The Academy reserves the right to determine if any activity not specifically listed below as a prohibition constitutes an acceptable or unacceptable use of the network. Specifically prohibited is any willful action that interferes with or threatens to disrupt the normal operation of the network for its intended purposes or makes Academy-owned electronic records or systems unavailable for normal use. Examples of such actions include, but are not limited to, the introduction of viruses, use of damaged diskettes in disk-drives, dissemination of electronic chain mail or broadcast messages, and failure to comply with a request from an Academy employee to discontinue activity that may threaten the operation of the network or other systems. Transferring copyrighted materials on the Germantown Academy network without express consent of the owner of the copyright is a violation of Federal Law and therefore prohibited. Use of electronic mail or other network-based communications to harass, defame, offend, or otherwise purposely annoy other network or Internet users is strictly forbidden.
All users have the responsibility of reporting such violations.
Use of the network to transfer software designed to compromise the operation or security of the network is strictly forbidden as is any attempt to circumvent network security, guess passwords or in any way gain unauthorized access to network servers or services. All users must recognize that e-mail messages and other information transferred by the network may contain thoughts, conclusions and biased perceptions that were never intended for publication. There may be liability for defamation for spreading false and disparaging information about third parties, particularly comments on students, personnel applicants, or vendors. Such discussions or use of the network is expressly prohibited. All members of the community must remember that the connectivity offered by the Internet has obscured the demarcation between home and school.