Class Action Lawsuit Alleges AI Chatbot Company Violated Illinois Privacy Law in Biometric Data Collection

A Chicago resident filed a class action lawsuit against Anthropic, alleging the artificial intelligence company violated Illinois privacy law by collecting and retaining facial biometric scans without the required written disclosure of how such data would be used and stored. The plaintiff claims that Anthropic's requirement for users to submit government identification and facial images for identity verification breaches state-mandated privacy protections. The case was filed in San Francisco County Superior Court on behalf of all similarly affected users.

The lawsuit centers on Anthropic's identity verification procedures for users of Claude, its AI chatbot service. To access the platform, users must provide government-issued identification and submit facial imagery for verification purposes. The plaintiff alleges that Anthropic failed to provide written notification before collecting biometric data, specifying how long the information would be retained or when it would be destroyed. Anthropic outsourced the verification process to a third-party vendor, Persona Identities Inc., yet the complaint argues that Anthropic retained full control over data use decisions and vendor selection.

The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act establishes strict requirements for companies collecting facial geometry and other biological identifiers. These regulations mandate advance written disclosure of data collection purposes, retention duration, and destruction protocols, along with explicit written consent from individuals. The class action potentially encompasses all Illinois residents who underwent the verification process within a five-year window, suggesting significant exposure if the claims prove successful.