Twitter Requests Government-Issued IDs for Paid Subscriber Verification
Twitter has launched a new account-verification system that asks users to submit both a government ID and a live selfie to confirm their identity.
The verification system is meant for paid subscribers. Twitter, also known as X, has been issuing a pop-up about the “ID verification” system to paid users, nudging them to sign up for it, which TechCrunch first noticed.
“Verify your account by providing a government-issued ID,” the pop-up says. “This usually takes about 5 minutes.”
Twitter developed the ID system to protect accounts against “impersonation,” and to “increase the overall integrity and trust on our platform,” according to a company help document. This comes after the company's owner, Elon Musk, began letting anyone receive a blue verified checkmark on their account as long as they paid for Twitter Blue (now X Premium).
News of the verification system, which first emerged last month, is setting off privacy red flags since Twitter is asking people to provide one of their most sensitive documents.
The verification system also asks the user for permission to collect their biometrics. Twitter is tapping a third-party Israeli company called Au10tix to presumably pull facial data from both the government ID and the live selfie, which can then be compared to confirm the user’s identity. The updated privacy policy for Twitter notes the process requires user consent to letting Au10tix store their information for up to 30 days.
In return for completing the account verification, participating users will “receive a visibly labeled ID verification in the pop-up that appears when clicking on your blue check mark.” They’ll also received “prioritized support” from the company for quicker response times.
The verification
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