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New Media & Society
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Advantage ISP: Terms of Service as Media Law

Sandra Braman

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, braman{at}uwm.edu

Stephanie Roberts

Emory University, emraldsong{at}yahoo.com

All users must access the internet through ISPs on the basis of contracts known as `terms of service' or `acceptable use policies' that are becoming de facto law for internet communications. This article examines contracts fr om over two dozen ISPs. Findings include a knowledge differ ential between users and ISPs regarding rules and their applications. User s have liability irrespective of intention, while ISPs do not. User s must license content to ISPs. And ISP agreements disregard constitutional standar ds regarding freedom of expr ession and privacy. Public forum analysis provides a legal foundation for seeking ter ms of service more protective of constitutionally-based civil liberties and intellectual property rights.

Key Words: acceptable use policies • fr eedom of expr ession • intellectual pr operty rights • internet • ISP • liability • media law • privacy • regulation • terms of service

New Media & Society, Vol. 5, No. 3, 422-448 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/14614448030053007
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