Provision record
GitHub · GitHub Acceptable Use Policies · View original document ↗

Unlawful and Regulated Content Prohibition

Medium severity Low confidence Explicit document language Common · 282 of 352 platforms
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Document Record

What it is

The agreement prohibits posting information that is unlawful or that facilitates illegal activities, applying this restriction broadly across all content types and user contexts on the platform.

This analysis describes what GitHub'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 provision establishes a broad prohibition on unlawful content that supplements the specific categorical prohibitions elsewhere in the AUP, and its broad framing means that the scope of prohibited content depends on applicable law in the user's jurisdiction, which may vary significantly across geographies.

Interpretive note: The scope of 'unlawful' content is entirely dependent on the applicable law of the relevant jurisdiction, which varies significantly across geographies and creates interpretive uncertainty that cannot be resolved from the document text alone.

Clause Stability Stable

0
Changes
3
Months Monitored
May 20, 2026
First Seen
May 22, 2026
Last Seen
This clause type exists across 4245 other provisions on other platforms.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Under this clause, content that is unlawful under any applicable jurisdiction or that facilitates illegal activities is prohibited on GitHub. The breadth of this prohibition means that compliance depends partly on the laws of the jurisdiction in which the user operates, which may differ across countries.

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
"
You may not post any information that is unlawful or that facilitates illegal activities.

Excerpt from GitHub's Acceptable Use Policies

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (regulatory & governance intelligence)

1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: The scope of this provision is determined by applicable law in each jurisdiction, potentially engaging a wide range of regulatory frameworks depending on the content category involved.

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 →
  • State Attorney General
    State AGs in California, New York, Texas, and other states can investigate violations of state consumer protection and privacy laws, including CCPA (California), SHIELD Act (New York), and equivalents.
    Who can file: Residents of states with comprehensive privacy laws — primarily California, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, and Utah
    What you need: Evidence of the violation, explanation of how your state rights were affected, and your account or contact information with the company
    What to expect: Outcomes vary by state. May result in investigation, enforcement action, or requirement for the company to change practices. No direct individual compensation in most cases.

    Search "[your state] attorney general consumer complaint" to find your state's direct complaint form

Applicable regulations

CFAA
United States Federal
DMCA
United States Federal
DSA
European Union

Provision details

Document information
Document
GitHub Acceptable Use Policies
Entity
GitHub
Document last updated
May 12, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 20, 2026
Last verified
May 20, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-012420
Document ID
CA-D-00790
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
4cb1cc8f63e15186f39023d0124a0552f90d900ee77625b9086bf67218c19c3e
Analysis generated
May 20, 2026 21:06 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: GitHub
Document: GitHub Acceptable Use Policies
Record ID: CA-P-012420
Captured: 2026-05-20 21:06:09 UTC
SHA-256: 4cb1cc8f63e15186…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/github/github-acceptable-use-policies/provision/CA-P-012420/unlawful-and-regulated-content-prohibition/
Accessed: Sept. 8, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does GitHub's Unlawful and Regulated Content Prohibition clause do?

This provision establishes a broad prohibition on unlawful content that supplements the specific categorical prohibitions elsewhere in the AUP, and its broad framing means that the scope of prohibited content depends on applicable law in the user's jurisdiction, which may vary significantly across geographies.

How does this clause affect you?

Under this clause, content that is unlawful under any applicable jurisdiction or that facilitates illegal activities is prohibited on GitHub. The breadth of this prohibition means that compliance depends partly on the laws of the jurisdiction in which the user operates, which may differ across countries.

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 GitHub?

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