TERMS OF SERVICE ("User Agreement")

Last Updated: May 10, 2006

Definitions:

"This website" means the Port Alberni Online website (www.alberni.ca), including any content and services herein, such as it's online forums.

"You" and "your" mean the person accessing this website, including any content and services herein, regardless of how such access is gained.

"We", "us" and "our" mean the owner, operator, and persons authorized to represent this website.

"Terms of Service" or "TOS" mean the terms and conditions that govern your use of this website.

1. General Terms

1.1 Your use of this website is subject at all times to the following Terms of Service. You are responsible to take the time to read the following TOS, and review it periodically for updates. If you don't understand this TOS, please contact us for clarification. If you disagree with this TOS, you may not access this website.

1.2 To keep up with the needs of this website and its online community, we reserve the right to change these Terms of Service at anytime without notice.

1.3 This website is provided for you to use, as is, and at your own risk. You agree to indemnify and hold us harmless for any and all liability which may result from your usage of this web site, or from your association with others who use this web site.

1.4 Content posted in all parts of this website, including those in the forums, are to be regarded as the personal opinions of their posters, and not necessarily our views.

2. Account Registration

2.1 By registering an Alberni.ca account, you futher agree to the following Terms of Services.

2.2 Each person is permitted to register only one Alberni.ca account. You may choose to not reveal your personal information, but you may not purposely misrepresent your identity or personal information on our site.

2.3 You are solely responsible for all activity on your Account. You agree to secure your computer network and not to reveal your Account password to others – not even to Alberni.ca representatives (we would never ask you for your password).

2.4 You agree to indemnify and hold us harmless for any damage that may result from the use of your account, regardless of whether such use was with your knowledge or consent.

3. Termination of Account

3.1 You may contact us at any time to request the termination of your Account. We may also terminate your account indefinitely, with or without prior notice to you, if you violate any part of our Terms of Service.

3.2 You agree that even after the termination of your Account, we reserve the right to keep your profile and posts/submission on our site, as a record of your Account and activity on this website.

3.3 If your Account is terminated, you may not register another Account without our express permission.

4. Acceptable Content

4.1 We do not pre-screen any content and we do not assume any liability for failure to remove, or delay in removing any content that may or may not conflict with the Terms of Service.

4.2 You are solely responsible for the completeness, truthfulness, accuracy and usefulness of any content posted through your account, and you alone bear the risk and any liability that may result from your content.

4.3 No foul language, pornographic, sexually offensive, sexually explicit, or similarly related material or language, including toilet humour, or words purposely misspelled to indicate such statements. Do not post links to other sites with this type of content. If it's not okay for a 10 year-old to see/read it, then it's not okay.

4.4 No hate speech or racist remarks. Do not post content that is slanderous, defamatory, or false. Respect people's privacy – do not post their image or personal information without their expressed consent.

4.5 No illegal content, or content that promotes illegal activity or actions that are likely to result in harm to others.

4.6 No advertising, promotional materials, multi-level marketing, chain letters, or pyramid schemes. You are permitted to add a link to your business in your user profile and signature line. Otherwise, do not make any commercial use of this website without our expressed permission.

4.7 We reserve the right to edit, delete, lock, or move Content that is objectionable for any reason. This determination is in our sole discretion, with or without any warning to you. It is your responsibility to learn what is deemed acceptable content on our site. Please do not complain or demand that we revise these terms of Acceptable Content to suit your taste or to satisfy your right to free speech. This is a privately owned site. You have no rights here except those conferred to you through our Terms of Service.

4.8 No complaining or bad-mouthing local businesses. Due the the ease of abuse on an anonymous forum like our, and our desire to help promote good businesses in our community, we ask members to only use our forums to recommending local businesses that have served them well.

5. Member Conduct

5.1 We want to create a family friendly, non abrasive, no nonsense, friendly atmosphere where people can come together to share their views and opinions on issues affecting Port Alberni, and those who live or visit here. We expect our members to respect one another and show respect for others. This is not a place for you to push the bounds of civility and free speech.

5.2 Please be respectful of other members. We understand that disagreements do arise from time to time, but we can all express our opinions without being sarcastic, demeaming, belittling or putting down other members. Please choose your words wisely. Don't be rude. Attack the argument, not the person for their differing opinion.

5.3 If you think another member has violated our Terms of Service, please report it to a moderator. Do not call out the other member publicly to embarrass them - such posts will be deleted. Please restrain yourself from responding in kind to any mean or derogatory posts. This just adds fuel to the fire and makes the situation worse. Please let our moderators do their job to diffuse the situation.

5.4 If you are hurt by another members words, try working it out with them in PM. More often than not, the limitations of online communication can lead to a misunderstanding. Sometimes things come across as rude when it may have not been the posters intent. But of course, if there is an obvious trouble maker, please report the offending post & member to a moderator.

5.5 If you find a topic to be silly, or you don't have any interest in the topic, or if you don't have anything worthwhile to contribute to the discussion, then simply don't participate in it. You have no right to tell others what they should or shouldn't be discussing.

5.6 Stay on Topic! Stay on Topic! Stay on Topic! If you are talking about one thing and you want to have a conversation about something else then start a new thread in the appropriate forum. If you hijack a thread we may have to edit or delete your post, or even move the entire thread to a more appropriate forum. Please don't make more work for us.

5.7 If you have a concern about a decision made by a moderators, please contact him/her privately first. Please don't rant and rave on the forums about it, as that only demonstrates your determination to cause strife within our community and will lead to possible termination of your membership. If you can not resolve the issue privately with the moderator, then you may bring your grievance to the site administrator, who will render a final judgment.

5.8 Do not use Alberni.ca to conduct or promote illegal activity. We will cooperate fully with law-enforcement agencies if you are under investigation for whatever the reason, including the release of all personal-identifiable information we have about you.

5.9 Do not ask members for their username, password, account information, or any other personal-identifiable information. Remember: Alberni.ca representatives will NEVER ask for your password. Don't give your password, reminder words out to anyone.

5.10 You will not attempt to interfere with, hack into or decipher any transmissions to or from the servers running this site. You may not modify any part of our site without our expressed permission.

5.11 Continuing violation of these Terms of Service may result in the termination of your account, with or without prior warning to you. If you continually cause strife within the community, you will be asked to leave or be banned from the community. We are a friendly group and want to remain that way. We also have a young viewer on this website so please be sensitive in your posting and be considerate in your behaviour.