Specific communities, chats, events, and discussion groups may also have additional guidelines that govern your use, so be sure to review them in addition to this Code of Conduct. Microsoft is not responsible for the content or activities in any user-created, non-Microsoft-managed program or website.

All activity on Zone.com is also governed by the MSN.COM Terms of Use. To read the MSN.COM Terms of Use, please click here .

Recommended age for Zone.com members

Zone.com is a general-purpose site and is designed for use by individuals who are 13 years of age or older. Some content and links on the Internet may contain adult content and may not be suitable for children. We encourage parents to join their children as they surf and explore the Internet.

Age-appropriate rating

Zone.com is rated by RSACi/Internet Content Rating Association. This system rates Web sites and games on their levels of sex, violence, profanity, and nudity. Zone.com has a level 2 rating, and we strive to enforce standards for that rating provided by the ICRA organization. For more information about this rating system, see the ICRA's Web site .

Keep it legal

• Microsoft does not allow any illegal activities. Microsoft is not responsible for anything you say on Zone.com, or for any consequences that arise from what you say. If you break the law, you alone will be responsible for the consequences.
• • You cannot use Zone.com to publish, post, distribute, or disseminate defamatory, infringing, obscene, sexual, or other unlawful material, images, text, or information.
• •You may not use Zone.com services for chats relating to illegal drugs or illegal purposes.
• •You may not use any chat, profile, or other Zone.com service for the purpose of linking to external sites that violate this Code of Conduct.
• •Do not post links to any materials (including software and other information) that could harm (or is designed to harm) other users' computers or would allow others to inappropriately access software or Web sites.

Do not use an inappropriate nickname. Nicknames are also known as Member IDs, nicks, nicknames, or handles. Zone.com reserves the right to remove any nickname it deems inappropriate for any reason.

• •Inappropriate Zone.com Nicknames can include those that in any way look like, sound like, stand for, hint at, abbreviate, or insinuate any of the following: profanity, sexual content (including but not limited to explicit language, sexual innuendo, sexual content, negative, disparaging or harmful references to sexual preferences), slurs (including but not limited to racial, ethnic, or religious slurs), illegal drugs/controlled substances, or illegal activities.
• •Nicknames that reference controversial religious topics, notorious people or organizations, or sensitive current or historical events may also be considered inappropriate if they are deemed to be disruptive in chat rooms.

• •Zone.com inappropriate language can include any language that in any way looks like, sounds like, stands for, hints at, abbreviates, or insinuates any of the following: profanity, sexual content (including but not limited to explicit language, sexual innuendo, sexual content, or references to sexual preferences), slurs (including but not limited to racial, ethnic, or religious slurs), illegal drugs/controlled substances, or illegal activities.
• •Any non-game-related conversation that takes up a substantial amount of the lobby chat space and prevents users from finding a game partner should be moved to private game tables or private chats. You are welcome to advertise, and encourage people to join in, these discussions within the lobbies, but please be reasonable about the frequency with which you do so. Continuation of lengthy conversations in the main lobby area can be considered a violation of the Code of Conduct. Given that it is so easy to move to a private table and people are welcome to announce this in the lobby, we expect that this won't be a problem.
• •Microsoft reserves the right to revoke the membership of anyone who advocates or encourages expressions of violence, bigotry, racism, hatred, or profanity. Zone.com does not tolerate racial, ethnic, sexual, or religious slurs.
• •Microsoft does not tolerate disruptive activity online or statements that incite others to violate this Code of Conduct or participate in illegal activities.
• Do not use profanity or sexually explicit language on Zone.com or in its newsgroups.
• •Threatening or harassing tournament hosts, Zone.com Member Pluses, Zone.com Community Managers, and Zone.com employees is prohibited and can result in immediate termination of your Zone.com account.
• •If you post Web links or URLs in the lobby or game chat that point to content deemed inappropriate by Zone.com Member Pluses or Community Managers, you could have your Zone.com chat and game privileges revoked.

• • Impersonation of Zone.com Member Pluses, Community Managers, or staff members is prohibited. Falsely representing yourself as a Zone.com employee, Community Manager, or Member Plus can result in immediate termination of your Zone.com account.

• •Zone.com does not allow the posting of destructive software, use of computer programs that contain destructive features, or access to any content such as viruses, worms, Trojan horses, or bots for the use of scrolling, showing multiple screens, and other activities that can be disruptive to online communication.
• •Disruptive behavior, such as revealing cards, making lewd comments, or bidding outrageously and then leaving, may lead to your removal from a game area and even revocation of your Zone.com membership.
• •Cheating in games is prohibited unless a Host has deliberately enabled cheats for use in the game. Those users caught cheating may suffer suspension from Zone.com and, if they are caught cheating in a rated game room, manipulation of their game ratings.
• •Locking or stalling a player's game is considered disruptive behavior and may result in the offender being removed from the game lobbies.
• •You are empowered to remove kibitzers, boot players, and otherwise enforce the Code of Conduct at individual game tables. Member Pluses may be available to help with disruptive or abusive players but do not monitor or enforce the Code of Conduct at individual game tables except during a tournament.

• •Please avoid excessive shouting (use of all-caps) or flooding (continuous posting of repetitive text) in Zone.com Chat areas or on our newsgroups. Flooding is defined as any rapid or high-volume posting that interferes with other people's ability to converse.
• •Microsoft reserves the right to ban a user at any time, without notice, from any or all areas of Zone.com for spamming, flooding, or otherwise abusing the public communication tools.

There are three types of tournaments on Zone.com: user-hosted tournaments, Zone.com-hosted tournaments, and off-Zone.com tournaments.

User-hosted tournaments

User-hosted tournaments are daily tournaments hosted or monitored by a Member Plus (+) and conducted in Tournament Room lobbies in each game area. No cash-value prizes may be awarded.

• •All tournaments held on the Zone.com must be hosted by or monitored by a Member Plus (+) and conducted in the provided tournament lobbies located in each game area.
• •User-hosted tournaments can be held in two ways: scheduled and spur.
  • •Scheduled tournaments must be listed on the tournament events page and must be held in their designated tournament room.
  • •Spur tournaments are tournaments that a Member Plus decides to host or monitor at the spur of the moment. These events are not put into the tournament schedule, as there is generally no time to do so. All Spur tournaments must be held in designated Spur tournament rooms.
• •Any Members Plus Tournament Committee Members may prohibit or remove any player from participating in their tournament for violations of the Zone.com Code of Conduct or the Zone.com Terms of Use agreement, or for previously disruptive conduct during endorsed tournaments.

Zone.com-hosted tournaments are tournaments hosted by @zone and/or @mplus staff and are conducted in Special Event lobbies in each game area. These tournaments often reward winners with tangible cash-value prizes. Examples of Zone.com-hosted tournaments include Spotlights, Showcases, and Special Events.

• •Participation is limited to players who meet the eligibility requirements posted in the Spotlight or Event Rules for each tournament. Players who do not meet eligibility rules and yet still participate may be removed from the tournament without notice.
• •Additional rules concerning conduct and game play may be posted prior to tournament start by the Host and should be followed by all tournament participants.
• •All Spotlight and Event tournaments are listed in the upper portion of the “Tournaments and Events” page in each game area.

Off-Zone.com tournaments are tournaments conducted and administered outside of Zone.com with only the games themselves played on Zone.com. Examples of off-Zone.com tournaments include user-run ladder Web sites or club/clan tournaments played online.

• •Off-Zone.com tournaments are not in any way affiliated with, nor are they endorsed or supported by, Zone.com. If you run an off-Zone.com tournament and choose to play your games on the Zone.com, you must clearly communicate this to all of your participants. You are not permitted to use or display any Microsoft or Zone.com trademarks or logos on any Web site.
• •Zone.com does not endorse and is not responsible for the awarding of prizes for off-Zone.com games. If you choose to award prizes, you may not announce them or present them in the games, in the lobbies, or anywhere else on Zone.com.
• •The format of off-Zone.com tournaments and the content of the Web sites or other resources used to run them are not covered by Zone.com Code of Conduct.
• •Behavior during games and in lobbies during these tournaments is covered by Zone.com Code of Conduct.
• •Do not administer or direct off-Zone.com tournaments using lobby chat.
• •Off-Zone.com tournaments may not be played in tournament rooms.

Peddle it elsewhere

• •Please do not use Zone.com for any commercial purpose without the express consent of Zone.com. You may only create a membership for yourself as an individual. You may not create a membership for your corporation or other business entity.
• •Any space provided to you on Zone.com is for your own personal use. You may not sell, license, give away, exchange, or barter any Zone.com space provided to you, including, without limitation, selling, licensing, exchanging, or bartering space for advertisements.

• •You are responsible and liable for all your activities on Zone.com. Remember, you are responsible for anything you say or post and for protecting your own computer system.
• •Microsoft gives you the ability to create your own profiles. Microsoft takes no responsibility for ratings or content, nor any activities resulting from use of these profiles.
• •Microsoft reserves the right to remove at any time, without notice, any user-created content from Zone.com.
• •Some areas of the Zone.com may post Internet Web-site links. Please be advised that Microsoft is not responsible for the content on the Web sites associated with the links you may view.
• •Some content and links on the Internet may contain adult content and may not be suitable for children. We encourage parents to join their children as they surf and explore the Internet.
• •You are responsible for any actions you may take based on advice or information you receive online. Use your own good judgment when evaluating information provided through the Zone.com. Remember that the information provided could be from people of any age and experience level. The decision to conduct transactions with anyone is your own, and you should do your own research prior to making any decisions.
• •If you have a Zone.com premium-game subscription, you may not transfer it, either through gift or sale, or make your password available to others. If you share your account or billing information, you may have your subscription canceled without refund.

• •In helping to make the Zone.com a great place to meet, play games, and chat, you must do your part to uphold this Code of Conduct.
• •Microsoft reserves the right to immediately terminate or suspend a user's Zone.com account for violations of our Code of Conduct.
• •Microsoft also reserves our right to amend or change the Code of Conduct at any time without notice. You agree to periodically review this document to ensure you are doing your part.
• •Microsoft is not obligated to send users or hosts a warning before deleting any content.

• •We caution you against giving out personally identifiable information (such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, names and addresses, telephone numbers, driver license numbers) to strangers online, as this information may be used for illegal or harmful purposes.
• •Some personal information you provide to Microsoft may be stored outside of the country in which you reside.
• •To read the MSN Privacy Statement, please click here .

• •Technical Issues -- Zone Help Pages
• •Premium Games Billing Issues -- Billing Help Pages
• •Member Plus Issues -- [email protected]