Anthropic to require ID uploads for some Claude users
7 reported3 unconfirmed
Anthropic may ask some Claude users to verify their age and identity by uploading government-issued documents, according to a new version of the company’s privacy policy. The policy, published earlier in June and set to take effect on July 8, says the company will ask for proof of age or identity “in certain circumstances” without providing specific examples. Anthropic says the move allows users to appeal having their account flagged for potentially fraudulent activity rather than outright banning them. The policy would require users to upload a photo scan of a passport or driver’s license, a selfie photo or video, and a digitized face geometry template. Anthropic says it will also keep a record of the verification result, such as whether the user has reached a certain age. An Anthropic spokesperson said the change applies only to a “small subset of users” whose accounts are flagged but not outright banned, though the company would not specify how many users that includes. Anthropic uses the San Francisco-based company Persona as its identity-checking provider.
What’s reported
Anthropic’s new privacy policy, published earlier in June and effective July 8, says the company may ask users to prove their age or identity “in certain circumstances.”
When triggered, users must upload a photo scan of a government-issued passport or driver’s license, a selfie photo or video, and a digitized face geometry template.
Anthropic says it will keep a record of the verification result, such as whether the user has reached a certain age.
Anthropic spokesperson Michael Aciman shared an X post from Anthropic’s Thariq Shihipar stating the change applies only to a “small subset of users” whose accounts are flagged but not outright banned.
Anthropic uses Persona as its identity-checking provider.
Anthropic says it decides how long Persona retains users’ identity documents, but the spokesperson did not immediately say when the data is deleted.
Persona can face U.S. government demands for users’ information stored on its servers.
Open questions
How many users are considered a “small subset” was not specified.
When Anthropic deletes users’ identity documents was not immediately stated.
What specific circumstances trigger the verification requirement were not provided.
Key figures
Michael Aciman, Anthropic spokesperson
Thariq Shihipar, Anthropic employee
Persona, identity-checking provider
Founders Fund, investment firm backing Persona
Peter Thiel, Trump backer and investor in Founders Fund and Anthropic
Sources: TechCrunch
