I'm starting a hosting company as a side business with my dedicated server partner to offset hosting costs. Anyhoo I was wondering if anyone knew of someplace I could get generic AUP(Acceptible User Policies), Privacy Policies, etc, etc.

Visit about.com and do a search, there was a whole bunch of generic policys you could use.

For privacy policies, go to http://www.truste.org

You also might want to take a look at:

http://www.thewhir.com

We've launched an entire section dedicated to hosting companies titled "Hosts For Hosts".

Adam

Well one choice if you can right them your self which will be good or you can just search or just copy from other webhosting company that has the same policies as you do.

Well one choice if you can right them your self which will be good or you can just search or just copy from other webhosting company that has the same policies as you do.
- But please ask for permisson first - copyrights 'n' stuff :)

Any host that refuses to let you use their TOS as a guide has a problem IMHO. Chances are, they used someone else's as a guide themselves anywhooo.

hmm.. how can a host copyright there terms of service? doesnt it sound funny to any of you??

Not really, and I would ask, but I see no reason for the host to say you couldn't use it as a guide. Why wouldn't it be copyrighted?

Asking is a professional thing to do. NTL, some things are so common a copyright can't be reasonably enforced. There are commonly used phrases in all TOS, contracts etc and I doubt anyone owns a copyright on it. Perhaps the format the TOS is written in can be copyrighted but saying things like "No Porn" or "No Warez" etc is too generic IMO to be enforceable.

Well thats what I mean, I find it funny, as to how they can copyright, words. Anyways, I think it would be wiser to ask them before using it.

Then there are the hosts who copy another host's TOS, *but* forget to remove all the references to the company. Have you seen this? That's too funny.

Originally posted by Chicken
Then there are the hosts who copy another host's TOS, *but* forget to remove all the references to the company. Have you seen this? That's too funny.


Lol.. yea.. I remember that one. Which was that host, hmmm, do you remember?

I prefer to make a collage of a few hosts TOS's. That way I cover all the bases. :D

Oh, and yes, I always ask first.

There have been a few. I remember Annette saying that a host had copied theres and done that, also have seen at least 4 others myself. Don't recall the names though.