Anthropic has updated its privacy policy, effective July 8, to introduce identity and age verification requirements for select users of its Claude AI platform. Under the revised terms, the artificial intelligence firm may request government-issued identification, such as a passport or driver’s license, alongside biometric data including selfies and digitized face geometry templates. The company clarified that this measure targets a limited group of users whose accounts have been flagged for potential fraud or terms-of-service violations, offering a verification pathway for account recovery rather than implementing immediate bans. The policy update, first disclosed in mid-June, expands on Anthropic’s existing age-gating protocols and recent state-level compliance mandates. The firm partners with Persona, a San Francisco-based verification provider, to process these checks. While Anthropic determines data retention periods, the company declined to specify how long collected documents are stored, contrasting with providers that purge biometric data immediately after processing. Notably, Persona has drawn criticism for its financial ties to Peter Thiel, a prominent Trump ally and Anthropic investor, following previous backlash over its selection by other tech platforms. The verification firm remains subject to U.S. government data requests. This policy shift occurs against a backdrop of intensifying regulatory scrutiny and political friction in the United States. Anthropic recently withdrew its latest cybersecurity models following directives from the Trump administration, which alleged that user jailbreaks could compromise model safety guardrails. Relations between the AI firm and the White House remain strained, compounded by a previous Department of Defense designation labeling Anthropic a supply chain risk after the company declined to support mass domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons systems. Anthropic’s enhanced verification framework is designed to mitigate fraud, enforce compliance, and navigate an increasingly complex legal landscape. By implementing targeted identity checks, the company aims to balance platform security, user appeal mechanisms, and mounting governmental expectations surrounding artificial intelligence access and oversight.