Anthropic Enforces Identity for Claude: A Controversial Measure

Anthropic Strengthens Claude's Security with Identity Verification

The company Anthropic has recently introduced a new security measure for its virtual assistant Claude, aimed at countering behaviors deemed fraudulent or abusive. This initiative requires certain users to submit an official form of identification, such as a passport or driver's license, along with a live selfie to confirm their identity. The management and security of this sensitive data are entrusted to Persona Identities, a startup specializing in identity verification.

A representative from Anthropic clarified that this identity verification would only be required in cases where potentially fraudulent or abusive behavior is detected. The company has recently integrated this requirement into its arsenal of security measures, as indicated in its Help Center. This approach concerns "a few specific use cases," according to the terms used by the company.

Data Management by Anthropic and Persona Identities

Anthropic positions itself as the "data controller," defining the terms of use and retention of the collected identity information. However, it is Persona Identities that is responsible for the collection and storage of this data. This company is contractually limited to using the information solely to facilitate identity verification and enhance its fraud prevention capabilities, according to statements from Anthropic.

Reasons for Identity Verification for Certain Users

Identity verification applies to a limited number of cases where user activity may indicate a violation of Anthropic's usage policies. If a user is deemed to be in violation, their account may be suspended. Potential reasons for banning include repeated violations of the usage policy, account creation from unsupported locations, breaches of the terms of use, or use by individuals under the age of 18.

Anthropic also offers an appeal process for users who believe their account has been wrongly banned, via an online appeal form.

User Reactions and Clarifications from Anthropic

Users of Claude quickly reacted to this new identity verification requirement. On the social network X, some shared screenshots of the verification requests, which specify that the process is quick, taking only two minutes with an ID and access to the phone's camera.

Reactions on X have been varied, with some users expressing their dissatisfaction with what they perceive as an intrusion into their privacy. Comments such as "Anthropic makes inexplicable decisions" or "We are living in 1984" illustrate the strong opposition from some users.

In its Help Center, Anthropic sought to clarify certain points: the company does not use identity verification data to train its models and only shares this information with Persona, except when legally required. Anthropic emphasizes that it only collects the strictly necessary information to verify users' identities.