Provision record
OpenAI · OpenAI Terms of Use · View original document ↗

Prohibition on Illegal Harmful or Abusive Activity

High severity Explicit document language Common · 281 of 352 platforms
Stay ahead of the changes
Track OpenAI and get the diff the day its terms change.
Share 𝕏 Share in Share 🔒 PDF
ⓘ

This analysis describes what OpenAI'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

How other platforms handle this

Binance.US Medium

Actions which impose an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on our infrastructure, or detrimentally interfere with, intercept, or expropriate any system, data, or information

Microsoft Medium

Don't help others break these rules.

Anthropic Medium

Except when you are accessing our Services via an Anthropic API Key or where we otherwise explicitly permit it, to access the Services through automated or non-human means, whether through a bot, script, or otherwise.

See all platforms with this clause type →
▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
You may not use our Services for any illegal, harmful, or abusive activity.

Excerpt from OpenAI's Terms of Use

Applicable regulations

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

Provision details

Document information
Document
OpenAI Terms of Use
Entity
OpenAI
Date stated by the document
Jan. 1, 2026
As printed in OpenAI’s text (version CA-V-007346), not a ConductAtlas date.
Tracking information
First captured by ConductAtlas
March 7, 2026
Text quoted from version
CA-V-007346, captured Oct. 5, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-078682
Document ID
CA-D-000009
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Archived bytes SHA-256 (version CA-V-007346)
01c3b7047514580f0ab51670c70872c0998bed109144843b2a397d5c757ca918
Analysis generated
October 7, 2026 01:48 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Excerpt found verbatim in version CA-V-007346 (checked Oct. 5, 2026)
Citation Record
Entity: OpenAI
Document: OpenAI Terms of Use
Record ID: CA-P-078682
Version: CA-V-007346
Captured: 2026-10-05 23:42:50 UTC
SHA-256: 01c3b7047514580f…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/openai/openai-terms-of-use/provision/CA-P-078682/prohibition-on-illegal-harmful-or-abusive-activity/
Accessed: Oct. 10, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

Other risks in this policy

Get the research letter

Companies change their terms quietly. We read every version and catch what actually changed. One email a week on the changes that matter and what they mean.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does OpenAI's Prohibition on Illegal Harmful or Abusive Activity clause do?

The clause states: “You may not use our Services for any illegal, harmful, or abusive activity.”

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 281 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with OpenAI?

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