Anthropic to Require Government ID for Select Claude Users

The updated privacy policy grants the company authority to request identity verification under unspecified circumstances. While Anthropic maintains that this measure targets a small subset of users flagged for suspected fraud or policy violations, the integration of biometric scanning has raised privacy concerns. The company will store digitized facial geometry templates and verification results, though it has not disclosed specific timelines for data deletion or how frequently these prompts will occur.

This move arrives amidst heightened scrutiny from the Trump administration, which recently pressured the company to withdraw certain cybersecurity models over alleged safety guardrails. The friction extends beyond technical disputes, as the Department of Defense previously labeled Anthropic a supply chain risk. By utilizing Persona—a firm backed by Peter Thiel, whose investment portfolio also includes Anthropic—the company is navigating a complex landscape of regulatory compliance and political tension. Previous industry attempts to adopt Persona, such as by Discord, were abandoned following significant user backlash regarding data privacy and the firm's corporate ties.