Adult Content

• Most schools and businesses have an adult content clause in their acceptable use policy. This includes uploading, downloading and accessing sexually explicit material. Failure to abide by this policy could lead to suspension or termination if in school and termination of your position within the workplace. When reading the acceptable use policy, pay close attention to what is considered sexually explicit for that location. Prohibitions can include something as simple as a racy email joke.
  
  

Abuse

• Anything that can be considered racial or derogatory can be included in an acceptable use policy. This also includes cyber-bullying. Children who use a school's Internet server to send abusive emails or terrorize another classmate can be expelled or suspended, depending on the appointed punishments for breaking this policy.
  
  

Hacking

• Acceptable use policies are also used to discourage hacking. Companies and schools that provide Internet services to their employees and students may have a clause that prohibits the use of the Internet to access another person's personal information and files without the required permission. Depending on the severity of the hacking, the federal government can get involved.
  
  

Monitored Use

• Acceptable use policies may also state what activity on the Internet will be monitored as a warning of what the IT department will be watching. This can include unauthorized emails from friends on a company email account or accessing frivolous websites on company time.
  
  

Vandalism

• Vandalism is another clause that can be found in many acceptable use policies. This would include deliberately infecting the company or school computers with a virus. Accidental infection could also be considered vandalism if the virus came from an unauthorized outside source. This means that an employee prohibited by their acceptable use policy from receiving personal email on company time can be held accountable for an infection if he opens an email from a friend that's infected with a virus or worm.
  
  

Service Providers

• Services providers, such as Comcast and Verizon Wireless, have their own acceptable use policy for customers who purchase their Internet services. This policy entitles the service provider the ability to terminate service if the customer abuses the use of their Internet service. Most restrictions in a service provider's acceptable use policy cover illegal use of the Internet. This includes anything that violates state or federal law, such as material considered harmful to minors or federal hacking. Also, fraudulent activity like a Ponzi scheme can lead to the Internet connection being terminated.