Anthropic is preparing to ask some users of its Claude chatbot to prove who they are. According to a privacy policy change reported by TechCrunch, Claude may seek to verify a user's age and identity "in certain circumstances," potentially by checking a document such as a passport or driver's license.
The checks go beyond a quick form. According to TechJuice, some users will be required to verify their identity using a government-issued ID and a selfie, processed through the identity-verification company Persona. TechJuice and CyberInsider both report the measures are set to take effect on July 8.
Multiple outlets framed the move slightly differently. PYMNTS reported that Claude users "could face" new ID checks, while Gadget Review described users as potentially being "forced" to verify with a government ID. The common thread across reports is that the requirement appears tied to specific situations rather than applying to everyone all the time.
The broader context, as outlets including CX Today have noted, is a tension between the data AI companies collect and the identities they can or cannot confirm. Age and identity verification has become a growing pressure point for online platforms, driven by regulation and concerns about minors accessing AI tools.
For users, the change raises practical questions: handing a passport scan and a selfie to a third-party vendor means trusting both Anthropic and Persona to safeguard sensitive personal information. For Anthropic, it is a step toward confirming who is actually using one of the world's most widely used chatbots.
Why it matters: as AI assistants become everyday tools, requiring government ID to use them signals that the era of fully anonymous chatbot access may be ending.