Editing Acceptable use policy (section)

==Terminology==
An [[Acceptable use policy|acceptable use agreement]]—also referred to in institutional contexts as an [[Access control|access agreement]], [[Terms of service|user agreement]], or [[Terms of service|terms of use]]—is a policy instrument that codifies the rights, obligations, and restrictions of individuals accessing a designated [[information system]], [[computer network]], or [[Digital data|digital resource]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=https://home.army.mil/imcom/application/files/1515/6840/1867/Account_-_ACCEPTABLE_USE_POLICY_AGREEMENT.pdf |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250111090105/https://home.army.mil/imcom/application/files/1515/6840/1867/Account_-_ACCEPTABLE_USE_POLICY_AGREEMENT.pdf |archive-date=2025-01-11 |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=home.army.mil}}</ref> These agreements function as governance mechanisms, often embedded within broader contractual or institutional frameworks that regulate digital conduct and access permissions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Industry News 2019 Five Steps for Effective Auditing of IT Risk Management |url=https://www.isaca.org/resources/news-and-trends/industry-news/2019/five-steps-for-effective-auditing-of-it-risk-management |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=ISACA}}</ref>

While terminology may vary across sectors—such as [[education]], [[government]], [[Business|commercial enterprise]], or [[public service]]<nowiki/>environments—the core objective remains the same: to formalize user responsibilities and delineate the scope of permitted activity.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HHS Policy for Rules of Behavior for Use of Information & IT Resources {{!}} CMS Information Security & Privacy Group |url=https://security.cms.gov/policy-guidance/hhs-policy-rules-behavior-use-information-it-resources |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=security.cms.gov |language=en}}</ref> In educational institutions, for example, access agreements may appear in student handbooks or technology use policies, whereas in commercial settings, they are commonly integrated into [[End-user license agreement|end-user license agreements]](EULAs) or general [[terms of service]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Robinson |first=Eric P. |last2=Zhu |first2=Yicheng |date=2020-01-01 |title=Beyond “I Agree”: Users’ Understanding of Web Site Terms of Service |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2056305119897321 |journal=Social Media + Society |language=EN |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=2056305119897321 |doi=10.1177/2056305119897321 |issn=2056-3051|doi-access=free }}</ref>

The substance of such agreements typically addresses matters such as [[Authentication|user authentication]], limits on data storage and dissemination, restrictions on the transmission of unlawful or harmful content, and the conditions under which the institution may monitor, restrict, or terminate access. Many agreements also incorporate references to external legal regimes—such as [[copyright law]], [[Data security|data protection]], and [[cybersecurity]] regulations—that inform both the behavioral norms and potential penalties for violation.<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/53/r5/upd1/final |title=Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations |last=Force |first=Joint Task |date=2020-12-10 |publisher=National Institute of Standards and Technology |issue=NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-53 Rev. 5 |language=en}}</ref>

To ensure [[enforceability]] and [[informed consent]], acceptable use agreements frequently require explicit user acknowledgment, whether through signed consent forms, [[clickwrap]] acceptance during login, or periodic reaffirmation procedures.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Solove |first=Daniel |last2=Hartzog |first2=Woodrow |date=2014-01-01 |title=The FTC and the New Common Law of Privacy |url=https://scholarship.law.bu.edu/faculty_scholarship/3042/ |journal=Columbia Law Review |volume=114 |pages=583 |doi=10.2139/ssrn.2312913}}</ref> Critics of current practice have noted, however, that these agreements are often written in legally dense or [[Opacity (philosophy)|opaque]] language, raising concerns about the transparency and actual informedness of user consent.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stevenson |first=Seth |date=2014-11-17 |title=By Clicking on This Article, You Agree to … |url=https://slate.com/technology/2014/11/end-user-license-agreements-does-it-matter-that-we-dont-read-the-fine-print-we-encounter-on-the-web.html |access-date=2025-04-30 |work=Slate |language=en-US |issn=1091-2339}}</ref>