Anthropic to require identity verification for some users

Anthropic is introducing a new identity verification policy that was published earlier in June and is set to take effect on July 8. Under the updated policy, the artificial intelligence company may ask users to verify their age or identity by uploading government-issued documents. According to Thariq Shihipar, an Anthropic employee, this identity verification change applies only to a small subset of users whose accounts are flagged, rather than the general user base. While Anthropic is thought to have tens of millions of users monthly, the company has not specified the exact size of this subset. Although Anthropic has long required users to be over 18 to use Claude, the new process is intended to allow flagged users to appeal account flags for fraudulent activity instead of facing an outright ban.

The policy update comes amid an ongoing standoff between Anthropic and the Trump administration. While Anthropic asserts the identity checks are intended to allow users to appeal flags for fraudulent activity and enforce its terms of service—including investigating unlawful or criminal conduct—the update is reportedly intended to placate the Trump administration. Tensions have escalated recently, particularly after government officials pressured Anthropic over concerns that a jailbreak (a technique to bypass AI safety guardrails) could compromise its models. This friction follows a prior move by the Department of Defense, which designated Anthropic a supply chain risk (a designation by the Department of Defense) after the company resisted government pressure regarding domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons.

To handle the verification process, Anthropic is utilizing Persona, a San Francisco-based identity-checking provider. Under the policy, users may see a verification prompt when accessing certain capabilities as part of routine platform integrity checks or other safety and compliance measures. The process may involve collecting biometric data (digitized face geometry), which is a sensitive category in US states like Illinois. Shihipar stated that “[Anthropic’s identity verification policy] was updated on June 17 as an update to the appeals process.” He added that the update is unrelated to the rollout of Anthropic’s Fable or Mythos models. However, the use of an external provider introduces privacy considerations, as Persona can face US government demands for users’ information stored on its servers. Persona is backed by Founders Fund, an investment firm associated with Peter Thiel, who is also an investor in Anthropic.

Why it matters

Anthropic’s move highlights the growing friction between AI labs and the US government, as companies increasingly adopt strict verification measures to mitigate regulatory and security risks.