If you’ve opened Character.AI recently and been hit with a message about age verification or ID requirements, you’re not alone. Millions of users are dealing with the same frustrating situation.
Let’s break down what’s happening, why Character.AI is doing this, and—most importantly—what alternatives you have if you’d rather not hand over your government ID to chat with AI characters.
What’s Going On With Character.AI?
Starting in late 2025, Character.AI rolled out a new “age assurance” system in the United States. The platform now analyzes various signals—your login information, writing style, activity patterns, and third-party data—to estimate whether you’re over 18.
If their system flags you as potentially underage, you’ll see a notice saying your access will be restricted unless you verify your age. The verification process requires either:
- A selfie photo to estimate your age
- A government-issued ID if the selfie isn’t conclusive
The verification happens through Persona, a third-party service also used by companies like LinkedIn and Roblox.
Why This Is Frustrating Users
The rollout has been chaotic, to put it mildly. Here’s what people are experiencing:
Adults getting flagged as minors. Users in their 20s, 30s, and even older are receiving verification notices. The AI-based age detection isn’t perfect, and many legitimate adults are being incorrectly flagged.
No appeal process. Some flagged users report having no option to verify themselves, leaving them stuck with restricted access and no clear path forward.
Privacy concerns. Many users are uncomfortable submitting selfies or government IDs to a company that’s already faced scrutiny over data practices and safety concerns.
Sudden deadlines. Users are given about a week to verify before restrictions kick in—not much time to decide whether you’re comfortable sharing personal documents.
Why Is Character.AI Doing This?
The short answer: legal pressure and tragedy.
In 2024, a 14-year-old from Florida took his own life after months of conversations with a Character.AI chatbot. His family filed a lawsuit against the company. Combined with new age verification laws in the EU and California, Character.AI had to act.
The age verification system is their response—an attempt to ensure minors have appropriate safeguards while using the platform.
It’s an understandable reaction to serious concerns. But the implementation has created real problems for adult users who just want to chat with AI characters without jumping through hoops.
Your Options If You Don’t Want to Verify
You have a few choices:
1. Go Through Verification
If you’re comfortable with it, the verification process through Persona is relatively standard. They claim to only keep data for about a week and only share a “yes, this person is 18+” confirmation with Character.AI.
That said, you’re trusting a third party with sensitive biometric data or government documents. Whether that’s acceptable is a personal decision.
2. Wait It Out
Character.AI’s system is still US-only. If you’re international, you won’t see these prompts yet (though that could change). The company has also acknowledged bugs and incorrect flagging, so there’s a chance the system improves.
3. Try an Alternative Platform
If you’d rather not deal with ID verification at all, several platforms offer similar AI character chat experiences without these requirements.
Best Character.AI Alternatives (No ID Required)
Charaverse
Charaverse is a free AI character chat platform built for creative roleplay and conversation. You can create custom characters with unique personalities or chat with characters created by others.
Why consider it:
- No ID verification required
- Free to use
- Create unlimited custom characters
- Clean, modern interface
- Active development with regular updates
Charaverse focuses on giving users creative freedom without unnecessary friction. Sign up takes seconds, and you can start chatting immediately.
Other Options
Chai App — Mobile-focused AI chat with various characters. Has its own content policies but no ID verification currently.
Janitor AI — Popular for its flexibility and character variety. Uses different AI backends.
SillyTavern — Open-source option for technical users who want full control. Requires setup but offers maximum customization.
Each platform has trade-offs in terms of features, content policies, and AI quality. Charaverse aims to balance creative freedom with a polished, accessible experience.
What to Look for in an Alternative
When evaluating Character.AI alternatives, consider:
- Verification requirements — Does it require ID, phone number, or just email?
- Content policies — How restrictive is the filter? Does it match your use case?
- Character creation — Can you create custom characters or only chat with existing ones?
- AI quality — How natural and coherent are the conversations?
- Privacy — What data does the platform collect and retain?
- Cost — Is it free, freemium, or subscription-only?
The Bottom Line
Character.AI’s age verification system addresses real concerns about minor safety, but the implementation has created headaches for legitimate adult users. If you’re uncomfortable with ID verification—or you’ve been incorrectly flagged with no recourse—alternatives exist.
Platforms like Charaverse offer the AI character chat experience you’re looking for without requiring government documents to participate.
The choice is yours. But you shouldn’t have to hand over your driver’s license just to have a conversation with an AI character.
Looking for more AI chat options? Check out our complete guide to Character.AI alternatives in 2026.