Anthropic may ask Claude users to upload ID for verification

Anthropic updated its privacy policy, saying it may ask users to upload government IDs like passports or driver's licenses to verify age and identity in certain cases. This is mainly for users whose accounts are flagged for potential fraud, giving them a way to appeal instead of being banned right away.

When verification is triggered, users need to upload a photo of their ID and take a selfie or video to create a digital face template. Some US states see this as protected biometric data. Anthropic says this only applies to "a small group of flagged accounts not permanently banned," but didn't share exact numbers.

The move comes as Anthropic deals with lawsuits, new regulations, and pressure from the Trump administration. The US Defense Department recently labeled Anthropic a "supply chain risk," and tensions over AI tool access continue. The verification partner is Persona, a San Francisco company backed by Peter Thiel, a Trump supporter.