Google Gemini · Google Generative AI Prohibited Use Policy · View original document ↗

Prohibited Content Categories

High severity Medium confidence Explicitdocumentlanguage Rare · 2 of 325 platforms
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Document Record

What it is

Google prohibits using Gemini to create content that is harmful, deceptive, hateful, sexually exploitative of minors, or that enables illegal activity.

This analysis describes what Google Gemini'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 defines the outer limits of permitted use and directly determines whether a user's application or content generation activity is authorized under the agreement.

Interpretive note: The scope of 'content designed to deceive' is not fully defined in the document and may require case-by-case interpretation, particularly for satire, fiction, or marketing contexts.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Users who generate prohibited content, including deceptive material, content involving minors, or material that facilitates violence, may have their access suspended or terminated under this provision.

How other platforms handle this

Runway Medium

You may not use Runway's tools to create content that promotes, glorifies, or facilitates acts of terrorism, mass violence, or genocide, or that could be used to provide material support to individuals or organizations engaged in such activities.

Midjourney Medium

Do not generate images for political campaigns or to try to influence the outcome of an election. Do not generate images to spread misinformation or disinformation. Do not generate images to attempt to or to actually deceive or defraud anyone. Do not intentionally mislead recipients of generated ima...

Delta Airlines Medium

All content on this Internet site ("the delta.com website") is owned or controlled by Delta Air Lines and is protected by worldwide copyright laws.

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
Don't use our services to generate content or facilitate actions that violate our policies or applicable law, including: content that facilitates violence or incites hatred against individuals or groups; content designed to deceive or defraud; content that sexualizes minors; content that enables cyberattacks or other illegal activity.

— Excerpt from Google Gemini's Google Generative AI Prohibited Use Policy

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision engages the FTC Act's prohibition on unfair or deceptive acts or practices (regarding the deceptive content restriction), COPPA and 18 U.S.C. Section 2256 (regarding CSAM prohibitions), the EU AI Act's Article 5 prohibited practices (regarding manipulation and exploitation of vulnerable groups), and applicable national laws on incitement to violence. The FTC and relevant state attorneys general are the primary enforcement authorities in the US context; the European AI Office and national competent authorities apply in the EU. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High. The breadth of the prohibited categories, particularly the restriction on content 'designed to deceive,' may create ambiguity in marketing, satire, or synthetic media use cases where intent is not self-evident. Enterprises deploying Gemini in content generation workflows should document use-case justifications and implement output monitoring. JURISDICTION FLAGS: CSAM prohibitions apply globally and are subject to mandatory reporting obligations in the US (NCMEC) and EU member states. The 'incitement to hatred' category may be interpreted differently across jurisdictions, with heightened regulatory scrutiny in Germany, France, and the UK under their respective online safety and hate speech frameworks. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Enterprises incorporating Gemini into products should ensure downstream acceptable use policies align with these prohibited categories. Vendor contracts should address liability allocation in the event that Gemini outputs violate these prohibitions despite appropriate safeguards. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should implement pre-deployment use-case reviews against each enumerated prohibited category, maintain output audit logs for high-volume deployments, and establish escalation procedures for potential violations. The CSAM prohibition in particular requires zero-tolerance operational controls and defined incident response procedures.

Full compliance analysis

Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC has jurisdiction over deceptive content generation practices and unfair business conduct enabled by AI tools under the FTC Act.
    File a complaint →
  • State AG
    State attorneys general have jurisdiction over consumer protection violations and, in some states, AI-specific deceptive practice regulations.
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

CFAA
United States Federal
DSA
European Union
Trump Executive Order on AI Policy Framework
US

Provision details

Document information
Document
Google Generative AI Prohibited Use Policy
Entity
Google Gemini
Document last updated
May 12, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
April 18, 2026
Last verified
May 12, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-011354
Document ID
CA-D-00325
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
63e816d10b250e0548b988099f94a40d1e970e1f90744d59ee3d2053af23c1a7
Analysis generated
April 18, 2026 12:15 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Google Gemini
Document: Google Generative AI Prohibited Use Policy
Record ID: CA-P-011354
Captured: 2026-04-18 12:15:17 UTC
SHA-256: 63e816d10b250e05…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/google-gemini/google-generative-ai-prohibited-use-policy/prohibited-content-categories/
Accessed: May 13, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

Other risks in this policy

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Google Gemini's Prohibited Content Categories clause do?

This provision defines the outer limits of permitted use and directly determines whether a user's application or content generation activity is authorized under the agreement.

How does this clause affect you?

Users who generate prohibited content, including deceptive material, content involving minors, or material that facilitates violence, may have their access suspended or terminated under this provision.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 2 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Google Gemini?

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