Which countries ban certain AI practices?

Where the law forbids specific AI systems or uses, such as social scoring, manipulative techniques, real-time biometric identification or harmful deepfakes.

15 of 109 reviewed jurisdictions address this in at least one tracked instrument. Updated 2026-10-04.

Each answer cites the instrument it rests on; open it for the provision and the full analysis. Whether a rule is binding law, a bill or guidance comes from the instrument's type and status, not from wording.

“Not found” means none of the instruments we track for that jurisdiction addresses the topic. It is not a finding that no such rule exists.

Yes — binding law in force (14)

Proposed (19)

  • Argentina

    Proposed

    It bans AI use for illegal, discriminatory, malicious, or human-rights-violating purposes.

    A possible change to a cited instrument is not yet verified.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

    0 of 4 regions address this
    • Buenos AiresNot found in the instruments we track
    • JujuyNot found in the instruments we track
    • Río NegroNot found in the instruments we track
    • San JuanNot found in the instruments we track

  • Bahrain

    Proposed

    The bill prohibits deceptive, manipulative, unconsented, and illicit AI uses, including synthetic-content and biometric tampering.

    Status verified 2026-09-08

  • Bulgaria

    Proposed

    The draft prohibits unacceptable AI practices, including social scoring and unauthorized biometric mass surveillance.

    A possible change to a cited instrument is not yet verified.

    Status verified 2026-09-10

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Chile

    Proposed

    The bill provides for restriction or prohibition of defined unacceptable-risk AI uses.

    A possible change to a cited instrument is not yet verified.

    Status verified 2026-09-08

  • Colombia

    Proposed

    It proscribes AI systems classified as posing unacceptable risks and lists harmful practices including behavioural manipulation.

    A possible change to a cited instrument is not yet verified.

    Status verified 2026-09-10

  • France

    Proposed

    It bans biometric categorisation or scoring and real-time biometric recognition in public or publicly accessible spaces.

    Status verified 2026-09-08

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Germany

    Proposed

    The bill criminalizes making certain digitally created or altered impersonating media accessible where personality rights are violated.

    A possible change to a cited instrument is not yet verified.

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

    0 of 3 regions address this
    • Baden-WürttembergNot found in the instruments we track
    • BavariaNot found in the instruments we track
    • North Rhine-WestphaliaNot found in the instruments we track

  • India

    Proposed

    It forbids discriminatory AI in critical decisions and AI-based surveillance deployment without Committee approval.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

    0 of 4 regions address this
    • KarnatakaNot found in the instruments we track
    • MaharashtraNot found in the instruments we track
    • Tamil NaduNot found in the instruments we track
    • TelanganaNot found in the instruments we track

  • Luxembourg

    Proposed

    It forbids placing or using AI systems that pose an unacceptable risk.

    Status verified 2026-09-10

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Mexico

    Proposed

    The draft proposals prohibit mass biometric surveillance without a judicial order, social scoring and manipulative profiling.

    A possible change to a cited instrument is not yet verified.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

  • Netherlands

    Proposed

    It bans manipulative practices, social scoring, and unauthorized real-time biometric identification.

    Status verified 2026-09-08

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

    0 of 1 regions address this
    • AmsterdamNot found in the instruments we track

  • Norway

    Proposed

    The draft prohibits development or deployment of AI systems presenting unacceptable risks.

    Status verified 2026-09-10

  • Poland

    Proposed

    The draft prohibits development or deployment of AI systems and practices expressly prohibited by law.

    A possible change to a cited instrument is not yet verified.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Romania

    Proposed

    The bill prohibits malicious deepfake creation or dissemination for fraud, extortion, disinformation or unauthorized impersonation.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Spain

    Proposed

    It identifies subliminal manipulation, vulnerability exploitation, biometric categorisation, social scoring and certain emotion inference as prohibited practice

    Status verified 2026-09-08

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

    1 of 3 regions address this
    • AsturiasPartly — regional, framework or general (non-AI) law

      It prohibits harmful cognitive-behavioral manipulation and social scoring in public administration.

      Status verified 2026-09-09

    • CataloniaNot found in the instruments we track
    • GaliciaNot found in the instruments we track

  • Thailand

    Proposed

    It prohibits use, deployment and importation of unacceptable-risk AI systems, subject to narrow exceptions.

    A possible change to a cited instrument is not yet verified.

    Status verified 2026-09-08

  • Turkey

    Proposed

    The bill prohibits development or deployment of AI applications classified as prohibited.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

  • Ukraine

    Proposed

    It prohibits AI systems from perpetuating or amplifying discriminatory bias.

    Status verified 2026-09-10

  • Uzbekistan

    Proposed

    The draft prohibits AI systems designed to violate fundamental rights to life, health, freedom, or dignity.

    A possible change to a cited instrument is not yet verified.

    Status verified 2026-09-10

Guidance or policy only (14)

  • Australia

    Guidance or policy only

    It prohibits using Australian artists’, writers’ or journalists’ creative works to train AI models without consent and control.

    Status verified 2026-09-17

    0 of 7 regions address this
    • Australian Capital TerritoryNot found in the instruments we track
    • New South WalesNot found in the instruments we track
    • Northern TerritoryNot found in the instruments we track
    • QueenslandNot found in the instruments we track
    • TasmaniaNot found in the instruments we track
    • VictoriaNot found in the instruments we track
    • Western AustraliaNot found in the instruments we track

  • Canada

    Guidance or policy only

    It forbids deployment of AI systems that produce or amplify discriminatory outcomes for persons with disabilities.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

    0 of 4 regions address this
    • AlbertaNot found in the instruments we track
    • British ColumbiaNot found in the instruments we track
    • OntarioNot found in the instruments we track
    • QuebecNot found in the instruments we track

  • Iraq

    Guidance or policy only

    AI applications must not contribute to youth exploitation by criminal or extremist groups.

    Status verified 2026-09-10

  • Ireland

    Guidance or policy only

    It tells developers and deployers not to develop or deploy AI systems engaging in prohibited practices.

    Status verified 2026-09-10

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Japan

    Guidance or policy only

    AI must not undermine individual autonomy or dignity.

    Status verified 2026-09-10

  • Kenya

    Guidance or policy only

    It forbids deploying high-impact AI affecting rights or safety without risk-management and ethical assessments.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

  • Lithuania

    Guidance or policy only

    Public bodies must not deploy AI that disadvantages people based on protected characteristics.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Nigeria

    Guidance or policy only

    It forbids deployment of AI systems that perpetuate or amplify societal bias.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

  • Russia

    Guidance or policy only

    It prohibits AI systems designed, developed, tested, integrated or operated to purposefully cause specified harms.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

    0 of 2 regions address this
    • MoscowNot found in the instruments we track
    • TatarstanNot found in the instruments we track

  • Saudi Arabia

    Guidance or policy only

    It tells marketers not to use deepfakes manipulatively or unethically, including altering real events or statements.

    A possible change to a cited instrument is not yet verified.

    Status verified 2026-09-10

  • Slovakia

    Guidance or policy only

    Educators must not rely on unreliable forensic AI detection tools to evaluate student work.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • South Korea

    Guidance or policy only

    It forbids distribution of generative-AI outputs without clear AI-generated labelling.

    Status verified 2026-09-08

    0 of 1 regions address this
    • SeoulNot found in the instruments we track

  • United Arab Emirates

    Guidance or policy only

    The Guide tells users not to publish or distribute deceptive deepfakes for harmful purposes.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

    1 of 2 regions address this

  • Vietnam

    Guidance or policy only

    It forbids developing or deploying AI systems that discriminate or violate fundamental human rights.

    Status verified 2026-09-07

    0 of 1 regions address this
    • Ho Chi Minh CityNot found in the instruments we track

Not found in the instruments we track (38)

  • Austria

    Not found in the instruments we track

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Bangladesh

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Belgium

    Not found in the instruments we track

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Costa Rica

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Côte d'Ivoire

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Croatia

    Not found in the instruments we track

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Cyprus

    Not found in the instruments we track

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Czech Republic

    Not found in the instruments we track

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Denmark

    Not found in the instruments we track

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Ecuador

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Egypt

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Estonia

    Not found in the instruments we track

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Ethiopia

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Ghana

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Greece

    Not found in the instruments we track

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Hong Kong

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Iceland

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Indonesia

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Iran

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Israel

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Lebanon

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Malaysia

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Maldives

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Morocco

    Not found in the instruments we track
    0 of 1 regions address this
    • Casablanca-SettatNot found in the instruments we track

  • New Zealand

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Pakistan

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Panama

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Portugal

    Not found in the instruments we track

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Qatar

    Not found in the instruments we track
    0 of 1 regions address this
    • DohaNot found in the instruments we track

  • Rwanda

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Senegal

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Serbia

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Slovenia

    Not found in the instruments we track

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • South Africa

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Sweden

    Not found in the instruments we track

    As an EU member state, the EU AI Act also applies here.

  • Switzerland

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Tunisia

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Uruguay

    Not found in the instruments we track

International organisations (24)

  • African Union

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • APEC

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • ASEAN

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • BRICS

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Council of Europe

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • European Union

    Yes — binding law in force

    The Act prohibits AI practices deemed to present unacceptable risks, including manipulation, social scoring and specified biometric identification.

    A possible change to a cited instrument is not yet verified.

    Status verified 2026-09-11

  • G7

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • GPAI

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • IAEA

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • ICAO

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • IEEE

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • ILO

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • International

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • Interpol

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • ISO

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • ITU

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • NATO

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • OAS

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • OECD

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • UNESCO

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • United Nations

    Guidance or policy only

    It calls on actors to refrain from AI social scoring or mass surveillance that violates human rights.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

  • WHO

    Guidance or policy only

    It tells operators not to use health AI for coercion or unauthorized surveillance.

    Status verified 2026-09-09

  • World Bank

    Not found in the instruments we track

  • World Economic Forum

    Not found in the instruments we track