Update: Originally, the thought was that this is seemingly being enforced on new affiliates, and also raises the question if Twitch plans on enforcing this on existing affiliates, or even Partners. however, one of our own team members revealed that they also had a pop-up on their phone after updating the Twitch app. He’s not an affiliate and just has an account so he can fully utilize Twitch. Though, he is based in the UK, and while it might be handled differently in the UK, it does raise even more questions. As for me, I’ve logged in multiple times via my browser and my phone and I’ve yet to see this message.
Original story below
It wasn’t that long ago that Discord announced its age verification plans that would have forced everyone to be verified and identified by providing a passport, facial scans, and other deeply personal information. It gave a lot of people that sick feeling in their stomach. Discord eventually attempted to walk it back after significant backlash, but now it seems another platform, that being Twitch, is deciding to pick up where Discord left off.
As recently highlighted by Bluesky user Tawny Code Cat, it appears that Twitch is now requiring new Affiliates to provide a government issued photo ID and additional personal information that will be sent to Persona for verification.
Twitch is requiring new Affiliates, before their first payment, to give government photo ID and a separate photo to Persona, the same Persona that has connections to government mass surveillance programs. When I asked Twitch support for another option, they said there isn't one. #twitch #persona 1/4
— Tawny Code Cat 🖥️😺 (@tawnycodecat.bsky.social) 2026-02-22T19:44:33.361Z
That alone is concerning. But what makes it worse for some people is that Persona, the identity verification company handling this process, is owned by Peter Thiel. For many, that raises even more red flags. Whether you agree with that concern or not, it adds another layer of discomfort to an already sensitive issue.
What makes this decision troubling in my eyes is that in order to get paid by Twitch as an Affiliate or a full Partner, you already have to provide more than enough information. That includes your legal name, home address, email, bank account details, and full tax documentation. There is nothing anonymous about being monetized on Twitch. And per what Tawny Code Cat has mentioned, Twitch isn’t providing any alternative ways to prove who you are.
When I asked Twitch support for another option, they said there isn’t one.
So now we’re being told that Twitch is going to start asking for even more information. That immediately raises a simple question: why? Where is this coming from? This doesn’t feel like something Twitch just randomly decided to implement overnight. Either there’s outside pressure, regulatory changes, or internal risk management happening behind the scenes. But none of that has been clearly communicated.
That being the case, Twitch did mention in prior documents that it would use Persona for age-verification, and that dates back to a few years ago. But when you access the link to find out more about that, it doesn’t exist.
The real problem is the position this puts creators in. If you’re an Affiliate, you’re not streaming for free. You’re doing it to build something and get paid for your work. If Twitch suddenly adds new requirements and you don’t comply, you don’t get paid. At that point, what exactly is the incentive to stay? It forces creators into a corner. Either hand over more personal information or lose access to your revenue stream.
Unsurprisingly, people aren’t thrilled. While haven’t seen Twitch publicly explain the reasoning in a way that makes this make sense to the average creator. And when you’re talking about sensitive personal data, silence doesn’t exactly build trust.
Adding to that, I don’t even know if enough backlash would change Twitch’s mind. This isn’t some small startup that can pivot the moment people get loud on social media. Twitch is a massive company, backed by even bigger corporate interests. Decisions like this usually aren’t reversed because a hashtag trends for a few days.
And let’s be honest, even if a large majority of creators get upset about this, there will always be a segment that simply doesn’t care. Some people will shrug and comply. Others will assume it doesn’t affect them. That kind of split reaction makes it even harder to apply real pressure. Companies know that outrage burns hot and fades fast.
That’s what makes this frustrating. If enough people don’t push back in a unified way, nothing changes. And if enough people are willing to hand over more information just to keep getting paid, Twitch has very little incentive to rethink the decision. At the end of the day, creators are the ones who have to decide how much they’re willing to give up just to stay monetized.
