Provision record
Amazon · AWS Acceptable Use Policy · View original document ↗

Prohibition on Illegal or Harmful Content

High severity Common · 282 of 352 platforms
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Document Record

What it is

You cannot use AWS to store, send, or distribute illegal content, including content that violates copyright, is obscene or abusive, or involves child sexual abuse material.

This analysis describes what Amazon's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

This clause defines the scope of prohibited uses for AWS Services and establishes the operational boundary for acceptable content hosted on the platform. It requires AWS to maintain controls against specific categories of content that expose the service provider to legal liability or regulatory violation.

Clause Stability Stable

0
Changes
5
Months Monitored
Apr 9, 2026
First Seen
Apr 10, 2026
Last Seen
This clause type exists across 4245 other provisions on other platforms.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

This clause prohibits a wide range of harmful and illegal content categories on AWS infrastructure, and because customers are responsible for end-user conduct, businesses hosting user-generated content face significant legal exposure if their platforms are used to store or distribute any of these content types.

How other platforms handle this

ActiveCampaign Medium

Delete or revise any material, including Marketing Content, posted by another person or entity;

Mailchimp Medium

Send content created in Mailchimp through another service.

TikTok Medium

use TikTok Content...another user's content or generative AI-enabled features for commercial purposes unless permitted by TikTok USDS Joint Venture or the user, respectively...

See all platforms with this clause type →
▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
No Illegal or Harmful Content. You may not use the Services to transmit, store, display, distribute or otherwise make available content that is illegal, harmful, or offensive, including content that: infringes or misappropriates the intellectual property or proprietary rights of others; is defamatory, obscene, abusive, invasive of privacy, or otherwise objectionable; contains or promotes child sexual abuse material or exploitation of minors.

Excerpt from Amazon's AWS Acceptable Use Policy

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (regulatory & governance intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision directly implicates 18 U.S.C.

Insight

Unlock the full institutional analysis

Enforcement risk, jurisdiction flags, contract triggers, and due diligence action items.

Applicable agencies

  • Federal Trade Commission (ftc)
    Oversees unfair or deceptive business practices and can investigate companies that mislead consumers about data collection, sharing, or use.
    Who can file: Anyone affected by the company's practices (US or international)
    What you need: Your account details, a timeline of relevant events, and a description of the specific issue
    What to expect: Complaints inform FTC enforcement priorities and investigations but do not result in individual resolution or compensation
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

CFAA
United States Federal
DMCA
United States Federal
DSA
European Union

Provision details

Document information
Document
AWS Acceptable Use Policy
Entity
Amazon
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
March 6, 2026
Last verified
April 9, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-002548
Document ID
CA-D-00028
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
c61af89c19589f506fd3fc8bbb8010407f0052d2e845554c876b99cc2495d2ce
Analysis generated
March 6, 2026 20:03 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Amazon
Document: AWS Acceptable Use Policy
Record ID: CA-P-002548
Captured: 2026-03-06 20:03:12 UTC
SHA-256: c61af89c19589f50…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/amazon/aws-acceptable-use-policy/provision/CA-P-002548/prohibition-on-illegal-or-harmful-content/
Accessed: Aug. 25, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Amazon's Prohibition on Illegal or Harmful Content clause do?

This clause defines the scope of prohibited uses for AWS Services and establishes the operational boundary for acceptable content hosted on the platform. It requires AWS to maintain controls against specific categories of content that expose the service provider to legal liability or regulatory violation.

How does this clause affect you?

This clause prohibits a wide range of harmful and illegal content categories on AWS infrastructure, and because customers are responsible for end-user conduct, businesses hosting user-generated content face significant legal exposure if their platforms are used to store or distribute any of these content types.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 282 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Amazon?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon.