Anthropic quietly posted an identity verification guide on the Claude support page yesterday, announcing that some Claude features will now require real-name authentication. The company stated: "Using powerful technology responsibly starts with knowing who is using it." The verification serves three purposes: preventing abuse, enforcing usage policies, and complying with legal obligations.
The policy currently applies only to specific scenarios, not universally. Users may encounter verification prompts when accessing advanced features, during routine platform integrity checks, or when security and compliance measures are triggered.
Verification Process: Passport or Driver's License
To complete verification, users need a valid government-issued photo ID (physical file, not a copy or screenshot) and a device with a camera, such as a phone or computer. Accepted documents include passports, driver's licenses, or national ID cards. Rejected items include copies, screenshots, digital or mobile versions of IDs, non-government IDs, and temporary paper documents. Anthropic has chosen Persona Identities as its verification technology partner.
Data Protection: Anthropic Says It Won't Touch Raw Data
Anthropic positions itself as the "data controller," but actual processing is handled by Persona. Anthropic's systems do not retain users' ID images or selfies; Persona collects and stores them. Contractual restrictions limit Persona's use solely to identity verification and fraud prevention. All data is encrypted during transmission and at rest.
Anthropic also made two explicit negative claims: the data will not be used for model training, nor shared with third parties for marketing or advertising. The company says it collects only the minimum necessary information.
What Happens If Verification Fails? Account Ban Conditions Revealed
Users can retry multiple times or contact support via a form if the process fails. Anthropic has also disclosed account ban triggers: violation of usage policies, access from unsupported regions, breach of terms of service, or use by underage users (under 18). Banned users can appeal through a dedicated form.
The policy likely stems from increasing global compliance pressure on AI service providers. For Anthropic, building an auditable user identity foundation is crucial for attracting highly regulated sectors like finance, healthcare, and law as it expands its enterprise offerings (Claude for Business). However, for users who previously accessed Claude anonymously or with low friction—such as researchers and privacy-conscious individuals—the move raises concerns. While Anthropic insists data does not reside on its own systems, the reliance on a third-party custodian leaves privacy questions open.
The precise triggers for verification remain undisclosed, and it is unclear whether the scope will expand over time. If future integration with subscription tiers or API access occurs, the impact on the developer community could be significant.