Most here will probably know that there is now verification via address and photo ID is necessary in order to upload explicit content, myself included. With the new restriction on uploading explicit content, and the time it takes for all the other uploades to be approved, I am more and more thinking of getting verified, since as it can be seen, I love sharing about the mess experiences I had and the new the rules, I will admit, feels restricting.
However, there is one large worry that stops me from getting verified. As most would feel, I also feel shy about linking my actual identity to the WAM side of my life. While I understand it is in the best intentions of the people who run the site to keep our data and ID as safe as possible, I just wanted to be reassured that it would be safe to get verified with no risk of data leaks. Also, I want to hear about how the verification process goes.
Thanks in advance for any and all replies related to this topic

I've run into this just this morning. I asked why there was an issue before exploring the reasons but figured it out. I tend to post a lot of pictures, all taken by myself, and I'm likewise not crazy about offering any links anywhere to my real life. I've got to give this some serious thought because my gut reaction is just to post no more photos. Reason is that to be discovered for me would be more than just embarrassing, it would end my life as I know it. Realizing this makes me wonder why, if the consequences are so extreme, am I even here? Maybe this is a way for the universe to be telling me I should just get out and be done.

Thank you for asking about the verification process because these are questions that I would have. I have to apologize for even having to ask you for this information. It's the least fun part of my job and it makes me cringe every time I have to check anyone's information. But once I do, it gets encrypted, stored, and erased from UMD's actual server. It's never once backed up or stored in an internet-facing area. I don't google your address, and I don't run your ID through any checks. I totally get the (justified) paranoia about being linked to a thing as soon as you interact with it in any way, so I just don't do anything with your information on my end.

As much as you're concerned about your privacy and not being linked to UMD, I'm just as afraid because I'm responsible for exactly that for everyone here. Not storing it permanently online is the best answer I have, and I hope it's enough to make you feel comfortable enough with the process that we've had to put in place. If not, I respect that too!

Later,
Messmaster

I have no real concern about your process for doing this and I don't doubt the best of intentions in all of it. Things like this always cause me to ponder though how much more we can continue to make less private something that is inherently very personal to many of us. Each occurrence causes me to ask if I can continue in this at all. What's more aggravating is all of it is only a box-checking bullshit exercise for lawyers and those intent on being victims of nothing. Where does it end? Where will I be when the next inevitable decrease in privacy happens? Don't think it will stop. How long before I'm personally liable for my role?

Again I don't question you or UMD personally but it's also a minor affront when I have to now, for the same utterly nonsense reasons, have to have things I expended no small effort to create, reviewed to satisfy something as morally suspect as a freaking bank. A bank that is yielding to the tyranny of a minority with no given power to subvert my inherent rights to freedom of expression and speech. If such an indirect influence can tell us what we have to do then it doesn't add to my confidence level about the future.

I'm about to go spend some long overdue time with my wife and when I return I'll decide if I'm going to continue being a part of all of this. I don't want to be locked in the stocks of public judgement ten years from now.

Hello!

It's friend Mirukubiru! I want to tell you it's just okay! I verified me and I am fine. Ha!

I would recommend speaking to MM before you go through with the process because of different language in ID as well as age. I know that in Korea there is a different age system you might want to talk about. I talked about the Japanese year system with him to make sure my ID could be understandable.

In all, I just put a photo of my drivers license and wrote my address in romanized Japanese. Easy as that. While I'm not going to post explicit photos as for the most part wam is not a sexual play for me, I still wanted to be verified as not only does it help the community, considering I'm a group host I felt I should help inspire others, and with being verified your account is much more trustworthy. I know there is many strange account here and I feel confident talking with others who have been verified!

I'd recommend you go ahead and do it! It barely took anytime and I feel better by helping the community, the site owners, and a feeling of reassurance when I talk to another verified account.

Thank you everyone for your replies and extra thanks to Messmaster for guiding me through the security aspect of the verification process!
I've decided to get verified after reading all the responses here and getting reassured on the security of the verification process. I am really glad to be able to share some of my WaM experience again, as it is one of my most enjoyed hobby after all.
Thanks to everyone for their replies and help