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When Twitter Asks for ID
- Account locked due to suspicious activity
- Age verification when an account is suspected to belong to a minor
- Political advertising verification
- Account recovery when email/phone access is lost
- Legacy verification badge (blue checkmark) application
Privacy Considerations
- Phone numbers submitted to Twitter may be used for ad targeting (opt out in Settings → Privacy)
- Government IDs submitted for verification are handled per Twitter's privacy policy
- Twitter uses third-party identity verification services for some processes
- You can request deletion of submitted ID documents after verification is complete
For most users, Twitter will never ask for a government-issued ID. The scenarios above are edge cases involving account security, age verification, or political advertising. Standard account creation and use requires no identity documents.
Examples
Example 1: Account Locked — Verification Required
Scenario: Your account was locked due to suspicious login activity.
Twitter's message:
"Your account has been locked. To unlock it, please verify your identity.
We need to confirm that you are the account owner."
Options Twitter may offer:
1. Verify via phone number (SMS code)
2. Verify via email (confirmation link)
3. Submit government-issued ID (for accounts without phone/email access)
Recommended: Use phone or email verification if available.
Government ID submission is a last resort for account recovery.
Example 2: Age Verification
Scenario: Twitter flags your account for potential age policy violation.
Twitter's message:
"We need to verify your age to continue using Twitter.
Please provide a government-issued ID showing your date of birth."
Accepted documents:
- Passport
- Driver's license
- National ID card
- Birth certificate (in some regions)
Note: Twitter requires users to be at least 13 years old.
Example 3: Political Advertising Verification
Scenario: You want to run political ads on Twitter.
Requirements:
- Government-issued photo ID
- Proof of US residency (for US political ads)
- FEC registration number (for federal candidates)
- Completed advertiser identity verification form
This is required by Twitter's political advertising transparency policy.
Non-political advertisers do not need to submit ID.