INSTITUTE FOR COMPUTER SCIENCES,
SOCIAL INFORMATICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING (ICST)

Terms and Conditions of Use for ICST Portals

I. General Conditions

These terms and conditions of use apply to the main website of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering (ICST) at http://www.icst.org, ICST administered tools, sites and services – hereinafter referred to collectively as ICST portals – including but not limited to assyst-online.org, eudl.eu, e-scripts.eu, etc. and websites of ICST sponsored events and publications. By using any of the above categorized tools, sites or services, you commit to comply with the below explained terms and conditions of use.

II. Intellectual Property Rights

The text, drawings, photos, films, images, data, databanks, software, names, trade and domain names, brands, logos and other components of ICST portals are protected by intellectual property rights and belong to ICST or third parties. Saving, reproducing, changing, publishing, distributing or sending, selling or otherwise transferring the information offered on and via ICST portals or granting any rights hereto to third parties is forbidden without ICST’s advance written permission.

III. Unauthorized Use and Practices

To comply with all applicable legislation, and to respect all third-party rights, in particular, the User shall not:

1. Use any insulting or defamatory contents, regardless of whether said contents are directed at another user or ICST personnel or other companies;
2. Use any pornographic materials or any contents that violate any applicable legislation for the protection of minors; or advertise or promote, offer or distribute any pornographic product or products which do not comply with any applicable legislation for the protection of minors;
3. Unreasonably annoy (particularly with spam) any other user;
4. Use without authorization any contents protected by law (e.g. by copyright, trademark, patent, or design patent laws), or advertise, promote, offer or distribute any goods or services protected by law;
5. Use or promote any commercial practices considered unfair competition, including progressive customer acquisition practices (such as chain distribution systems, multilevel selling or pyramid sales);
6. Communicate in any insinuating or sexual way (suggestive or explicit).
7. Employ any mechanisms, software or scripts when using ICST sites. However, the user may use interfaces or software provided by ICST sites within the scope of the services available on ICST sites.
8. Block, overwrite, modify and copy any contents of the ICST Web sites, unless said actions are necessary for the proper use of the services on the ICST Web sites.
9. Distribute or publicly disclose the contents of any of the Web sites of ICST or any other user;
10. Perform any actions which may impair the operability of ICST sites’ infrastructure, particularly actions which may overload said infrastructure.

IV. Personal information

ICST does not gather any personal information unless it is provided on a voluntary basis. By completing and sending an order form, or sending an e-mail, a visitor grants ICST permission to save his or her personal information in a database of ICST for the purpose of automated user profiling, customer management, market research and direct mail. Your electronic contact information can be used by ICST for direct e-mail marketing if you have given your advance permission. Your advance permission is not required if ICST uses electronic contact information it has received for delivery of certain products or services for direct e-mail marketing of its own similar products or services. The personal information you provide will be secured with industry standards and technology. The information provided can be transferred for these purposes to companies contractually connected with ICST, but not to 3rd parties for commercial use. You have the right to review your relevant personal information and make corrections if applicable. You can direct your request to review, correct or oppose use of your information to: contact@icst.org.

V. Automatically collected non-personal information

ICST can collect anonymous or aggregated information of a non-personal nature, such as browser type or IP address, the operating system you use or domain name of the website from which you visited the ICST portals or to which you go when you leave ICST portals.

VI. Cookies

During a visit to an ICST site, ‘cookies’ may be automatically installed on your computer’s hard drive. This data helps us better attune the site to visitors’ preferences. Most Internet browsers allow you to delete cookies from your hard drive, reject cookies or receive a warning before a cookie is installed. Refer to the instructions or help function of your Internet browser for more details. If, during a specific visit to the site, you agree to the use of cookies, these cookies may be used again during subsequent connections to the site.

VII. IP addresses

When a message is posted to the forums, the poster’s IP address is displayed. Sometimes the IP address of a proxy server is also visible in brackets. The purpose of this is to increase the authenticity and integrity of messages by preventing people from posting messages under someone else’s name. In the event of complaints about intended unlawful behavior, this IP address can also be given to the law enforcement authorities.

VIII. Information on the website

The information, software, products and services (“information”) that is offered on ICST portals may contain shortcomings of all kinds. ICST does not guarantee the suitability, reliability or timeliness of the information. The information is supplied and presented without any form of guarantee. ICST shall not be liable either for possible viruses, if these should occur, despite the precautions taken on the site, and rejects all liability for any damage these viruses should cause. ICST expressly reserves the right to change the information on the site at any time.

IX. Links to other websites

ICST portals may contain hyperlinks to websites or web pages of third parties or other parties, or refer to them in some other way. ICST has no control over the content or other features of these websites or web pages and cannot be held liable in any way for the content or features thereof. ICST’s use of links does not in any way constitute implicit approval of the content of these website or web pages.

X. Links to the ICST site

Hyperlinks to the website http://www.icst.org are only permitted if these hyperlinks lead to the site’s homepage. Deep-linking is not permitted without the previous written permission of ICST. The use of ICST portals in third-party sites or elements of sites (e.g. by in-line linking, framing or otherwise) is also prohibited.

XI. Passwords and secure areas of the site

You need a password to access distinct parts of ICST portals. Entering these parts without a password is strictly prohibited. Once you have received such a password, you must keep this password secret and confidential. You must notify ICST immediately if another person other than yourself should obtain your password, or if you received such a password from someone other than ICST. Each use of our services made after valid identification using your password shall be deemed to be committed by you yourself. If ICST has reason to believe that the safety of the site is in jeopardy, ICST can change your password (without prejudice to its other rights and redress).

XII. Applicable legislation and competent courts

ICST portals are governed by the laws of Belgium, with the exception of Belgian secondary referral rules under Belgian international private law. In the event of disputes, the courts of Gent (Belgium) have sole jurisdiction.

ICST Society Quality Assurance and Ethics Policy

ICST has adopted the following Society Quality Assurance and Ethics Policy, that shall apply to all members of ICST’s scientific and administrative management, ICST users, members and volunteers including but not limited to officials, councilors and council members, ICST administrative personnel, steering and organizing committees members of ICST events, participants in the editorial process of ICST publications and members of any organizational units or organizing bodies of ICST activities (hereinafter collectively referred to as Volunteers).

By adopting the Society Quality Assurance and Ethics Policy ICST intends to uphold the highest legal and ethical standards and support the highest quality of society activities; ICST Volunteers accept a personal obligation and a professional commitment to the highest ethical and professional conduct and agree:

1. To perform services only in the areas of their competence; they shall build their professional reputation on the merit of their services and shall not compete unfairly with others.
2. To act in professional matters for the technical societies, professional associations, academic and scientific organizations, research centers and laboratories, corporate partners and industry employing or entrusting them as faithful agents, and shall avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance of conflicts of interest.
3. To issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner and shall avoid any conduct which brings discredit upon the profession and ICST.
4. Not to seek ethical sanction against another member unless there is good reason to do so under the relevant codes, policies and procedures governing that member’s ethical conduct.
5. To respect the applying policies and procedures of the society and to disclose knowledge of any matter involving another member’s alleged violation of these policies and procedures.

By adopting the Society Quality Assurance and Ethics; ICST Volunteers accept a personal obligation and a professional commitment to the highest ethical and professional conduct and further agree:

1. To recognize that the primary function of ICST at all times is to serve the best interests of its constituency.
2. To accept as a personal duty the responsibility to keep up-to-date on emerging issues and to conduct themselves with professional competence, fairness, impartiality, efficiency, and effectiveness.
3. To respect the structure, responsibilities and decisions of the ICST administrative and scientific management, to provide ICST officers, councilors and personnel with facts and advice as a basis for their policy making decisions.
4. To conduct organizational and operational duties with positive leadership exemplified by open communication, creativity, dedication, and compassion.
5. To exercise discretionary authority under the law to carry out the mission of the organization.
6. To serve with respect, concern, courtesy, and responsiveness in carrying out the organization’s mission.
7. To demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, honesty, and fortitude in all ICST activities in order to inspire confidence and trust in the society’s activities.
8. To avoid any interest or activity that is in conflict with the conduct of ICST official duties.
9. To respect and protect privileged information to which they have access in the course of their official duties.
10. To safeguard the intellectual property rights or proprietary rights of ICST in connection with the names of conferences, workshops, organizational units, etc.

By adopting the Society Quality Assurance and Ethics; ICST Volunteers accept a personal obligation and a professional commitment to the highest ethical and professional conduct and further agree:

1. Not to deceive, defraud, or mislead ICST Volunteers, board members, employees, officers, staff members, managers, supervisors, or other associates, or those with whom ICST has business or other relationships.
2. Not to misrepresent ICST in any negotiations, dealings, contracts, or agreements.
3. Not to divulge or release any information of a proprietary nature relating to ICST’s plans, mission, or operational databases without appropriate approval.
4. Not to obtain a personal advantage or benefit due to relationships established by any ICST Officer or ICST Volunteer by use of the organization’s name.
5. Not to withhold their best efforts to perform their duties to acceptable standards.
6. Not to engage in unethical business practices of any type.
7. Not to use ICST’s intellectual property, proprietary rights, property, financial resources, or services of ICST personnel for personal benefit.
8. Not to violate any applicable laws or ordinances.

Infractions of this Society Quality Assurance and Ethics Policy are to be reported directly to contact@icst.org.