Hajra Naz
Anthropic may soon require some Claude users to verify their age and identity by uploading government-issued documents. The change was revealed in an updated version of the company’s privacy policy.
The AI firm stated that the measure was designed to give users a way of contesting limits on their accounts. Instead of forever suspending accounts that are suspected of fraud, Anthropic may allow victims to verify who they are and return.
Anthropic is under growing regulatory and policymaker scrutiny; the update came. The company is also trying to manage a strained relationship with the Trump administration over access to its A.I.
A new section added to Anthropic’s privacy policy earlier this month explains that users may be asked to prove their age or identity “in certain circumstances.” The updated policy is scheduled to take effect on July 8. Anthropic did not provide specific examples of the situations that could trigger these checks.
Claude users have long been required to be at least 18 years old. Earlier this year, Anthropic introduced age-verification systems to comply with laws in various states and countries. The company had also announced plans for identity verification, but those details had not previously appeared in its privacy policy.
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Under the new policy, users who are selected for verification may need to upload a scanned image or photo of a government-issued passport or driver’s license. Anthropic says it may also collect a selfie photo or video from the user.
In addition, the company may create a digital face geometry template from that image or video. Some jurisdictions, including Illinois, classify face geometry data as protected biometric information under state law.
Anthropic says it will also store information about the outcome of the verification process. This may include records confirming whether a user meets a required age threshold.
When contacted, Anthropic spokesperson Michael Aciman pointed to a post on X written by Anthropic employee Thariq Shihipar. According to Shihipar, the identity verification requirement is intended for only a small group of users whose accounts have been flagged but not permanently banned.
“The identity verification policy was updated on June 17 as part of changes to the appeals process,” Shihipar wrote. “It’s unrelated to the Fable or Mythos rollout.”
Anthropic did not disclose how many users could be affected by the policy. However, the company is believed to have tens of millions of monthly users.
The company says it may request identity documents for several reasons. These include verifying users who create or manage Claude accounts, enforcing its terms of service, and investigating fraud, abuse, or policy violations.
Anthropic also says identity checks may be used to detect unlawful activity, investigate criminal conduct, and address security-related concerns. The company believes the process can help maintain platform integrity and prevent misuse of its AI systems.
Read More: Anthropic Suspends Access to New AI Models After US Security Concerns
The decision to monitor user identities more closely may also help Anthropic respond to ongoing legal challenges and regulatory demands. It may further help the company address pressure from government agencies and policymakers.
Anthropic’s relationship with the White House has reportedly remained strained. More than a week ago, Trump administration officials reportedly pushed the company to withdraw its latest cybersecurity models. The concerns centered on allegations that a jailbreak technique could bypass some of the models’ built-in safeguards.
Other reports have suggested that personal and political disagreements between company leaders and government officials may have played a larger role in the deteriorating relationship.
The latest dispute follows another controversy from earlier this year. At that time, the U.S. Department of Defense reportedly labeled Anthropic as a “supply chain risk.” Reports indicated that the designation may have been connected to the company’s refusal to support mass domestic surveillance programs or fully autonomous weapons systems.
Anthropic says it relies on Persona, a San Francisco-based identity verification company, to handle these checks. According to the privacy policy, users may encounter verification prompts when accessing certain features. Verification may also occur as part of routine safety reviews, compliance requirements, or platform integrity checks.
The company says it determines how long Persona is allowed to retain users’ identity documents. However, Anthropic did not immediately provide details about how long that information is stored before deletion.
Read More: The AI Regulation Debate Is Heating Up, and Anthropic Is in the Crosshairs
The problem has sparked scrutiny of data-set retention practices. In comparison, Persona—also of Roblox fame—says user images are deleted instantly after use. Such an approach reduces the risk of sensitive information leaking or being stolen.
Even still, Persona might be forced to fulfill valid requests from U.S. authorities. To add insult to injury, legal demands can compel any information kept on its servers.
Persona has come under fire for its links to the investor Peter Thiel, as well. The company is funded by Founders Fund, the investment firm co-founded by Thiel. Thiel is also an investor in Anthropic.
This has raised the eyebrows of some users in connection with Thiel under Persona. Discord chose Persona as its age-verification partner earlier this year. The company soon charged back on their decision when a huge backlash came from users over which verification provider it had chosen.
