Community Code of Conduct

As part of the Microsoft commitment to making www.imaginecup.us (the "Site") a great place to meet and interact with others around the world, you agree to abide by this Code of Conduct. Your commitment to this Code of Conduct in all bulletin board services, chat areas, newsgroups, forums, communities, related social network websites, twitter messages, personal web pages, calendars, photo albums, file cabinets, and/or other message or communication facilities designed to enable you to communicate with others (“Communication Services”) helps create a positive experience for all the Site's users.

Specific Communication Services may also have additional guidelines that govern your use, so be sure to review them in addition to this Code of Conduct. Microsoft is not responsible for any user-created content or other user activities through the Communication Services.

All activity on the Site is also governed by the Site’s Terms of Use. To read the Site's Terms of Use, please click here.

Respect Others

• We encourage everyone to treat each other with mutual respect. Do not use the Communication Services to threaten, harass, stalk, or abuse others participating in these services.
• Microsoft reserves the right to remove posts that advocate or encourage expressions of violence, bigotry, racism, hatred, or profanity.
• Microsoft may remove postings that are deemed inappropriate, offensive, or that violate guidelines or this Code of Conduct. Microsoft may also eject or ban any user from their area who behaves in a manner deemed inappropriate, offensive, or who violates guidelines or this Code of Conduct. By participating in any area of the Site, you agree to be bound to the rules of that area.

Keep It Legal

• Microsoft does not allow any illegal activities. You cannot use the Communication Services to publish, post, distribute, or disseminate defamatory, infringing, obscene, or other unlawful material or information, specifically, but not limited to, child pornography, bestiality, and incest. Also, you may not use the Communication Services for chats relating to illegal drugs.
• You may not use any of the Communication Services for the purpose of linking to external sites that violate this Code of Conduct.
• Do not upload files or post messages that contain photos, music, software, or other material protected by intellectual property laws, rights of privacy or publicity or any other applicable law unless you own or control the rights thereto or have received all necessary consents. Microsoft is not responsible for any use of anything you say or post.
• Do not post any materials (including software and other information) that could harm (or is designed to harm) other users’ computers or would allow others to inappropriately access software or websites.

Play Nice

• Microsoft does not tolerate disruptive activity online, such as persistent off-topic comments and postings or statements that incite others to violate this Code of Conduct or participate in illegal activities. Our Site’s users want to chat and post on our Communication Services in a positive environment.
• Microsoft does not allow the posting of destructive features, use of computer programs that contain such features, or access to any content that contains destructive features such as: viruses, worms, Trojan horses, or bots for the use of scrolling, showing multiple screens, and other activities that can be disruptive to online communication.
• Falsely impersonating a Microsoft employee, agent, manager, host, or any other person with the intent to mislead or cause harm to others is forbidden.

Don't Spam

• Please don’t "spam" through our Communication Services; none of our users like it. To spam includes sending identical and irrelevant submissions to many different discussion groups, mailing lists, chats, or communities. Usually such postings have nothing to do with the particular topic of the group or are of no real interest to those on the mailing list. To spam also includes misrepresenting the source of anything you say or post. Spamming and scrolling in chat rooms are serious violations of online etiquette.
• Microsoft reserves the right to ban a user at any time, without notice, from any or all Communication Services for spamming.

Take It Personally

• The Communication Services areas may be used to provide supplemental information regarding your own business (provided you do not use spam to provide this information); however, the Communication Services areas are not designed to be used as the primary mechanism for operating your business or providing core information about your business.
• Any space provided to you, in any Communication Services, is for your own personal use. You may not sell, license, give away, exchange, or barter any space provided to you within the Site for any purpose, including without limitation, selling, licensing, exchanging, or bartering space for advertisements.

Accept Responsibility

• You are responsible and liable for all your activities while participating in any Communication Services area. Remember, you are responsible for anything you say or post and for protecting your own computer system. We recommend you install a virus protection program on your computer.
• Our Communication Services areas are not designed as the primary places to store any materials; you are responsible for creating backups of materials you post to any Communication Services such as photos or documents. Microsoft is not responsible for loss of, access to, or deletion or alteration of any materials included on the Site.
• Microsoft reserves the right to remove at any time, without notice, any posting to the Site.
• Some users may post external website links on the Site. Please be advised that Microsoft is not responsible for any of the content on these linked websites.
• Some content and links on the Internet may contain adult content and may not be suitable for children. We encourage parents to join their children as they surf and explore the Internet.
• You are responsible for any actions you may take based on advice or information you receive online. Use your own good judgment when evaluating information provided through this Site’s Communication Services or any other such services. Remember that the information provided could be from people at any age and experience level. The decision to conduct transactions with anyone is your own and you should conduct your own research prior to making any decisions.

Uphold the Code

• In helping to make our Site a great place to meet, chat, and exchange information, you must do your part to uphold this Code of Conduct.
• Microsoft also reserves our right to amend or change the Code of Conduct at any time without notice. You agree to periodically review this document to ensure you are doing your part.
• Microsoft is not obligated to send users or hosts a warning before deleting any content.

Protect Your Privacy

• We caution you against giving out personally identifiable information (such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, names and addresses, telephone numbers, driver license numbers) to strangers online, which may be used for illegal or harmful purposes.
• To read the Site’s Privacy Statement please click here.

Thanks for following this Code of Conduct and joining the Imagine Cup online community!