Anthropic is preparing to ask some Claude users to verify their identity, a move that could require government-issued IDs and, in some cases, selfie checks, according to Monday (June 22) reporting from TechCrunch.
The policy would apply to certain consumer use cases and is aimed at preventing abuse, enforcing usage rules and meeting legal obligations, according to Anthropic’s help center.
TechCrunch said the company’s updated approach reflects a broader tightening of safeguards around AI access as model makers face pressure to reduce fraud, underage use and other policy violations. Anthropic said verification data would be used only to confirm identity and would not be used to train its models, according to its support materials.
The company’s help page said identity checks may appear in specific situations, including routine platform integrity reviews and other safety or compliance measures. Anthropic also said it chose Persona Identities as its verification partner and that ID and selfie data are held by Persona rather than stored on Anthropic’s systems, though the company can access records when needed for appeals or similar reviews.
TechCrunch reported that the change could affect how consumers experience Claude, especially if identity checks become more common across paid and free tiers. Anthropic said the process is designed to collect the minimum information necessary and that users may have multiple attempts if verification fails.
This move is the latest development in a turbulent year for Anthropic. Earlier this month, the company launched and then suspended access to its Mythos model after the U.S. government raised security concerns about how the startup could use the technology. The move underscores the growing scrutiny AI providers face as they weigh commercial access against national security and policy risks, and it suggests Anthropic is taking a more cautious approach to customer relationships where sensitive government objections are involved.
In May, Anthropic became the most valuable AI startup in the world after a series H funding round valued the company at $965 billion. As of the same month, Anthropic was on track to post its first operating profit in Q2 2026.
