ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS
Membership in GEO is subject to the following Terms of Participation ("TOP"), which may be updated by us from time to time without notice to you; provided that we will not alter Section 7 ("Content Submitted to GEO") without prior notice to and acceptance by you.
ACCESS TO SERVICES
As well as the opportunity to attend in-person events, GEO provides users with access to a rich collection of electronic and online resources. In order to fully realize the membership benefits of GEO, you must obtain access to the World Wide Web, either directly or through devices that access web-based content, and pay any service fees associated with such access. In addition, you must provide all equipment necessary to make such connection to the World Wide Web, including a computer and modem or other access device.
YOUR MEMBERSHIP OBLIGATIONS
In consideration of your GEO membership and use of the GEO web site, you agree to: (a) provide true, accurate, current and complete information about yourself as prompted by GEO's registration form (such information being the "Registration Data") and (b) maintain and promptly update the Registration Data to keep it true, accurate, current and complete. If you provide any information that is untrue, inaccurate, not current or incomplete, or GEO has reasonable grounds to suspect that such information is untrue, inaccurate, not current or incomplete, GEO has the right to suspend or terminate your access to the web site and refuse any and all current or future use of the web site (or any portion thereof).
GEO'S PRIVACY POLICY
Pursuant to GEO's privacy policy, we may disclose to third parties certain aggregate information contained in your Registration Data or related data, provided that, such information will NOT include personally identifying information, except as specifically authorized by you or in the good faith belief that such action is reasonably necessary to comply with the law, legal process, to enforce the TOP, or under any of the other circumstances set forth in our privacy policy, as may be amended from time to time.
MEMBER CONDUCT
You understand that all information, data, text, software, music, sound, photographs, graphics, video, messages or other materials ("Content"), whether publicly posted or privately transmitted, are the sole responsibility of the person from which such Content originated. This means that you, and not GEO, are entirely responsible for all Content that you upload, post or otherwise transmit via the web site. GEO makes every effort to verify the quality and accuracy of information submitted to the web site, but cannot guarantee the Content posted on the web site and, as such, does not guarantee the accuracy, integrity or quality of such Content.
In addition to the website terms of use, you agree to not use the web site to:
- upload, post or otherwise transmit any Content that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortuous, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable;
- harm minors in any way;
- impersonate any person or entity, including, but not limited to, a GEO official, forum leader, guide or host, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity;
- forge headers or otherwise manipulate identifiers in order to disguise the origin of any Content transmitted through the web site or develop restricted or password-only access pages, or hidden pages or images (those not linked to from another accessible page);
- upload, post or otherwise transmit any Content that you do not have a right to transmit under any law or under contractual or fiduciary relationships (such as inside information, proprietary and confidential information learned or disclosed as part of employment relationships or under nondisclosure agreements);
- upload, post or otherwise transmit any Content that infringes any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright or other proprietary rights of any party;
- upload, post or otherwise transmit any unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, promotional materials, "junk mail," "spam," "chain letters," "pyramid schemes," or any other form of solicitation, except in those areas of the Service that are designated for such purpose;
- upload, post or otherwise transmit any material that contains software viruses or any other computer code, files or programs designed to interrupt, destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware or telecommunications equipment;
- disrupt the normal flow of dialogue, cause a screen to "scroll" faster than other users of the Service are able to type, or otherwise act in a manner that negatively affects other users' ability to engage in real time exchanges;
- interfere with or disrupt the Service or servers or networks connected to the Service, or disobey any requirements, procedures, policies or regulations of networks connected to the Service;
- intentionally or unintentionally violate any applicable local, state, national or international law, including, but not limited to, regulations promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any rules of any national or other securities exchange, including, without limitation, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ, and any regulations having the force of law;
- "stalk" or otherwise harass another;
- collect or store personal data about other users;
- promote or provide instructional information about illegal activities, promote physical harm or injury against any group or individual, or promote any act of cruelty to animals. This may include, but is not limited to, providing instructions on how to assemble bombs, grenades and other weapons, and creating "Crush" sites;
- use your home page (or directory) as storage for remote loading or as a door or signpost to another home page, whether inside or beyond GEO; or
- engage in commercial activities without enrolling in GEO-approved affiliate programs. This includes, but is not limited to, the following activities:
- offering for sale any products or services;
- soliciting for advertisers or sponsors;
- conducting raffles or contests that require any type of entry fee;
- displaying a sponsorship banner of any kind, including those that are generated by banner or link exchange services, with the sole exceptions of the GEO Advertising Banner program and the Internet Link Exchange; and
- displaying banners for services that provide cash or cash-equivalent prizes to users in exchange for hyperlinks to their web sites.
SPECIAL ADMONITIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL USE
Recognizing the global nature of the Internet, you agree to comply with all local rules regarding online conduct and acceptable Content. Specifically, you agree to comply with all applicable laws regarding the transmission of technical data exported from the United States or the country in which you reside.
CONTENT SUBMITTED TO GEO
GEO does not claim ownership of the Content you place on the web site. By submitting Content to GEO for inclusion on the web site, you grant GEO the worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, modify, adapt and publish the Content solely for the purpose of displaying, distributing the information on GEO's Internet properties. This license exists only for as long as you continue to be a GEO member and shall be terminated at the time your GEO membership is terminated.
You acknowledge that GEO may pre-screen Content, and that GEO and its designees shall have the right (but not the obligation) in their sole discretion to refuse or remove any Content that is available via the web site. Without limiting the foregoing, GEO and its designees shall have the right to remove any Content that violates the TOP or is otherwise objectionable. You agree that you must evaluate, and bear all risks associated with, the use of any Content, including any reliance on the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of such Content. For more information, refer to our privacy policy.
INDEMNITY
You agree to indemnify and hold GEO, and its subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, agents, directors or other partners, and employees, harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys' fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of your Content, your use of the web site, your connection to the web site, your violation of the TOP, or your violation of any rights of another.
NO RESALE OF SERVICE
You agree not to reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell or exploit any portion of the web site, use of the web site, or access to the web site.
GENERAL PRACTICES REGARDING USE
You acknowledge that GEO may establish general practices and limits concerning use of the web site.
MODIFICATIONS TO THE WEBSITE
GEO reserves the right at any time and from time to time to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, the web site (or any part thereof) with or without notice. You agree that GEO shall not be liable to you or to any third party for any modification, suspension or discontinuance of the web site.
TERMINATION
You agree that GEO, in its sole discretion, may terminate your password, use of the web site or use of any other GEO service, and remove and discard any Content within the web site, for any reason, including, without limitation, for lack of use or if GEO believes that you have violated or acted inconsistently with the letter or spirit of the TOP. GEO may also in its sole discretion and at any time discontinue providing the web site, or any part thereof, with or without notice. You agree that any termination of your access to the web site under any provision of this TOP may be effected without prior notice, and acknowledge and agree that GEO may immediately bar any further access to the web site. Further, you agree that GEO shall not be liable to you or any third-party for any termination of your access to the web site.
GEO PROPRIETARY RIGHTS
You acknowledge and agree that the web site and any necessary software used in connection with the web site ("Software") contain proprietary and confidential information that is protected by applicable intellectual property and other laws. You further acknowledge and agree that Content contained in sponsor advertisements or information presented to you through the web site or advertisers is protected by copyrights, trademarks, service marks, patents or other proprietary rights and laws. Except as expressly authorized by GEO or advertisers, you agree not to modify, rent, lease, loan, sell, distribute or create derivative works based on the web site or the Software, in whole or in part.
DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES
You expressly understand and agree that:
- Your use of the web site is at your sole risk. The web site is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. GEO expressly disclaims all warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including, but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.
- GEO makes no warranty that (i) the web site will meet your requirements, (ii) the web site access will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free, (iii) the results that may be obtained from the use of the web site will be accurate or reliable, and (iv) the quality of any products, services, information, or other material purchased or obtained by you through the web site will meet your expectations.
- Any material downloaded or otherwise obtained through the use of the service is done at your own discretion and risk and that you will be solely responsible for any damage to your computer system or loss of data that results from the download of any such material.
- No advice or information, whether oral or written, obtained by you from GEO or through or from the service shall create any warranty not expressly stated in the TOP.