Anthropic Updates Claude With Optional ID Verification for Some Users

Anthropic has updated its privacy policy to indicate that certain Claude users may be asked to verify both their age and identity by submitting government-issued identification documents under specific circumstances.

The AI company said the change is intended to give users whose accounts are flagged for potentially fraudulent activity an opportunity to appeal rather than face an immediate account ban. The update also comes as Anthropic continues to navigate mounting regulatory scrutiny and ongoing tensions with the Trump administration over access to its AI technologies.

A new section added to Anthropic’s privacy policy earlier this month, which is scheduled to take effect on July 8, states that users may be required to verify their age or identity “in certain circumstances.” The company did not provide detailed examples of when those verification requests would be triggered.

Although Anthropic has long required Claude users to be at least 18 years old, it introduced age verification measures earlier this year to comply with regulations in various states and countries. While the company had previously announced identity verification, the requirement has only recently been formally included in its privacy policy.

If verification is required, users will need to upload a scanned image of a government-issued passport or driver’s licence. Anthropic said it may also collect a selfie photo or video along with a digital facial geometry template, which is classified as protected biometric information in some U.S. states, including Illinois. The company also said it will retain records confirming the outcome of the verification process, such as whether a user meets the required age threshold.

Anthropic spokesperson Michael Aciman pointed to an X post by Anthropic’s Thariq Shihipar, who said the updated policy applies only to a “small subset of users” whose accounts are flagged for review rather than being immediately suspended. While Anthropic did not specify how many users that represents, the company is believed to serve tens of millions of users each month.

Shihipar also stated that the privacy policy was updated on June 17 as part of improvements to the company’s account appeals process and said the changes were unrelated to the rollout of Anthropic’s Fable or Mythos AI models.

According to Anthropic, identity verification may be required for several reasons, including confirming user identities during account creation and administration, enforcing its terms of service, preventing fraud and abuse, investigating unlawful or criminal activity, and addressing security-related incidents.

The company’s decision to strengthen identity verification may also help it respond to ongoing legal challenges, evolving regulatory requirements, and increasing pressure from the Trump administration regarding access to its AI systems.

Anthropic remains at odds with the White House after government officials effectively required the company to withdraw its latest cybersecurity-focused AI models over concerns that an alleged jailbreak could bypass the models’ safety protections. Other reports have suggested that broader disagreements between company leadership and the Trump administration have also contributed to the strained relationship.

The latest dispute follows an earlier decision by the U.S. Department of Defence to classify Anthropic as a “supply chain risk,” reportedly after the company declined to allow its AI technology to be used for large-scale domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons systems.

Anthropic confirmed that it uses the San Francisco-based identity verification provider Persona to conduct verification. According to the company, users may encounter verification prompts when accessing certain platform features or as part of routine integrity, safety, and compliance checks.

The company also said it determines how long Persona retains users’ identity documents, although Anthropic did not immediately clarify when that information is deleted. By comparison, another Persona customer, Roblox, says identity images are removed immediately after processing to minimise the risk of future data exposure.

Persona could still be required to disclose user information if it receives lawful requests from U.S. government authorities for data stored on its systems.

The identity verification company is backed by Founders Fund, the investment firm established by Trump supporter Peter Thiel, who is also an investor in Anthropic. Persona has previously faced criticism over those connections. Earlier this year, Discord selected Persona for its age-verification system, but reversed the decision after user backlash.