Your first time

It takes ten minutes.

A simple step-by-step guide. No technical words. Made for everyone, including people who are new to all of this.

Start at step 1 I have questions first
What is it

A verified identity that proves you're a real person.

A TIP-ID helps you prove you're a real person online: not a bot, fake account, or AI-generated identity.

Verify once. It's free. It's yours forever.

Next step ↓
Before you begin

You will need three things.

Sit somewhere with good light. Daylight is best. Your camera will see your face and your ID more clearly.
Next step ↓
Step one of three

Show your ID.

Hold your ID in front of the camera. We'll ask for the front first, then the back. Snap, snap, done. Or, you can upload photos of your ID instead.

Keep your hand steady. If the picture is blurry, the screen will tell you to try again. That is normal.
Next step ↓
Step two of three

Show your face.

Look at the camera. Blink. Turn your head a little to the left and right. That is how we know it is really you, and not just a photo of you.

The whole step takes about thirty seconds.

Next step ↓
Step three of three

Save your backup file.

We give you a small file. Save it in your email, or on a USB stick, or anywhere you keep important things.

If you ever lose your phone, this file brings your stamp back.

The file is locked with your date of birth. Only you can open it. That means it is safe to keep anywhere, even in regular email.
Next step ↓

You're done.

You now have your TIP-ID. Two things you can do with it:

Label something I made Check if something is real

Brand new and just want to start? Begin verification.

Common questions

Is it really free?
Yes. Forever. There is no subscription, no fee, no charge of any kind.
Where does my photo and ID go?
They stay on your phone. They are never sent anywhere. We only keep a small math proof that says "a real person made this". Your name, your face, your ID number, we never see.
What if I don't have a government ID?
For now, you need one. A driver's license, a passport, or a national identity card all work. We are working on options for people without these.
What if I lose my phone?
That is what the backup file is for (step 5). Open the file on a new phone, type your date of birth, and your TIP-ID comes back. If you lose both your phone and the file, you can verify again as a new person.
Can I do this on a computer instead?
Yes. A computer with a camera works just as well as a phone. Use whichever one you are more comfortable with.
Who runs this?
The AI Lab, a company based in the United States. We built the TIP Protocol because we believe the internet needs a simple way to tell real people apart from robots, without giving up your privacy.