Princeton University Information Technology Policy

The University, including its faculty, staff and students, must comply with local, state and federal law, including copyright law.

Members of the University community may not knowingly assist others with use of the University’s information technology resources or Internet access for purposes of violating the law, including copyright law. Employees who are asked for such assistance must refuse.

Members of the University community should report suspicion of crime involving, or revealed by, University technology resources (such as computers, mobile devices, network or Internet access, e-mail) consistent with the University’s policy (www.princeton.edu/reportingillegalactivity). Department of Public Safety should be contacted immediately if the activity poses a risk of immediate harm to others, including crimes involving minors. In all cases, employees must treat information regarding potentially unlawful activity with discretion and sensitivity to the privacy rights of others.

There are actions which may not be specifically prohibited by law, but which are nonetheless dishonest. Rights, Rules, Responsibilities states: “Members of the University community are expected to be honest and straightforward in their official dealings with University processes, activities, and personnel. This obligation includes honoring contracts and agreements and providing accurate information on official forms and documents as well as to official University personnel, offices, and committees. Deliberate violations of this provision will be considered serious offenses; subsequent violations, or systematic violations in the first instance, will be considered extremely serious." Such actions also are unacceptable when conducted by means of the University information technology resources and Internet access.

You must not create, alter, or delete any electronic information contained in, or posted to, any campus computer or affiliated network for fraudulent or deceptive purposes that may be harmful to others. Moreover, signing an electronic document (including e-mail), or posting to a Website, message board, or social network, or appearing as a virtual reality avatar, with someone else's name may be a violation of University rules especially if the person whose name you are signing has not consented to your doing so. It also will be considered a violation of University rules if you use the University's electronic resources or Internet access to create, alter, or delete electronic information contained in or posted to any computer system on or outside the campus for which you are not authorized to do so.

Unauthorized attempts to browse, access, solicit, copy, use, modify, or delete electronic documents, files, passwords, images, films, music, sounds, games or programs belonging to other people, whether at Princeton or elsewhere, will be considered serious violations.

You must not use another's account-affiliated resource or personal computer or networked device without authorization. If you encounter an open session that exposes another's account-affiliated resource, close the session and try to notify the individual, whether within the Princeton.EDU domain or elsewhere on the Internet. It is considered a serious transgression to exploit the accidental exposure of another's account or to borrow or steal another’s identity. Without authorization, you must not attempt to enter and listen to another person's voice mail, or enter and read another person's e-mail, or other electronic messages or files, even when these are accidentally exposed to your access. It is considered a very serious transgression to gain unauthorized access to another's account-affiliated resources or another’s personal device or workstation, e-mail, or files, through deliberate action.

You must not create and send, or forward, electronic chain letters. To do so may also violate federal law, even if the chain letter assures the reader that it is not illegal and cite statutes as "proof." The redistribution of chain letters is a violation of University policy even when there is no mention of money in the letter. Some chain letters which appear to relate to genuine causes often are “urban legend” by the time they reach you; if you research the issue you may discover the cause existed long ago and the letter no longer is meaningful.

You must not post "pyramid scheme" messages. A pyramid scheme calls for escalating numbers to send money, usually small amounts, to others, with the expectation that a large amount of money will come to them. Any posting or message that suggests such a scheme is a violation of University policy and may violate federal and other laws.

You may not “borrow” an Internet Protocol address assigned to another person or entity, create a fraudulent IP addresses for a device you own or are using, or attempt to use with one device the IP address assigned to another you own or use. You may not operate a server that assigns, or attempts to control, IP addresses on the campus network.

You may not falsify a hardware address for a device connecting to the campus network or a wireless interface used to connect a device to Princeton’s network.

Individuals registering a computer, smart phone, or other device for Dormnet or campus network service must provide accurate information about that device only, and must not attempt to obtain service for two separate devices simultaneously via a single registration.

You should be aware that there are federal, state and sometimes local laws that govern certain aspects of computer, broadcast video, and telecommunications use. With considerable focus on U. S. homeland security and the national infrastructure, and with escalating pursuit of copyright infringers continuing to generate concern, additional legislation is emerging. Members of the University community are expected to respect the federal, state and local laws in use of the campus technologies and University-provided network access, as well as to observe and respect University-specific rules and regulations.

Gambling is prohibited for employees in the workplace except as specifically noted in University policy 5.21. This prohibition includes Internet gambling.

Gambling is a closely regulated activity in New Jersey, and to date none of the Internet gambling sites available in New Jersey are legal. Individuals who are defrauded or otherwise victimized in connection with their use of such sites are not likely to have any protection or recourse under New Jersey law. For further information regarding the risks and potential consequences of Internet gambling, see the website for New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement.