This website provides information on what you need to bear in mind when using the internet. "Use" can include, for example, surfing the internet, uploading and downloading files or using email, but also the operation of web servers or the provision of websites on the university's servers.

Any use of the internet entails responsibility on the part of the user. This applies to students as well as to teaching staff and university employees. In order to regulate use and responsibilities, the University Senate adopted two regulations on 22 May 2002. utilisation regulations (for official and private use), which have been valid since their publication as Official Notices (25 July 2002). Please read the regulations carefully.

Some aspects of the regulations should be explicitly pointed out here.

Especially for active use in the sense of providing information on the Internet (e.g. own official or personal websites), there are now some rules that must be observed in order not to violate applicable law.

1. Labelling obligation
   Every website, including personal websites, must have an imprint that identifies the person responsible.
   >> Regulations for private use, § 5.3
   
   In the case of official websites, the relevant person must be named in the bottom right-hand corner with a reference to their email address or website, who is then responsible in accordance with the university's general legal notice.
   
   These measures comply with the German Teleservices Act (TDG), which has been in force since 1 January 2002.
   
   
2. For official websites: binding layout
   The design of official websites must be adapted to the official website layout provided centrally by the university.
   >> Regulations for official use, § 2.2
   
   Note: The layout for university websites based on the university's corporate design is automatically generated by the content management system used. It offers various options for the visually customised design of websites within a university-wide design framework.

On 1 May 2002, the Federal Disability Equality Act came into force, which stipulates that disabled persons must not be subject to disadvantages due to their disability. To implement the law in the area of the Internet, a corresponding legal ordinance was issued, which specifies in detail what so-called "barrier-free information technology" must look like. This therefore affects the content and structural design of websites.

Deadlines have been set for full compliance with the ordinance, which can be found in the ordinance.

At this point, individual steps should be mentioned that can help to make existing websites as accessible as possible.

1. Graphics
   One aspect of accessible design is that a website must be usable in terms of function and content even without graphics.
   1. Wherever graphic buttons are used as navigation elements, a corresponding alternative text must be provided:
      <img src="..." alt="research">
   2. Such an 'alt' text is also useful for graphics that are not clickable, e.g. for a photo:
      <img alt="Photo: University President Prof. Dr XYZ">
   3. Click maps (images with several clickable regions) can be used in the same way.
      
      
2. More to follow ...