Anthrofiction Network

Terms of Service

Please read and understand all parts of this section before you sign up for an account. If you think some of this does not apply to you, we’ll both be unhappy.

Membership Restrictions

Membership in Anthrofiction Network is only open to natural persons. It is not open to corporations, trusts, AIs, bots, or automated programs. You should not share an account with another person. I reserve the right to refuse an account to anyone.

You may only have one account on Anthrofiction Network. There should be enough flexibility in redefining almost every aspect of that account so opening a new account should never be necessary. Also, it isn’t necessary that you use your legal name when applying for an account. However, if you still feel the need to create a new account, contact a manager first: Scott Miller (manager).

Persons sharing an account, except in the case of COPPA accounts, or attempting to open multiple accounts may have all their accounts deleted and be banned from the system.

Permanent accounts only deleted on request. Contact a manager for help.

Intellectual Property

This section is governed by intellectual property rights, which in this case typically refers to copyright law, plagiarism, moral rights, and in some cases trademark law. These are complex subjects and the links cited are only a starting point for understanding the issues, but basically…

If you created it, it’s yours. This means that I will take every reasonable precaution to protect the stories and other files you upload to the Anthrofiction Network website. However, realize that other members have access to the content you allow them to see. We can ask them to do the right thing, but we cannot control their actions before the fact.

If someone else created it, it’s their’s. This means do not copy stuff. Especially, do not post stories to other websites if the story was not written by you. If a story is good, really good, it might be something a professional publisher wants to buy. So, for example, if you post someone else’s really good story to your website you forever destroy its value in the professional market. Obviously too, don’t reprint a story in a bulletin or copy it in other ways. If you want to share with others, ask the author first. Likewise for anything else found on this website, not just the stories.

I reserve the right to take appropriate action against any member who violates the intellectual property rights of others, and I cooperate with the legal authorities. See also: Jurisdiction and Response to Legal Demands, both below, and the page DMCA Section 512.

Content

Anthrofiction Network is a family-friendly website. You may not upload or post any story, comment, picture, sound file, or other content that is stronger than PG-13.

Behavior

When commenting on a story, stay on the subject of the story. Anthrofiction Network is not a place to belittle others. However, feel free to make pointed comments on what you feel worked or didn’t work in a story, and how the author might improve it. Do try to stay in the spirit of helping the author improve his or her work.

If you enter a story in a contest realize that it is a privilege to receive critical comments from others. If you seek to improve as a writer, pointed feedback from one experienced critiquer is worth more than 100 comments from friends and family who only say, “It’s so wonderful!” However, feel free to ignore advice that doesn’t seem right or doesn’t fit. What I’m trying to say is, don’t freak out. If someone writes you a mini-essay on the proper use of the semicolon, it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.

Spamming

Link spamming is act of posting links on forums, guest books, blogs, and other websites that allow visitor-posted content, for the purpose of advertising the linked-to site. Link spamming is not tolerated. Here’s an interesting article at The Register, Interview with a Link Spammer.

You may post links on your profile page if they are personal in nature and/or applicable to the subject of Anthrofiction Network. But, for example, if you have a small business selling toner cartridges online then a link to that site is not appropriate.

If you wish a public link on our Links page, then see the rules there.

E-mail spamming is the sending of unsolicited commercial/bulk e-mail, also known as UCE/UBE, although some will define spam as any e-mail they didn’t want. You may not send spam through Anthrofiction Networks contact system and you may not attempt to harvest e-mail addresses from Anthrofiction Network’s website. You may not use Anthrofiction Network’s contact system to harass or intimidate others.

I reserve the right to take appropriate action against any member who violates the no spamming rules, and I cooperate with the legal authorities. See: Response to Legal Demands, below.

Hacking

You must not attempt to crack or hack any machines on my network, nor use resources on my network to attempt to crack or hack others. Not only do I cooperate with the legal authorities, I might even be the one to call them.

Jurisdiction

The Internet knows no national borders. Keep in mind that various laws may apply: your physical location, the location of the server, and quite possibly the location of a third party. The server is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.

What this means in terms of intellectual property law is that no matter where you live, as soon as you upload your story to the Anthrofiction Network server it falls under the protection of US Copyright law as an unpublished work with you as the copyright holder. See Circular 1 for more information on the basics of US Copyright law, found at the US Copyright Office website.

In the case of civil action where I am one of the litigants, you agree that jurisdiction is to be in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA, or the closest appropriate court.

Response to Legal Demands

When presented with the proper documentation I will comply with the legal authorities. In the case of civil action against you by a third party, I may have time to contact you before I’m required to comply. You might want to make sure your e-mail address is current and it’s an address that you monitor regularly.

Also see the page on DMCA Section 512.