Anthropic Warns Claude May Request User ID Verification

Anthropic is now warning that some Claude users may be asked to verify their identity by uploading government-issued documents, a significant shift in how the AI company handles account security and compliance. The updated privacy policy, published in early June and set to take effect on July 8, introduces a new section stating that the company may require proof of age or identity “in certain circumstances,” though it does not specify exactly when this will be triggered.

The move is framed as a way to give users a chance to appeal flagged accounts rather than facing an outright ban. However, it arrives at a politically sensitive moment, as Anthropic navigates tensions with the Trump administration over access to its AI tools. The company has long required users to be at least 18, and earlier this year began rolling out age-verification checks to comply with state and international laws. Identity verification was also announced but only recently appeared in the privacy policy.

When the process is triggered, users will be asked to upload a scan of a government-issued passport or driver’s license. Anthropic will also collect a selfie photo or video, along with a digitized face geometry template, which some states, including Illinois, classify as legally protected biometric data. The company will retain the verification result, such as confirming whether a user has reached a certain age.

Anthropic spokesperson Michael Aciman directed TechCrunch to a post from the company’s Thariq Shihipar, who clarified that the change applies only to a “small subset of users” whose accounts are flagged but not banned. Shihipar stated that the policy update, made on June 17, was part of an appeals process and is unrelated to other product rollouts. Anthropic did not specify how many users fall into this subset, though the platform is estimated to have tens of millions of monthly users.

The company says it may require ID uploads for reasons including account creation and administration, enforcing its terms of service, preventing fraud and abuse, investigating unlawful conduct, and resolving security issues. This tightening of user oversight could help Anthropic comply with a range of legal challenges, regulatory changes, and pressure from the Trump administration.

The standoff with the White House has intensified over the past week. Trump officials effectively forced Anthropic to pull its latest cybersecurity models, citing concerns that a jailbreak could bypass the models’ guardrails. Other reports suggest personality clashes between the company and the administration have worsened the rift. This follows the Department of Defense designating Anthropic a “supply chain risk” months earlier, reportedly in retaliation for the company’s refusal to allow its technology to be used for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons.

Anthropic uses Persona, a San Francisco-based identity verification firm, for these checks. Users may see a verification prompt when accessing certain capabilities, during routine platform integrity checks, or as part of other safety and compliance measures. Anthropic controls how long Persona retains user identity documents, but the company did not immediately say when that data is deleted. For comparison, Roblox, another Persona client, deletes user images “immediately” after processing to minimize leak or theft risk.

Persona remains subject to U. S. government demands for user data stored on its servers. The firm is backed by Founders Fund, an investment firm founded by Trump supporter Peter Thiel, who also invests in Anthropic. Persona has faced criticism for its Thiel ties. Earlier this year, Discord briefly chose Persona for age verification but quickly reversed the decision after user backlash.