Anthropic, the company behind the artificial intelligence chatbot Claude, has announced a change to its privacy policy that could see users asked to verify their identity and age using government-issued documents. The update, which is set to take effect from 8th July, states that such requests may occur 'in certain circumstances' and could involve uploading a photo of a passport or driver's licence, alongside a selfie.
The AI developer clarified that this measure is primarily intended to provide an appeals process for users whose accounts have been flagged for potential fraudulent activity. Rather than an immediate ban, users would have the opportunity to prove their identity and resolve the issue. While Anthropic has long mandated an 18+ age requirement for Claude, the introduction of age verification checks earlier this year broadened compliance with various international regulations. Identity checks, though previously announced, are now formally incorporated into the privacy policy.
Should a user's account be flagged, the new policy would require them to submit a scanned image of a government-issued identification document. Anthropic also indicated it might collect a selfie photo or video, which could be converted into a face geometry template. The company stated it would retain a record of the verification outcome, such as confirmation of the user's age. Anthropic spokesperson Michael Aciman highlighted that this applies only to a 'small subset of users' whose accounts are flagged, not the general user base.
The decision to implement stricter identity verification comes at a time of increased scrutiny for AI companies globally, with ongoing discussions around data privacy, age restrictions, and the responsible deployment of AI technologies. This includes pressures from various administrations and regulatory bodies concerning who has access to and how AI tools are used. Anthropic uses San Francisco-based company Persona to facilitate these identity checks.
While Anthropic states it determines how long Persona retains user identity documents, specific details regarding data deletion timelines remain unconfirmed. This contrasts with some other companies using Persona, such as Roblox, which states user images are deleted immediately after processing to minimise data security risks.