstar or its services, network, website or representatives (including resulting in the listing of Northstar IP space on an abuse database);

1.8. conduct intended to withhold or cloak identity or contact information, registering to use services under a false name, or using an invalid or unauthorised credit card in connection with services;

1.9. gambling activity violating any applicable codes of practice required licenses or technical standards;

1.10. use of any Northstar provided and shared system in a way that unnecessarily interferes with the regular operation of the shared system, or consumes a disproportionate share of system resources; and

1.11. conduct creating a risk to safety or health, national security, or law enforcement.

2. Offensive Behaviour.

Customer shall not be abusive or offensive to Northstar staff. Customer shall not publish, transmit or store on or via the Services content or links to content that Northstar reasonably believes relates in any manner to child pornography, bestiality, non-consensual sex acts, live sex acts, excessively violent content, incites or threatens violence, contains harassing content, hate speech, violates a person’s privacy, is malicious or morally repugnant.

3. No High-Risk Use.

Customer shall not use the Services in any situation where failure or fault of the Services could lead to death or serious bodily injury of any person, or physical or environmental damage (including in connection with aircraft or other modes of human mass transportation, or nuclear or chemical facilities).

4. Mail Requirements.

For bulk or commercial email sent by or on behalf of Customer using the Services or from any network that directly or indirectly refers recipients to a site hosted using the Services (including using third party distribution lists), Customer shall:

4.1. post a privacy policy for each associated domain;

4.2. post an email address for complaints in a conspicuous place on any associated website, promptly respond to messages sent to that address, and have means to track anonymous complaints;

4.3. obtain affirmative consent to receive email from intended recipients using reasonable means to verify ownership of the email address, honour and notify recipients of consent revocation, and evidence consent within 72 hours of the recipient or Northstar request; and

4.4. include the recipient email address in the email body or “To” line.

5. Vulnerability Testing.

Customer shall not attempt to test the vulnerability of a Northstar system or network or attempt to breach Northstar security measures, by any means (Customer may conduct vulnerability testing of their Hosted System only with Northstar’s prior written consent).

6. Export Control.

Customer shall ensure Services are not used in breach of export laws, controls, regulations or sanction policies of the UK or the Customer’s applicable jurisdiction. Customer shall ensure Services are not used by any person or entity suspected of involvement or affiliation with those involved in activities or causes relating to human trafficking; illegal gambling; terrorism; narcotics trafficking; arms trafficking or the proliferation, development, design, manufacture, production, stockpiling, use of nuclear, chemical, biological weapons, weapons of mass destruction, or missiles.

7. Cooperation with Investigations and Proceedings.

Customer agrees Northstar may permit a relevant authority to inspect Customer’s content or traffic if Northstar is legally required to do so, provided Northstar gives Customer reasonable prior notice (where permitted by applicable law and regulation). Northstar may report to appropriate authorities any Customer conduct Northstar believes violates applicable law without notice to Customer (including providing any information about Customer, its users or traffic). Northstar may cooperate in response to a formal request from law enforcement or regulatory agency investigating conduct Northstar believes violates applicable law, or in a civil action that on its face meets the requirements for such a request.

8. Domain Names, IP Addresses and DNS Records.

Customer shall maintain valid information with Customer’s domain name registrar for any domain hosted by Northstar or sold by Northstar as a licence to host on another service providers servers and only use IP addresses assigned to Customer by Northstar in connection with the Services. Customer agrees Northstar may modify, transfer or delete any DNS record or zone on Northstar managed or operated DNS servers or services upon request from the registrant or administrative contact according to the registrar’s WHOIS system.

9. Changes.

Northstar may amend this Policy by publishing a revised version here, or in the event of a material adverse change by providing Customer 30 days written notice. The revised Policy shall become effective as to Customer on the first to occur of:

9.1.1. customer’s execution of a new or additional agreement for all or part of the Services incorporating the revised Policy,

9.1.2. the first day of an Agreement renewal term beginning at least 30 days after revised policy publication, or

9.1.3. expiry of written notice of material adverse policy change.

9.2. if compliance with the revised Policy would adversely affect Customer’s use of the Services, Customer may terminate the affected Services (without payment of an early termination fee) by giving Northstar written notice of Customer’s objection no later than 30 days following the date that the revised Policy would otherwise have become effective as to Customer; Customer may continue using the Services for up to an additional 90 days subject to the prior version of the Policy, and Northstar may decide to waive the policy change as to Customer in which case the notice of termination shall be of no effect.

9.3. policy breach. If Customer breaches the Policy (including unintentionally, resulting from Customer’s failure to use reasonable security precautions, or as a result of activity occurring without Customer authorisation) Northstar may block any content or traffic, suspend the Services, or terminate the Services under the contract. No credit shall be available under any Service Level Agreement for interruptions of Services resulting from a policy breach. Customer’s use of the Services to assist another person in an activity that would breach this Policy if performed by Customer is a Policy breach.