Creator Verification

The verification procedure a platform uses to establish that a real adult is behind a creator account and that the person matches the content. As a rule, you can only publish content, sell subscriptions, and receive payouts after successful verification.

What is required

The details differ depending on the provider and may change, but the basic pattern is similar:

• an official photo ID, usually an identity card or passport,
• a recent photo or short video in which you hold the document, or in which your face is compared with the photo on the ID,
• payout details, meaning your bank account details and the account holder’s name,
• tax information, depending on the country and provider.

If you publish content together with other people, you generally have to ensure that they are also verified or that their proof is available. This is similar to what happens with the proof of age for commissioned shoots; there, the production handles the documentation, while on a platform, you do.

Anonymous to the audience, not to the platform

Many people who work under a stage name overlook this point. Verification links your profile to your real name, your face, and your bank account. The audience sees none of this, but the platform and its service providers do. This data is subject to data protection rules, but it does not disappear, and it is available in the event of a data breach or an official inquiry. The article on working anonymously explains what anonymity can and cannot achieve.

Why platforms check so carefully

The reasons are youth protection and the obligation to prove that all people depicted are adults and have given their consent. Payment service providers require this as well. The check therefore also has a protective aspect for you: It makes it harder for third parties to open a fake account in your name or using your material.

If verification fails, it is often because of simple issues: an expired document, a blurry photo, or a name on the bank account that does not match the ID. Not every document is accepted; in our casting work, for example, only an identity card or passport counts, not a driver’s license. So check beforehand that your document is valid and that all details match.

Where fraud begins

An ID, facial recording, and bank details in one package are valuable to criminals. Typical scams include:

• Messages supposedly from support requesting renewed verification through an external link.
• Managers or agencies offering to complete the verification for you and asking for photos of your ID.
• Offers to buy an already verified account or rent yours out.

Upload documents exclusively through the platform’s official website or app, which you opened yourself. The account should be in your name and linked to your bank account, not to an agency’s. If you allow an account held in your name to be used by another person who logs in, you are liable for their actions as well. Further warning signs are listed in the article on recognizing dubious offers.