February 22, 2026
ID or Not ID? That’s the Bunfight
Porkbun sells out – Starts requiring Age ID despite no legal requirement
Fans cry “sellout” as Porkbun asks for IDs; others say it’s just anti-fraud
TLDR: Porkbun now asks some new customers for photo ID to fight fraud, not to check age, using Veriff and saying it doesn’t store images. Commenters are split: critics cry “sellout” and privacy creep, while others correct the headline and defend it as a targeted anti-abuse move that keeps scammers out
Porkbun, the cutesy domain seller with the pig logo, just tripped a wire in its own fanbase by asking some new customers to upload photo ID. One user fumed that a friend in Australia got hit with “Age ID” even though there’s no law for it there, sparking cries of sellout and privacy panic. The outrage train left the station fast… until the comment section slammed the brakes.
Readers pushed back hard: this isn’t an age check at all. Porkbun’s own post says it’s a targeted ID check to block fraud and spammy domain abuse, not to card your birthday. The “your title is misleading” chorus got loud, with defenders adding, “not selling out—just trying not to be overrun by scammers.” Translation: don’t like it? Switch registrars, but don’t twist it.
For the receipts crowd, Porkbun says it uses Veriff for verification, leans on European privacy rules (GDPR) and a security standard (SOC 2), and swears it doesn’t keep your ID photos. You pass, they note that you passed—no image stash. Still, the vibes war raged: skeptics called it creeping “bank-style” checks for buying a website, while jokers renamed the company PorkID and PorkBureau and quipped, “No ham without a scan.” Drama level: sizzling bacon. Read the room, then pick your registrar
Key Points
- •Porkbun now requires photo ID verification for a subset of new accounts.
- •The move aims to combat abuse and fraud and ensure compliance with ICANN and contractual obligations for accurate contact information.
- •Porkbun is partnering with Veriff to perform global ID verification.
- •Veriff’s compliance framework includes GDPR and SOC 2 standards, detailed in its trust center.
- •Porkbun states it does not retain ID photos or ID information, only that verification was passed.