Rules & Regulations for Web Information Providers

What kind of Information is Acceptable?

In general any type of information is acceptable as long as it is legal, decent and honest. The University is currently considering the issue of formal publication regulations. In the meantime, the policies below, which have been widely discussed and circulated, must be followed.

Legal Requirements

You must comply with the Data Protection Act, Special Educational Needs and Disability Act and other UK laws and University regulations covering the use of computers, including:

• English Law (including but not limited to laws relating to blasphemy, copyright, data protection, financial advice, incitement, libel, pornography)
• NET Acceptable Use Policy (including, but not limited to, restrictions on the transmission of advertising material, wasting resources)
• University Regulations (including, but not limited to, those on Personal Harassment and Use of Computing Facilities) and the IT Code of Practice

Members of the Union of Students must also ensure that their pages conform to Union rules.

Responsibilities of Web Managers at Sheffield

• There will be ONE co-ordinator/information provider per department only (known as a Web Manager). This person will be appointed by the Head of Department who is responsible for the content of their web site.
• The co-ordinators are wholly responsible for the content of their pages and for the publication of their pages. The University accepts that it is impracticable to vet all material prior to publication.
• The co-ordinator will be able to create, upload and delete material. The co-ordinator may allow others use of their part of the server but must remember that they have overall responsibility for the content.
• The co-ordinator will be added to the e-mail discussion list web-managers@sheffield.ac,uk. This list is used to circulate important announcements to the registered Web Managers; it is not possible for the co-ordinator to unsubscribe from this list. It is the co-ordinator's responsibility to disseminate such announcements within their own department, office etc.
• Pages may be widely read and so should be written in such a way as not to cause offence. The University will investigate any complaint and take appropriate action.
• Do not include any sensitive information. Remember that the server is accessible from all parts of the world, and that anyone can access the material that you put on it.
• All student information providers must re-register at the beginning of each academic year (before the end of October). If there is no re-registration by this time the account will be disabled and the material removed. The University accepts no liability for material lost under these conditions. It is the responsibility of the Web Manager to ensure the site is re-registered.
• All Web Information Providers must take great care in the use of the University's name and should not publish anything liable to bring the University into disrepute.

The Director of CiCS has the right to take any action deemed necessary, within the framework of the University policy, current at the time of an infrigement, to remove, alter, suspend or otherwise control information which breeches those policies and guidelines.

Intellectual Property Rights

Information providers should be careful not to compromise their own intellectual property rights. In particular, premature dissemination via the Web might invalidate a patent claim or prejudice future journal publication.

Normal copyright laws apply to information on the Web, but may be difficult to enforce over international boundaries. Please be careful what information you make available.