The NSFNET Backbone Services Acceptable Use Policy
June 1992
General Principle
(1) NSFNET Backbone services are provided to support open research and
education in and among US research and instructional institutions, plus
research arms of for-profit firms when engaged in open scholarly
communication and research. Use for other purposes is not acceptable.
Specifically Acceptable Uses
(2) Communication with foreign researchers and educators in connection with
research or instruction, as long as any network that the foreign user
employs for such communication provides reciprocal access to US
researchers and educators.
(3) Communication and exchange for professional development, to maintain
currency, or to debate issues in a field or subfield of knowledge.
(4) Use for disciplinary-society, university-association, government-advisory,
or standards activities related to the user's research and instructional
activities.
(5) Use in applying for or administering grants or contracts for research or
instruction, but not for other fundraising or public relations activities.
(6) Any other administrative communications or activities in direct support
of research and instruction.
(7) Announcements of new products or services for use in research or
instruction, but not advertising of any kind.
(8) Any traffic originating from a network of another member agency of the
Federal Networking Council if the traffic meets the acceptable use policy
of that agency.
(9) Communication incidental to otherwise acceptable use, except for illegal
or specifically unacceptable use.
Unacceptable Uses
(10) Use for for-profit activities, unless covered by the General Principle
or as a specifically acceptable use.
(11) Extensive use for private or personal business.
This statement applies to use of the the NSFNET Backbone only. NSF expects
that connecting networks will formulate their own use policies. The NSF
Division of Networking and Communications Research and Infrastructure will
resolve any questions about this Policy or its interpretation.
