The policy prohibits using Cohere services for illegal profiling or surveillance, untargeted facial image scraping for facial recognition databases, and predictive policing applications that assess or predict the likelihood of a person committing a criminal offense.
This analysis describes what Cohere'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
This provision explicitly prohibits biometric data aggregation and predictive criminal risk scoring, both of which are subject to heightened regulatory scrutiny under the EU AI Act and applicable privacy laws in multiple jurisdictions. The restriction on untargeted facial image scraping addresses a specific technical practice associated with mass biometric surveillance.
Interpretive note: The policy's use of 'illegal' as a qualifier for profiling and surveillance means that the scope of this prohibition depends on applicable law in each jurisdiction, which varies significantly across geographies.
The updated policy removes all substantive acceptable use requirements that were previously posted and enforceable. Users no longer have a referenced standard defining what conduct is prohibited on the platform. The removal of enforcement procedures means users cannot verify what conduct may trigger access restriction, suspension, or termination. The elimination of the child safety and sexually explicit content prohibitions from the posted policy creates uncertainty about whether these protections remain in effect through other terms or have been abandoned.
View change record →Under this clause, Cohere services may not be used to build or expand facial recognition databases through untargeted image scraping, conduct predictive policing, or engage in illegal surveillance or profiling activities. This prohibition applies to all users and Customer Application operators.
Cross-platform context
See how other platforms handle Surveillance and Predictive Policing Prohibition and similar clauses.
Compare across platforms →"Surveillance and Predictive Policing. Any activities involving illegal profiling or surveillance, including spyware or communications surveillance, untargeted scraping of facial images to create or expand a facial recognition database, or predictive policing, i.e., assessing or predicting the risks of a person committing a criminal offence.Excerpt from Cohere's Usage Policy
1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: The prohibition on untargeted facial image scraping and predictive policing directly engages the EU AI Act, which classifies real-time remote biometric identification systems and AI systems used for criminal risk assessment as …
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This provision explicitly prohibits biometric data aggregation and predictive criminal risk scoring, both of which are subject to heightened regulatory scrutiny under the EU AI Act and applicable privacy laws in multiple jurisdictions. The restriction on untargeted facial image scraping addresses a specific technical practice associated with mass biometric surveillance.
Under this clause, Cohere services may not be used to build or expand facial recognition databases through untargeted image scraping, conduct predictive policing, or engage in illegal surveillance or profiling activities. This prohibition applies to all users and Customer Application operators.
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