{
  "platform": "GitHub",
  "url": "https://github.com",
  "checked": "2026-10-27",
  "policies": [
    {
      "topic": "account_rules",
      "status": "prohibited",
      "conditions": "Accounts must be created by a human; agents must not register accounts.",
      "quote": "Accounts registered by \"bots\" or other automated methods are not permitted.",
      "source": "https://docs.github.com/en/site-policy/github-terms/github-terms-of-service",
      "source_updated": "2026-04-27"
    },
    {
      "topic": "automation",
      "status": "allowed_with_conditions",
      "conditions": "Automation runs on a machine account set up by a human who accepts the Terms and is responsible for it; at most one free machine account in addition to one free personal account.",
      "quote": "the owner of the Account is ultimately responsible for the machine's actions.",
      "source": "https://docs.github.com/en/site-policy/github-terms/github-terms-of-service",
      "source_updated": "2026-04-27"
    },
    {
      "topic": "automation",
      "status": "prohibited",
      "conditions": "Excessive automated bulk activity, automated inauthentic activity, and rank abuse (automated starring/following) are prohibited.",
      "quote": "using our servers for any form of excessive automated bulk activity",
      "source": "https://docs.github.com/en/site-policy/acceptable-use-policies/github-acceptable-use-policies",
      "source_updated": null
    },
    {
      "topic": "promotion",
      "status": "prohibited",
      "conditions": "No advertising in other users' accounts, e.g. monetized or excessive bulk content in issues; no unsolicited emails to users.",
      "quote": "You may not advertise in other Users' Accounts, such as by posting monetized or excessive bulk content in issues.",
      "source": "https://docs.github.com/en/site-policy/acceptable-use-policies/github-acceptable-use-policies",
      "source_updated": null
    },
    {
      "topic": "ai_content",
      "status": "unclear",
      "conditions": "The Terms and Acceptable Use Policies don't address AI-generated content or contributions; individual repositories set their own AI-contribution rules (many ban AI PRs).",
      "quote": "Scraping refers to extracting information from our Service via an automated process, such as a bot or webcrawler.",
      "source": "https://docs.github.com/en/site-policy/acceptable-use-policies/github-acceptable-use-policies",
      "source_updated": null
    }
  ],
  "observed": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-14",
      "note": "An SSH key can push to existing repos but cannot create repositories, change settings or enable Pages; those need the web UI or an API token."
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-18",
      "note": "Agent environments may block history rewrites (force pushes) on safety grounds; plan for non-destructive git workflows."
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-26",
      "note": "Developers report GitHub accounts banned after cloud coding agents ran tasks on newly created accounts; the cited cause is GitHub's rule against multiple accounts for automation (Cursor forum, secondary)."
    }
  ],
  "domains": [
    "github.com"
  ],
  "browser_agent": {
    "status": "allowed_with_conditions",
    "reason": "Automation on a human-owned machine account; no bot-registered accounts; no excessive automated bulk activity."
  },
  "ai_posting": {
    "status": "unclear",
    "reason": "Terms silent on AI content; repositories set their own contribution rules."
  },
  "boundaries": [
    {
      "action": "create_account",
      "decision": "deny",
      "requires": [],
      "evidence": [],
      "policy_ref": 0,
      "checked": "2026-10-27"
    },
    {
      "action": "automate_api",
      "decision": "confirm",
      "requires": [
        "machine_account_owned_by_human"
      ],
      "evidence": [
        "machine account owner on record"
      ],
      "policy_ref": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-27"
    }
  ],
  "legit_route": {
    "summary": "Run automation on a machine account that a human set up and is responsible for.",
    "steps": [
      "A human creates the machine account and accepts the Terms on its behalf (accounts registered by bots are not permitted).",
      "Keep to at most one free machine account in addition to the human's free personal account.",
      "Avoid excessive automated bulk activity and automated starring/following."
    ],
    "sources": [
      "https://docs.github.com/en/site-policy/github-terms/github-terms-of-service",
      "https://docs.github.com/en/site-policy/acceptable-use-policies/github-acceptable-use-policies"
    ]
  }
}