Updated: 06/08/2009

Philosophy

At L A Bridge we don't like to be involved in policing the Internet. We support free speech, and we support free access for everyone to all resources of the internet.

Unfortunately, a certain small percentage of users abuse the system. The Internet won't work if people spam, or hack, or engage in other abusive activities.

Saturation

What is saturation?

Next, we see an unacceptable bandwidth profile. This circuit is pushing two megabits per second consistently throughout the day:

What causes bandwidth saturation? 

• Bit Torrent and other programs that are left running for days
• Open, unsecured wireless networks that neighbors have leeched onto
• Internet radio or streaming video left playing for hours on end
• Run-away, zombie computers that are spamming or attacking
• Computers infected with malicious worms and viruses

Our policy on saturation

Fees for Time and Expenses

After gaining an understanding of your network topology, L A Bridge can suggest which machines to shut down and/or unplug from your router. With trial and error, we can discover which computer is at fault. If you have "managed" switches or routers, we can run recurring bandwidth monitoring software that produces graphs like the ones above. We can also use our own port monitoring to detect when the bandwidth onslaught has subsided and the problem has been fixed.

SPAM

What is spam?

Spam is any unsolicited email message sent to a large number of people. Typically this includes cases where:

• The recipient did not request the message.
• The recipient does not know the sender.
• In newsgroups, a message is posted that is not appropriate to the topic of the newsgroup. Newsgroup postings that offer services or products are considered spam, unless they can be documented to be in response to a legitimate inquiry in that same newsgroup, and if they are appropriate to the topic of that newsgroup.
• Bulk mailing lists are used to send unsolicited marketing or sales information.

Our Policy on Spam

If everyone with a product to sell or an opinion to voice sends an email to hundreds or thousands of people, the system will be swamped and become unusable.  Therefore, L A Bridge Internet does not condone the practice of spamming. If we find anyone utilizing our network, directly or indirectly, for spamming, we will charge $2.00 per spam message sent.

In addition, any individual(s), organization(s) and or company(s) that knowingly or otherwise directly or indirectly utilize our SMTP Servers to disperse mass unsolicited e-mail, will be subject to and agrees to compensate L A Bridge Internet, $10,000.00 per occurrence. Spam is considered unauthorized abuse of the system.

We will, to the fullest extent allowed by law, seek legal action on any individual(s), organization(s) and or company(s) that knowingly or otherwise directly or indirectly utilize our Network (or cause it to be used) for any practice that sends out mass unsolicited e-mail.

Hacking

What is hacking?

Hacking is the interference with or unauthorized access to any computer or computer network. Hacking may or may not reflect malicious intent.

Hacking includes: 

• Any attempt to gain root or system administrator privileges on any L A Bridge network machine or equipment, without permission.
• Any attempt to gain unauthorized access to files, equipment or accounts.
• Any attempt to do anything that results in interruption of any service to L A Bridge customers.
• Any use of chat robots.
• Any attempted use of password cracking software.
• Specific software attacks, including 'Smurf attacks' and 'Ping of Death'.
• Any attempt to access or change system files, without permission.
• Any unauthorized attempt to store User files outside their predefined areas. These include the user home directory, the user web directory, and the user mail area, and any other areas assigned by L A Bridge Internet.
• Installation or attempted use of SUID programs of any type, without permission.
• Any attempt to do these things through L A Bridge network, even if the attempt is aimed outside our network.

Our policy on hacking

Hacking is harmful because it costs us valuable time, and it may compromise system availability or data integrity or both. Our policy is to charge for this abuse of system resources.

Any individual(s), organization(s) and or company(s) that knowingly or otherwise directly or indirectly utilize any of our servers or equipment to hack, will be subject to and agrees to compensate L A Bridge Internet, $10,000.00 per occurrence.

In addition, we will, to the fullest extent allowed by law, seek legal action on any individual(s), organization(s) and or company(s) that knowingly or otherwise directly or indirectly utilize our Network (or cause to be used) for any practice that we consider to be "hacking.".

Fees for Time and Expenses

Hackers and spammers tie up our time and resources. Therefore we intend to charge for this time. Time spent tracking or dealing with hackers will be billed at $200/hour.

 Anyone who hacks or spams, agrees to compensate L A Bridge for:  

• Time and expense for tracking down the hacker/spammer
• Time and expense collecting fees from the hacker/spammer
• Time and expense for repairs, down time, or system upgrades which are related to hacking/spamming or the prevention thereof
• Time and expense relating to prosecution or attempted prosecution of the hacker/spammer
• Legal expenses

These expense fees are in addition to the per item spam fees and the $10,000 per occurrence, the fee for system abuse incidents. It is our intention that spam and hacking should be very expensive.

Our Privacy Policy does not extend to hackers and spammers

L A Bridge will not shield or protect spammers or hackers.

Persons hacking or spamming unconditionally waive any right or expectation of privacy. L A Bridge reserves the right to release information about spammers to governmental bodies, police organizations, other ISPs, and other individuals and organizations as necessary to help put a stop to these activities.

Please report any hacking, spamming or other abuse to L A Bridge Internet's Abuse Division.

If You Use the System, You Agree to these Policies

Use of the L A Bridge system constitutes agreement to these policies. It is your responsibility to read them an understand them.

Contact Information

For more information, please call or email.