Identity verification on Claude
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
Anthropic requires government-issued ID verification for some Claude features to prevent abuse.
Anthropic uses Persona Identities as its verification partner. Accepted IDs are original, physical government-issued photo IDs from most countries. Rejected IDs include digital copies, expired IDs, and non-government IDs. Data is used only for verification. Failed verification may lead to blocked access. Banned accounts can appeal. The policy is tied to safety, compliance, and export control obligations.
What commenters are saying
Top commenters draw parallels to net neutrality, arguing AI providers controlling access based on identity is similar to ISPs throttling traffic. Others counter that ISPs are natural monopolies while AI has open-source alternatives. A camp warns this bolsters non-US AI competitors. Some note US export controls drive this policy. Skeptics call it inevitable corporate overreach; supporters cite legal necessity.